Why You Only Have One Chance To Price Your Property Right
We get it.
You want the best possible price for your home. After all, it’s your biggest asset — maybe even your retirement fund or your step towards a dream home.
But here’s the truth many sellers don’t realise until it’s too late: overpricing your home at launch is often the most expensive mistake you can make.
Let’s explain why…
“We Can Always Try Higher and Take an Offer…”
It sounds logical, doesn’t it?
The idea that you can list a bit high “just to see what happens” and reduce the price later if you need to.
But here’s the thing: buyers are not stupid. And the property market moves fast.
When a house first goes live, that’s when it’s fresh out of the oven — it’s got the most attention, energy, and momentum. If it’s overpriced, it gets skipped. Ignored. Left behind.
And what happens to a house that’s been sat on the market for weeks? Buyers start asking questions:
- “Why hasn’t it sold?”
- “What’s wrong with it?”
- “Can we put in a cheeky offer?”
That original buzz is gone. It’s the stale doughnut on the shelf in the bakery when everyone wants the fresh batch that has just come out of the oven.
The Risks of Getting It Wrong
There are really only three reasons why a property doesn’t sell:
- It’s not being marketed properly.
- The seller isn’t really motivated.
- It’s overpriced.
And overpricing is the most common — especially in today’s climate.
The market has changed. Prices have softened. Sold prices are history — they show what buyers were paying six months ago. Buyers care about now. They’re comparing your home with what else is available today.
And if you’re even £10,000 over — you might as well be £50,000 over. Because that first impression? That’s everything.
Price It Right, Sell It Smart
Let’s flip this around.
When a property is priced right — something really exciting happens:
✅ More buyers are interested
✅ More viewings are booked
✅ You create competition
✅ You increase your chances of a great offer (likely in excess of the marketing price because of the amount of interest)
✅ And… your sale is more likely to go through smoothly
When the price is bang on, it often sells faster and for more than expected — because the demand is there.
And here’s something sellers forget: you’re not pricing your home for what you’ve spent on it, or what you need out of it — you’re pricing it based on what a buyer is willing to pay.
“But Ours Is the Nicest on the Street…”
Maybe it is — and that helps! A beautiful presentation makes your home more saleable, absolutely.
But it doesn’t necessarily make it worth more.
Buyers value size, layout, location, and potential — not your kitchen upgrade or the £40,000 extension that isn’t adding extra bedrooms. It’s tough love, but it’s true.
The Three Price Strategies
When we talk about pricing, we often explain it like this:
- The Perfect Price – where it’s likely to sell for full value and generate interest straight away.
- The Fast Price – where it sells quickly, usually to a keen buyer who’s ready to go.
- The Risky Price – where it’s unlikely to get attention, and you end up reducing it later… for less than the perfect price would’ve achieved in the first place.
Spoiler: most homes end up selling for the fast price anyway.
So why waste weeks (or months) chasing the wrong number?
Final Thought: Ahead of the Market, Not Behind It
Here’s the biggest danger of overpricing — while your property sits unsold, the market could shift again. And suddenly you’re not chasing £10,000… you’re £25,000 behind and missing out on your dream move.
We always say: get ahead of the market, not behind it.
If you’re downsizing, for example, and the market drops 2%, you could lose £12,000 on your sale — but only £6,000 on your purchase. That’s still in your favour.
The longer you wait, the more you risk eroding that gap.
Want Honest Advice on Pricing?
We don’t overvalue to win clients, and we don’t tie you into long contracts either. Why?
Because we back ourselves to get it right, first time.
So if you want genuine advice about pricing your home for today’s market — with real comparables, real buyer insight, and a plan that actually works — get in touch.
We’ll help you sell smart. Not stale.