Why Overpricing Your House Can Cost You

Tuesday, April 02, 2024

Primary Blog/For Sellers/Why Overpricing Your House Can Cost You

Is It Easier To Find a Home To Buy Now?

Tuesday, April 02, 2024

If you’re trying to sell your house, you may be looking at this spring season as the sweet spot – and you’re not wrong. We’re still in a seller’s market because there are so few homes for sale right now. And historically, this is the time of year when more buyers move, and competition ticks up. That makes this an exciting time to put up that for sale sign.
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​But while conditions are great for sellers like you, you’ll still want to be strategic when it comes time to set your asking price. That’s because pricing your house too high may actually cost you in the long run.

The Downside of Overpricing Your House

The asking price for your house sends a message to potential buyers. From the moment they see your listing, the price and the photos are what’s going to make the biggest first impression. And, if it’s priced too high, you may turn people away. As an article from U.S. News Real Estate says:

“Even in a hot market where there are more buyers than houses available for sale, buyers aren't going to pay attention to a home with an inflated asking price.”

That’s because no homebuyer wants to pay more than they have to, especially not today. Many are already feeling the pinch on their budget due to ongoing home price appreciation and today’s mortgage rates. And if they think your house is overpriced, they may write it off without even stepping foot in the front door, or simply won’t make an offer if they think it’s priced too high.

If that happens, it’s going to take longer to sell. And ideally you don’t want to have to think about doing a price drop to try to re-ignite interest in your house. Why? Some buyers will see the price cut as a red flag and wonder why the price was reduced, or they’ll think something is wrong with the house the longer it sits. As an article from Forbes explains:

“It’s not only the price of an overpriced home that turns buyers off. There’s also another negative component that kicks in. . . . if your listing just sits there and accumulates days on the market, it will not be a good look. . . . buyers won’t necessarily ask anyone what’s wrong with the home. They’ll just assume that something is indeed wrong, and will skip over the property and view more recent listings.”

Your Agent’s Role in Setting the Right Price

Instead, pricing it at or just below current market value from the start is a much better strategy. So how do you find that ideal asking price? You lean on the pros. Only an agent has the expertise needed to research and figure out the current market value for your home.

​They’ll factor in the condition of your house, any upgrades you’ve made, and what other houses like yours are selling for in your area. And they’ll use all of that information to find that target number. The right price will bring in more buyers and make it more likely you’ll see multiple offers too. Plus, when homes are priced right, they still tend to sell quickly.

Bottom Line

Even though you want to bring in top dollar when you sell, setting the asking price too high may deter buyers and slow down the sales process.

​Let’s connect to find the right price for your house, so we can maximize your profit and still draw in eager buyers willing to make competitive offers.

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Hi, I Am Kim Dorman

Long & Foster Realtor

As your real estate agent, I hope you’ll think of me as your trusted advisor, your practiced negotiator, your skilled house-hunter and your neighborhood expert. Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or just looking, I’ll diligently work for you every step of the way. My goal is to deliver a joyful, seamless experience at every phase of the home buying or selling journey.

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Kim Dorman, with Long and Foster Real Estate, went above and beyond in handling the recent sale of our home! She gave us lots of information on all the steps involved in selling, as well as excellent recommendations for contractors for any needed repairs. She was very knowledgeable about all the steps involved and very willing to explain the whole process. We would definitely recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell their home!

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We called Kim, once again, to help us find our home upon our return to the area. She was quickly responsive and strove to understand all of our desires for a new home, and advised us in all aspects of the search. She helped us to quickly find a home we love, answered or sought answers to any questions we came up with, and walked us through the entire process from the search to the closing. Kim is a brilliant advocate and is vastly experienced. We highly recommend her for any real estate need.

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Being a first time home buyer, my boyfriend and I were a little nervous about the home-buying process. Kim right away made us feel at ease and was able to speak to us first about the process before going all in. She discussed the housing market and what we can expect.... We are very happy with Kim and would strongly recommend using her for buying or selling your home.

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Kim has truly been a lifesaver for our family - we had a cross-country move in a very tight timeframe (during COVID-19, no less) and she helped us find a home that met our needs even with all of that working against us. She was very professional, extremely responsive, and thorough to ensure we found the right place for us. We really enjoyed working with her on a personal level, too! She is fantastic!

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Kim is amazing! She is easy going and full of energy and helped us find our perfect home. She then made dealing with a very difficult seller seem effortless. I would definitely (and have) recommend her to family and friends. Don't hesitate to have Kim Dorman help you with buying or selling!

MATT

Kim puts her clients first and is willing to go the extra mile to assist them. She is very knowledgeable and very thorough in answering questions and providing information we weren't aware that we needed. She is very reliable and accessible, both by phone or email. We have already recommended her to others and will happily do so again. We will gladly work with her again when it comes time to sell our house.

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