HOW TO PRICE YOUR HOME

And sell it for a better price

by Neil Jenman

If you want to sell your home for the best price, there is one simple rule you must follow.

Put a price on it.

Never mind what agents tell you, if you fail to display a price; or worse, if you use a ‘price guide’ or a ‘price range’ you will almost certainly under-sell your home.

These days, thousands of sellers are being coerced into under-selling their homes because incompetent or deceitful agents persuade them to conceal the price.

It’s basic Negotiation 101 to display a price. It’s also honest and upfront. Buyers love it.

Be warned: Agents these days will apply enormous pressure to you to convince you to hide the price – or use one of those bait-price strategies. You must resist them. Stay firm. Be determined to sell your home in an honest manner, with no deception.

If getting the best price doesn’t matter to you, if you want a sale at any price, then do what most agents suggest: Hide the price or, advertise a lower price than you will accept.

Of course, your first reaction, when an agent suggests such a strategy, may be: “But we won’t sell for that price.”

Your second reaction may be: “Isn’t it dishonest to advertise a price we won’t accept?”

Well, of course it is dishonest. And illegal. But the real estate industry has managed to con authorities by allowing a “range” of price variances to disguise their deceit. Agents figure out ways to break laws as fast as laws are enacted.

When selling your home, an important point to understand is this: You and the agent have different goals. Your goal is to sell at the best price. The agent’s goal is to sell at any price.

Here is what most sellers fail to grasp: Whether the agent sells your home for a high price or a low price, the agent still gets a high commission.

The lower the price, the easier your home is to sell. And the faster the agent gets paid.

This is why agents are always pushing sellers down in price.

Here is a trap that catches thousands of sellers: Agents say: “Hey, hey, wink-nod, if we advertise a lower price, we will attract more buyers.”

Now, while it is true that a lower price attracts more buyers, here’s what is also true: You attract buyers at a lower price.

The agent then uses the ‘This-is-what-the-market-is-saying’ pitch.  But here’s the trap: The agent is looking in the wrong market.

If you want to sell your home for say, $2 million dollars, the first thing you need is a buyer who can afford $2 million. If you advertise it for, say, “$1.7 million to $2.1 million,” you will just attract buyers who offer you $1.7 million. Or even lower.

That’s what most agents want: If your price is lower, they sell your home faster. Pocket the commission and then find their next victim.

Look at all those price ‘ranges’ or ‘guides’ nowadays. How often do buyers see a property advertised “from $2.5 million to $3 million” and offer $3 million? Almost never.

By advertising a lower figure, you force your price lower. Never do it. No matter how good or how slick the agent’s spiel, you are almost always better off with an honest price.

Please realise how frustrating it is for buyers when they see no price or when they are “suckered” with a bait-price. Imagine if you try to buy a car and there are no prices. How would you feel?

What about a fridge or a washing machine? You need a price. If not, you get frustrated.

Here’s a golden rule of negotiation: Never make your customers angry. Buyers are customers.

With so much deception these days, with many agents failing to give buyers a straight answer, you will attract more buyers – and make them a lot happier – if you display an honest price.

And even if you don’t get as much interest, so what? What’s the point of having lots of interest at an unacceptable price? The only advantage is for the agent who can say: “Look at all this activity, this is what the market is saying, you need to accept this offer, it’s the best you’ll get.”

Rubbish.

Many times, agents tell sellers that an offer is “the best you’ll get”; the sellers hold out and, sure enough, the home gets sold for a higher price later.