The #1 Thing Sellers Should Know About Pricing Their Home Right Now

If you're considering selling your home Long beach, your goal is probably to sell it fast and for the highest possible price. Totally understandable! But lately, I’m seeing many sellers aim too high out of the gate—and it’s hurting their chances. With more homes on the market, today’s real estate landscape has shifted, and sellers must adjust their pricing strategies to match.

Here’s the deal: price cuts are becoming more common, not because homes aren’t desirable, but because they were priced too high from the start.

In fact, recent data from Realtor.com shows that this past February saw more price reductions than any other February since 2019. That’s significant because 2019 was the last “normal” year before the wild pandemic market. We’re heading back to a more balanced market now, which means pricing needs to reflect that shift.

You Can’t Rely on Pandemic-Era Prices Anymore

You might’ve heard what your neighbor’s home sold for a year or two ago and want to shoot for that number, but we’re in a different market now. Overpricing a home today usually leads to longer days on the market, fewer showings, and, ironically, lower offers in the long run.

Here’s why: if buyers see a price drop after a home’s been sitting for a while, they often wonder what’s “wrong” with it. That hesitation can cost you valuable momentum and money.

So, How Do You Price It Right from the Start?

This is where having the right agent makes all the difference. A great agent doesn’t just guess a number—they look at real-time data, recent comparable sales, and local market trends. Together, we’ll come up with a price that reflects what buyers are actually paying in your area right now.

Here’s what I’ll do to help you price right:

• Analyze comparable sales – What did similar homes in your area sell for?

• Understand local buyer behavior – What are buyers in our market willing to pay right now?

• Build a strategy – We’ll price in a way that gets serious buyers in the door and creates urgency.

Why Overpricing Can Hurt More Than Help

Some sellers still want to test the market by starting high, thinking they can always lower the price later. But here’s the risk:

• Buyers might scroll right past it. If the price looks out of range, they won’t even bother clicking.

• Your listing could go stale. The longer it sits, the more it looks like something’s wrong.

• You may end up selling for less. Homes that need price reductions usually don’t sell for as much as those that are priced correctly from the beginning.

There’s a clear trend: homes that are priced right from the start often sell quickly and at or above asking price. But once a home sits for more than a few weeks, the offers tend to drop. That’s why getting it right the first time is so important.

Bottom Line

You only get one chance to make a great first impression in real estate. Pricing too high just to “see what happens” could cost you in the long run. If you want to attract serious buyers and sell for top dollar, the key is a smart, data-driven pricing strategy.

Let’s chat and make sure your home hits the market at the right price from day one. Read more.