Palos Verdes Coastal Homes 310-493-8333: Seller Tip: How To Know When and How Much To Reduce Your Price

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Seller Tip: How To Know When and How Much To Reduce Your Price

I requested a price reduction on a listing last week. The seller wants to know how much she should reduce the price to still be enough to generate an offer but not take unnecessary cash from her pile on the closing table. She also wants to know how I know it is time for a price reduction. Fair questions and very typical ones for every seller contemplating a price reduction.

My first response was to remind her she chose to list it at the highest dollar of the suggested listing price range I provided based upon recent sales in her neighborhood. True, her property boasts a long list of improvements and shows like a near model home, but improvements rarely return dollar for dollar. Next, we discussed the number of showings and the fact we have passed the first thirty days without so much as a nibble. Lots of compliments and kudos for terrific upgrades, but no offers.

I do not have a set formula for price reductions. I do keep a close eye on market activity in the area and monitor showings for feedback. My initial goal is neither to overprice or under-price a listing; the goal is to price it at market value. We are close but not quite on the money. Sometimes a small adjustment will move a property into the "sell zone" before staleness sets in and lowball offers emerge.

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma