When Is the Right Time to Lower Your Home Price?
- Aug 10
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 15
Is Your Home Sitting on the Market Longer Than Expected? Let’s Talk Price Strategy.
You listed your home, you spruced it up, your agent had professional photos taken, and you’ve been waiting for that flood of offers… yet here we are... crickets. I know it’s frustrating. You start wondering: Is it the market? The photos? The scent of last night’s garlic shrimp lingering in the kitchen? While there can be several factors at play, one of the biggest hurdles for sellers is often pricing.
Pricing a home isn’t as simple as “let’s go high and see what happens.” In fact, in real estate, shooting too high can backfire faster than you think. That’s why knowing where to start, and when to adjust, is absolutely critical.
Yes, I’m Data-Driven… But Sellers Make the Final Call
I work hard to back up every pricing recommendation with hard data: recent comparable sales, absorption rates, market trends, and buyer behavior patterns. I’m a big believer in letting the numbers guide the strategy.
That said, sometimes sellers don’t want to believe the data or they feel their home should sit above the market because of emotional value, unique features, or just plain pride of ownership. I’ll push only so far before stepping back, because ultimately it’s your home and your decision.
But I’ll be honest, this is where it gets harder. When we start too high, days on market accumulate. Buyers notice. And the longer a home sits, the harder we have to work to re-energize interest later.
Why Timing is Everything
The first few weeks after your home hits the market are prime time. This is when your listing shows up as “new” in every buyer’s feed, agents are sending it to their clients, and you’re getting the most eyeballs possible.
If during this window you’re not seeing much activity, it can be an early warning sign. Even in a competitive market, buyers are savvy. If the price doesn’t align with the perceived value, they move on to the next option without a second thought. This often surprises some sellers who believe buyers should simply have the “courage” to make whatever offer they feel is fair. While a few buyers might do that, most won’t. When a home feels overpriced, they tend to move on to other properties they also like - especially since they usually expect to negotiate on any home of interest and prefer starting from a more realistic base price. Overpricing can also send an unintended signal: buyers may assume that if a seller isn’t reasonable on price, they might be equally difficult during other parts of the process, like inspections and repairs.
Four Signs It’s Time to Rethink Your Price
Low showings or none at all – If buyers aren’t even coming through the door, they may be skipping it in their search results because the price feels out of reach for what’s being offered.
A good volume of views, no offers – This usually means you’re winning online curb appeal, but the asking price stops buyers from taking the next step.
Consistent feedback about price – If you’re hearing “It’s lovely, but…” from agents and buyers, that “but” is probably price-related.
Neighbors’ homes are selling quickly – If similar homes nearby are moving and yours isn’t, the market might be telling you something loud and clear.
How Long Should You Wait Before Making a Move?
In most cases, 3 - 4 weeks is enough time to gauge initial interest, especially if there’s been little activity. Waiting too long risks having your listing become “stale,” and once buyers start asking “Why hasn’t this sold yet?” it’s harder to regain momentum.
Sometimes a timely and appropriate price adjustment doesn’t just spark interest, it can actually reignite competition and bring multiple offers back into play.
Be Strategic, Not Desperate
When it’s time to consider a price adjustment, don’t just stab in the dark - go back to the data. Have prices shifted in your neighborhood since you listed? Are similar homes closing at different numbers than they were a month ago? This is your opportunity to fix what may have been broken in your initial pricing strategy and position your home for success.
This is also where some sellers can fall into another trap, being fearful of putting the price where it truly needs to be. Instead, they take tiny, slow increments down, which usually just causes the same problem to recur. Even worse, it creates the perception of a “moving target,” which can make buyers hesitant or cause them to just wait for the next price drop. My advice? Take your medicine and get the price right. This is your chance at a redo. While it will never be as effective as pricing correctly from the very beginning (because that upfront burst of attention never fully comes back), it’s far better than continuing to miss the mark.
Not all price drops are created equal. A token $1,000 reduction? Probably not going to turn the tide. But a meaningful adjustment that aligns with the current market and moves you into a lower price search bracket? That’s a game changer. Example: If your home is listed at $505,000 and you reduce it to $499,900, you’re now appearing in every buyer search capped at $500k - instantly tapping into a new pool of potential buyers who might not have seen your home before.
How I Help My Sellers Navigate This
Pricing is both an art and a science. I bring the market data, buyer insights, and local experience to set the right price from the start, or make the right move when adjustments are needed.
It’s never about “just dropping the price.” It’s about positioning your home so it sells faster and for the best possible return.
If your home has been lingering on the market longer than you’d like, or if you’re thinking of selling and want to nail your pricing strategy from day one, I’d love to help you create a plan that works.
📍 Naples, Florida
📞 (239) 287-2576
#️⃣ Instagram: reneehahnluxurynaples
#️⃣ Facebook: LuxuryRealEstateinNaples
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