What Price Should I Ask?


How do I price my house?

In a word, realistically.

Today's residential real estate market is no place to look for easy profit. The fact is, prices have generally leveled off from their peak during the 1980's. That's not to say you can't get what your house is worth. You just have to be realistic about its value, and price it accordingly. A good place to start is by determining the fair market value.

What is "fair market value," and how do I determine mine?

Simply put, the fair market value of a house is the highest price an informed buyer will pay, assuming there is no unusual pressure to complete the purchase. It is usually not the asking price.

To get an estimate of fair market value, contact Terri Scheper and ask for a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) of your house.

The analysis will give you a realistic figure based on the most salient points of the local real estate market. It should provide information about recent sales of similar houses, including how much they sold for and how long it took. The broker's price opinion is very helpful in determining the right asking price.

How flexible should I be about the asking price?

Most buyers also leave room for negotiation when they make an offer. Thus, a certain degree of flexibility is usually called for on the part of both the buyer and seller.

While it is ultimately your decision to accept or reject an offer, or present a counter-proposal, a good agent can be of great assistance to you during the negotiating process. In fact, negotiation is one of the valuable skills an agent can offer you. As negotiations proceed -- whether in writing, face-to-face, or by phone -- your agent should inform you of your options in responding to each offer from the buyer. Even without such advice, a cool, rational manner in what is often a long, emotionally-charged process will usually net you a significantly higher price.

Who can help me determine the right asking price?

Real estate sales agents suggest asking prices based on a wide array of information you may not have at your disposal, including recent listing and selling prices of houses in your neighborhood. If you're not completely confident in their suggestions, you may want to order an appraisal.

Next, establish clear priorities. If you had to choose, are you more concerned with selling quickly, or getting the most money possible?

Someone else -- a neighbor, friend or relative -- may point out advantages or disadvantages about your house that you hadn't thought about. Third-party views will help you start thinking of your house as a commodity, with positive and negative selling points. Then you should decide on a price that you feel is competitive and consistent with what other houses in your area have sold for.

What's the difference between fair market value and asking price?

Generally speaking, the owner's asking price -- the advertised price of a house when it goes on the market -- is set slightly higher than fair market value. You can assume that some negotiation will be necessary to reach an agreement with a buyer. In most cases, the agent who presents you with the results of your CMA will be willing to help you establish a competitive pricing.