How to Identify an Overpriced Home

Whether you are selling your home or looking for a new home, knowing how to avoid an overpriced home is important.

In many cases, homeowners value their homes higher than what they’re worth because of sentimentality and emotional attachments.

However, overpricing a home is one of the biggest mistakes sellers can make, and buying an overpriced home is an even bigger mistake.

Here are 5 ways to identify an overpriced home.

The home is priced much higher than neighboring properties. One of the first things real estate agents do before recommending a price to the seller is look at the sales prices of the last three sales of comparable sized homes in the neighborhood. Do a search to find out what neighboring homes are selling for, and make sure the home is priced accordingly.

Look at the number of days the home has been on the market. If the home has a high number of days on the market, it may be an indication that the home is overpriced. Competitive bids indicate a reasonably priced home.

The home is priced for customized, unique amenities. Tennis courts, badminton courts, wet bars, expensive pools, bowling alleys, and other amenities may have a lot of the appeal to the seller, but they don’t necessarily have a broad appeal. The price should reflect that point and not include many customized, personal amenities.

The location does not add value to the home. It’s a real estate cliché that “location is everything.” However, location can affect the price of a home. If the house is located on a very busy street, is located in a generally low-income area, or the nearby schools don’t have high ratings, the price should reflect such.

The home price is based on home improvements. There are a few improvements that can increase a home’s value. An updated kitchen, a newly installed bathroom, a deck, or other add-ons may warrant additional cost. However, minor home improvements and repairs do not. Make sure you are aware of any improvements, remodels, add-ons, etc. Verify that if the price of the home includes improvements, the improvements add actual value to the property.