There are a number of reasons why a home isn’t selling. Thankfully, you don’t have to be an expert on why – because the price will fix anything:
1. Inferior location
2. Funky floor plan
3. Repairs needed
4. Market conditions
5. Few or no comps
6. Struggling economy
7. Low Zestimate
8. Listing agent
9. Bad weather
10. Bad neighbors
Buyers are willing to pay within 5% of the list price. So if you are getting showings and offers, then the list price is about right.
If you’re not getting offers, then the list price must be more than 5% wrong.
Won’t buyers make an offer, even a low one? No – it’s too easy for buyers to stay on the fence while they are wait-and-see, rather than make a low offer. In fact, we rarely see an offer that is lower than 5% below the list price because buyers would rather not bother – plus they don’t want to offend anyone.
A proper price reduction re-ignites the urgency and enthusiasm in buyers, which makes them want to write a good offer.
How much is needed to get buyers to engage?
Lower the price by 5%.
You see sellers lowering their price by 1% or less, but that’s not impressing the buyers – if anything, it reminds them that your price is still wrong because it still looks too much like the old price.
Lowering the price by 5% not only re-engages the existing buyers who are considering your home, but it also picks up a new set of buyers who weren’t looking as high as your previous price.
It may sound bold, but what else can a seller do to regain momentum?
Two things: a) Complete repairs/improvements to bring the home’s value up, or b) cancel the listing and try again a few months later.
If you don’t want to bother with repairs and really want to sell now, then do this exercise:
How does your home compare to the active listings priced at 5% below their current price – are you winning that test? Is your house the best of that bunch? Find the group of active listings where your house is the obvious winner, and you’ll know the price that will work.
If 5% sounds like too much, and waiting longer for that perfect couple with 2.2 kids to come along is easier to swallow, then no problem. It could happen.
But if you’re tired of waiting and will consider a price reduction, then 5% is the recommended amount – which isn’t giving it away. It’s just recognizing that the initial list price was too optimistic, and a more realistic price is needed.
Smaller reductions won’t cause buyers into doing anything different than they’ve been doing – waiting for a fair price/value for today’s market.
