Patience Isn’t a Strategy: Price Your House to Sell

Waiting for the perfect buyer to fall in love with your house? In today’s market, that’s usually not what’s holding things up. And here’s why.

Homes are taking longer to sell than they did a year ago. According to Realtor.com:

“Homes are also taking longer to sell. The typical home spent 60 days on the market in August, seven days longer than last year and now above pre-pandemic norms for the second consecutive month. This was the 17th straight month of year-over-year increases in time on market.”

Part of that is because there are more homes for buyers to choose from. But there’s another big reason: price.

The Average List Price Isn’t Going Up – And That Matters

Many homeowners are still overshooting their asking price, remembering the surge in 2021–2022 when bidding wars pushed values higher every week. But those days are behind us.

List prices have leveled off and held steady for the past few years. That’s a huge shift from the rapid climb many sellers got used to.

What this means: buyers are far more price-sensitive now. If your home is priced even slightly above where the market is today, buyers will scroll right past it. With more inventory on the market, they have plenty of other options.

4 Signs Your Price May Be Too High

If your home is sitting without offers, watch for these red flags (via Bankrate):

• Few or no showings

• No offers, or only lowball offers

• Negative buyer feedback after showings

• Your listing has been on the market longer than average for your area

If you’re seeing any of these, waiting it out won’t fix the problem. Adjusting your price will.

The Smart Fix: Price Strategically for Today’s Market

Work with your agent to reevaluate your list price. Even a small adjustment can make a big difference in drawing buyers in and creating momentum.

And don’t forget: even if you don’t land the sky-high price you imagined, your equity has likely grown significantly over the past 5, 10, or more years. You’re still in a strong position when you sell today.

Bottom Line

Patience isn’t a strategy. Pricing is.

If your home isn’t selling, the market is sending you a message. A realistic, strategic price is what gets buyers in the door and offers on the table.

Talk with your agent to reset your pricing strategy so your home stands out for all the right reasons.