"What's wrong with our house?" Sarah sat across from me, frustration etched in every line of her face. Three months on the market. Dozens of showings initially, then... silence. Now her listing sat there, stale, while newer homes in her neighborhood sold within weeks.

I wish I could tell you Sarah's situation was unique. But I have this conversation more often than I'd like—with sellers who are exhausted, confused, and starting to panic because they based their price on hope instead of market reality.

Here's what I told Sarah, and what I need you to hear: Nothing was wrong with her home. Everything was wrong with her pricing strategy.

The Painful Truth About Pricing

You've worked hard for your home. You've invested money, sweat equity, and years of memories. When you look around, you see the new kitchen you saved for. The deck you built one summer. The garden you carefully cultivated. You see value everywhere.

And you're right—that value is real to you. But here's the hard truth: buyers make decisions based on cold, hard data about what similar homes have actually sold for, not on what we hope they're worth.

I know that sounds harsh. I've owned property in both Xenia and Yellow Springs for over 20 years. I manage a rental. I get the emotional attachment. But my job is to help you navigate the gap between what your home means to you and what the market will actually pay for it—right now, today.

The Three Pricing Outcomes—and Only One Is Good

Every pricing decision leads to one of three paths. Let me show you where each one goes:

Outcome #1: Price Too High (The Slow Bleed)

This is the most common mistake, and the most painful. Here's what actually happens when you overprice:

• Week 1-2: Initial curiosity brings showings from buyers hoping you're underpriced
• Week 3-4: Showings slow as buyers realize you're above market
• Week 6-8: Your listing looks "stale"—buyers wonder what's wrong with it
• Week 10+: You're getting lowball offers or no offers at all
• Eventual outcome: Price reduction below where you should have started, accepting less than you could have gotten initially

The market has a memory. When buyers see your listing has been active for 90 days, they assume something is wrong—even if the only problem was the initial price.

Outcome #2: Price Too Low (Money You'll Never Get Back)

Less common, but equally painful. When you underprice significantly:

• You create a feeding frenzy—but you've already left money on the table
• Even in a multiple offer situation, buyers won't bid beyond market value by much
• You literally give away your equity
• That money is gone forever—it doesn't come back

Outcome #3: Price Strategically (Creating Competition That Works for You)

This is what happens when you price based on actual market data and strategic positioning:

• Buyers recognize the value immediately
• Multiple showings in the first two weeks
• Offers come in quickly, often multiple offers
• You have leverage to negotiate better terms—not just price, but closing dates, contingencies, repairs
• Your home sells close to list price (or above in competitive situations)
• The entire process takes 30-45 days instead of 90-120 days

Strategic pricing isn't about going low—it's about being precisely right. It's about understanding buyer psychology, current market conditions, and the specific factors that make your home valuable in today's market.

Understanding What "Market Data" Actually Means

When I provide a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), I'm not just throwing numbers at you. Let me explain what you're actually looking at and why it matters.

Recent Comparable Sales: The Foundation

I pull sales from the last 3-6 months of homes that are:

• Similar square footage (within 200-300 sq ft)
• Same number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• In your neighborhood or very similar neighborhoods
• Similar age and condition
• Actually closed sales—not just asking prices

Why this matters: These sales tell us what buyers have actually paid recently for homes like yours. Not what sellers hoped to get. Not what Zillow estimates. What real buyers with real money actually paid.

The Adjustments: Why Your Home Might Be Different

Your home isn't identical to the comparables. Maybe you have a finished basement and they don't. Maybe theirs has a garage and yours doesn't. I adjust the values to account for these differences—adding value for your advantages, subtracting for their advantages.

This isn't guesswork. It's based on how much buyers typically pay for these features in our local market. All comparative market analyses are based solely on objective property characteristics such as size, condition, features, and location—never on the protected class status of current or potential occupants, in full compliance with Fair Housing laws.

The Real Cost of Pricing Mistakes

Let me be specific about what pricing mistakes actually cost you:

Financial Costs:

• Carrying costs while listed: Mortgage, insurance, utilities, maintenance—typically $1,500-3,000 per month
• Lost equity from price reductions: Often $10,000-25,000 below optimal price
• Opportunity cost: Can't buy your next home until this one sells
• Price reduction stigma: Accepting less than you would have gotten with correct initial pricing

Emotional Costs:

• Stress of keeping house "show ready" for months
• Disruption to family life with constant showings going nowhere
• Disappointment of watching newer listings sell while yours sits
• Strain on relationships as financial pressure builds

Sarah's total cost for her pricing mistake? Three extra months of stress, three extra mortgage payments, and $18,000 less than she could have gotten. That's roughly $25,000 in total costs for one pricing decision made with hope instead of data.

Your Role in Getting This Right

Here's what I need you to understand: I can provide you with all the market data, comparative analyses, and pricing recommendations available. I can explain strategies, show you the numbers, and walk you through every factor affecting your home's value.

But you must actually review this information.

When you sign that listing agreement, you're legally committing to that price. That's your decision, and you own the outcome. Think of me as your guide through unfamiliar territory. I'll show you the map, explain the terrain, point out the pitfalls and opportunities. But you're the one choosing the path.

This isn't about protecting me—it's about empowering you. When you truly understand why we're recommending a certain price, you're confident in that decision. When we get an offer, you know how to evaluate it. When market conditions shift, you can make informed decisions about adjustments.