Most homeowners never hear about this until it’s too late. Today I want to share something that happens behind the scenes in real estate all the time, and it affects sellers more than you think. If you understand this one idea, you can protect your equity, your time, and your peace of mind.
It’s something called buying the listing.
What is “Buying the Listing”?
What usually happens is simple. A seller invites a few agents over to talk about listing their home. The home is personal. It is emotional. You built memories here. You invested in it. Of course, you want to maximize the return.
So the agents come in, compliment the home, compliment the upgrades, compliment the neighborhood, and then they drop a number that feels incredible. That number hits your ego in a way that feels validating, exciting, and hopeful. And naturally, you think they must really believe in your home.
But here is the truth: They are not pricing the home. They are pricing your feelings.
Buying the listing is when an agent intentionally gives you an inflated number just to get you to sign the paperwork. It feels harmless at first because you think you don’t pay until the home sells, so what is there to lose?
A lot, actually.
The Cost of Overpricing: The Momentum Killer
Once you sign the listing agreement, everything changes. The confidence fades. The tone shifts. Suddenly the market is moving. Buyers are hesitant. The weather was bad. The comp next door doesn’t matter anymore. And the conversation slowly turns into: “We might need to drop the price.”
Week by week, your momentum fades. The home sits. Buyers start to wonder what is wrong with it. People assume you are desperate. Negotiations get harder. The excitement disappears. And you end up chasing a number that was never realistic in the first place.
The truth is this: Overpricing is not harmless. Overpricing is one of the most costly mistakes a seller can make.
You Only Get One First Impression
Today’s buyers are educated. They have alerts, data, instant access to comparable homes (comps). If your price is out of line, they skip it.
- Time on market grows.
- Leverage disappears.
- Buyers suspect a flaw, leading to lower offers or no offers at all.
You end up accepting terms that feel stressful or rushed, often selling for less than you would have if you had priced correctly from day one.
Choosing Strategy Over Fantasy
I have seen this happen many times.
- I had one seller come to me after months on the market with another agent at an inflated price. They were frustrated and confused. We repositioned the home correctly and launched it with a real plan, and it sold because we followed the right strategy, not a fantasy number.
- I had another seller who wanted to price high. Instead of overpricing, we priced smart. That created heavy demand, multiple offers, and ultimately a stronger sale price than the inflated number they originally wanted.
Sometimes I have even walked away from listings when the only goal was the highest number instead of the smartest plan. For me, integrity matters. I care about the long game. I care about families making smart moves and not getting caught in stressful situations that could have been avoided.
The Real Pricing Strategy
A real pricing strategy is not about guessing. It is about:
- Preparation: Correctly prepping the home (repairs, staging, cleaning).
- Psychology: Understanding how buyers think and react to price points.
- Timing: Launching with momentum to maximize the crucial first two weeks.
- Positioning: Knowing the competition and pricing correctly against them.
- Data: Basing the number on recent, relevant comparable sales.
The goal is not to impress you with a number at the listing appointment. The goal is to impress you with results at the closing table.
If you ever want clarity on your home’s true market value or want to see what a real strategy session looks like, reach out. I’m always here to help you make confident and informed decisions.
