How Do I Price My Home To Sell?

If you are unsure how to price your home, then this guide is for you. Being competitive in the market not only acts as an invisible hand but also is the most logical step in pricing your house or even other types of properties. Selling your home too high or selling it too low will raise some questions for the buyers and will definitely affect the length of your sale. It may even cost you even more.

Home Seller Mistake No. 1: Pricing Too High

“I can always lower the price later if I don't get any offers.”

That statement costs home sellers millions of dollars every year. While it’s technically true that you can reduce your price later, relying on that strategy often works against you. Buyers and their agents pay close attention to price history. The longer your home sits, the more likely it is that buyers will make lowball offers or avoid it altogether.

Time and time again, real estate experience shows that sellers who list competitively from the start tend to receive stronger offers and often sell quicker. Homes that start at the right price attract more attention, generate more showings, and are more likely to receive multiple offers—sometimes even above asking price.

Why? Psychology.

When you price too high, here's what buyers often think:

“Wow, three price cuts in the last four months… There must be something wrong with that house.”

“With all the price cuts on this house, the sellers must be desperate. Let's offer them far below what they’re asking and see if they bite.”

A home that appears to be overpriced or shows a pattern of multiple price reductions can lose credibility in the eyes of potential buyers. First impressions matter. That’s why starting with a realistic, well-researched price is key to a successful sale.

Sound Pricing Strategies

A far smarter approach is to allow me, as your real estate professional, to perform a detailed market analysis and then work together with you on setting the right price. The goal is to price the home so it draws strong interest right from the start.

Overpricing should be avoided at all costs. Even if your home is beautiful or has unique features, buyers still compare it to others on the market. Pricing too high could result in it being overlooked in online searches filtered by budget.

Here’s what I look at when determining a strong asking price:

Similar Homes via a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

I will provide a professional CMA that digs deep into statistics from your neighborhood and surrounding areas. This includes:

• Recent home sales (ideally within the past 3 to 6 months)
• Homes currently listed (your competition)
• Properties that were listed but didn’t sell (an indicator of overpricing)
• Key features such as square footage, age, lot size, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, updates, and more

This analysis helps us see exactly where your home fits into the market. By comparing your property to similar homes, we can determine a fair yet competitive price range that will appeal to buyers and attract attention.

General Market Conditions

Is it a seller’s market (low inventory, high demand) or a buyer’s market (more inventory, less demand)? These conditions can affect pricing strategy significantly.

Even though you might hear national real estate trends on the news, your local market could tell a different story. That's why it’s important to lean on local expertise. I stay current on real-time neighborhood trends, from days on market to average sale-to-list ratios, so I can explain exactly what’s happening in your area.

If we price your home correctly based on the CMA and market conditions, we’ll be in a strong position to attract buyers and negotiate confidently.

Bonus Tip: Emotion vs. Market Value

It is totally understandable to have emotional ties to your house, considering we humans are emotional beings and most of the time we have invested feelings towards the things that gave us memories. However, in the eyes of the buyer, they see it as purely financial and strategic which is why it is important to always understand where your buyers are coming from.

My job is to help you navigate those emotions while making decisions that support your financial goals. Let's work together to set the right price and make your home as appealing as possible from day one.