Special offer

Sellers, don't wait too long to lower the price on your home.

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Cornerstone Business Group Inc 0225086119

Sellers, don't wait too long to lower the price on your home. If you wait until your property is stigmatized to lower the price, it still might not sell at the new price. The best thing a seller can do is list the property at a good price, make it easy to show, always have it ready to show and don't put roadblocks in the path of buyers.

I turned down a listing a couple months ago because the seller wanted to list at an unreasonable price. Of course, he found an agent who was willing to list at his price. Today, two months later, he lowered the price to my suggested list price.

Does that mean it will finally sell? Not at all. The problem with listing too high and then keeping it too high is that time clouds people's vision. A property that sits on the market endlessly becomes stigmatized. Does that mean there is something inherently wrong with it? Not necessarily, but time on the market is the death knell for a good price at contract.

Ironically, if an overpriced house gets an offer it's typically the best offer and it comes early. I've seen many clients blow the first offer off because it came in so early only to settle for an offer four to five digits lower later on. The price of a property is what attracts buyers. 

I showed one today that is a minimum of $100K overpriced. My clients are qualified for the purchase, and they wanted to see the property in person to see if the extreme price was backed up by something other than a seller's prerogative. It wasn't. Sadly, it will sit, and if it sits long enough, it will become stigmatized. 

Sellers, list at the right price. Make it easy to show. Take care of deferred maintenance before you list. Make sure it's always ready to show, and then get out of the way and let the buyers line up. 

 

 

Comments(80)

Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Thank you all for the great comments. I'm tied up with a laundry list of household projects this weekend. I've read them all, but I haven't had time to individually respond. Thanks for stopping by.

May 25, 2014 06:24 AM
Bruce Kunz
C21 Solid Gold Realty, Brick, NJ, 732-920-2100 - Howell, NJ
REALTOR®, Brick & Howell NJ Homes for Sale

Well said, Mike. Sellers need to realize the disservice overpricing their home does to them. Sure they'll find someone to list it, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. Even a mediocre one...

Thanks for sharing. Hope you're able to get some of your projects done & actually some of the weekend!
Bruce

 

May 25, 2014 07:18 AM
Andrew Payne Realtor® Richmond VA Homes For Sale~804-938-5257~
Piedmont Real Estate - Richmond, VA
Richmond, VA, Real Estate, SRES®, NAR Green

Mike,

This post has some good advice.  I've always been told the first offer is usually the best offer.  I think that's true!

May 25, 2014 08:36 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Mike- my husband, a retired builder, used to say  "go ugly early!"  And I know there's another meaning associated with it but you get my drift. 

May 25, 2014 09:49 AM
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Kudos to you for turning down an overpriced listing. Not many of us have the confidence to do that even if we know we should. It never ends well. In a down market, it was said that it was good to be the third agent.

May 25, 2014 11:02 AM
Gerard Gilbers
Higher Authority Markeing - Asheboro, NC
Your Marketing Master

The seller is emotionally attached and may not realize that their price is just making them look greedy and if you don't have a proper plan you will look greedy too.

May 25, 2014 01:36 PM
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Great final paragraph. The worst thing a seller could do is price their home out of the market and help other comparable listings sell. The second worst thing they can do is not accept a first offer. Very rarely (only in an increasing sellers market) does a second offer come in better than a first offer.

May 25, 2014 01:51 PM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

Exellent advice!  You are right about a house becoming stigmitized after it sits on the market. I find myself pre-judging a house that has been listing for a while, and buyers always ask 'what's wrong with this house?'. Sometimes it is obvious.  Set a competative price and it will sell fast--which is the goal of most sellers anyway.

May 26, 2014 12:31 AM
Catherine Ulrey
Keller Williams Capital City - Salem, OR
Equestrian and Acreage Property Specialist

You've explained this very well for sellers.  Let's hope some get it!

May 26, 2014 02:05 AM
David Demangos
Keller Williams Realty Carmel Valley / Del Mar - San Diego, CA
REALTOR

Great advice. I like having a great list to sell ratio!

May 26, 2014 04:47 AM
Elyse Berman, PA
LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Mike,  Excellent post!  I have seen more overpriced homes in the past week than I've seen all year.  I think sellers are doing themselves a disservice by overpricing the homes.  I've had buyers just up and walk away.  We're a destination market and many are second homes.  They say, we're not in a hurry so we'll wait.  I think many of these sellers will be sorry they didn't take that first offer.

May 26, 2014 10:52 AM
Meg Habasevich
Palm Harbor, FL

Great information Mike! But there is one thing you didn't mention in your list of things the seller should do in preparation of selling their home -- investing in a professional staging service and good photography.  You only have one chance to grab the attention of potential buyers. Since many buyers are shopping on-line and making a decision about a property based on their sense of sight, a home not staged or poorly photographed is not only unattractive, but it can also be a reflection on the types of properties the agent represents. 

Regardless of price, buyers are instinctively drawn to better looking on-line imagery.   Make sure you hire a qualified staging consultant that will make sure the seller's emotion (STUFF) doesn't get in the way of the future homeowner seeing themselves living in quite possibly the biggest investment they will ever make.

May 27, 2014 12:21 AM
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

I couldn't have said it better myself.  We have probably all dealt with sellers who want inflated prices for their property!

May 27, 2014 12:52 AM
Marsha Cash
RE/MAX Advantage - Stockbridge, GA

It's amazing how many sellers hire us to be the professional, but don't follow our professional advice concerning price!

May 27, 2014 02:57 AM
Dinah Stallworth-Lewis
Priority Real Estate LLC - 318.332.8281 - Natchitoches, LA
NATCHITOCHES, LA HOMES FOR SALE

Mike,

I totally agree, initial pricing is critical when listing property for sale.  Price matters ...

May 27, 2014 03:50 AM
Deleted Account
Fort Myers, FL

I think the key to selling every home is having a salable price.  You will still need someone that will like the home, but if the price is not a salable price, it won't sell.  Also, after so many days, the salable price will go down, as it hasn't sold yet.

May 28, 2014 07:55 AM
Jeff Jensen
The Federal Savings Bank/Lending in 50 states - Greenwich, CT

A lot of listing agents here mandate a price reduction at the one or two week mark.

May 28, 2014 08:08 AM
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

     Once it gets stale on the shelf, it will be next to impossible to move it.  If the house is getting a lot of showings, but no Offers, then cut the price immediately!   

May 28, 2014 12:56 PM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

My rule is 30-10-1...30 days, 10 showings and 1 reasonable offer.  If you can't theprice is too high.

May 28, 2014 10:17 PM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Great post. Lot's of good commonsensical info for us all to revisit every so often.

Jun 01, 2014 01:30 AM