“I’m going to sell my home and I got price opinions from 2 agents, at 525K and 650K. The first guy had info on comps [comparable home sales] supporting his price. The other agent said she was confident she could get me in the $600’s, but didn’t show me any comps. I don’t know who to believe. I know how important asking the right price is and I don’t want to make a mistake. What do you suggest?”
***ANSWER:
First, some likely explanations for what’s going on:
1. One of the agents doesn’t know what they’re doing. All too common. …OR…
2. The 1st agent may be trying to price your home for a quick sale. …OR…
3. (Most likely) The 2nd agent is trying to appeal to greed with an unrealistic price to trick you into hiring her. Then she’ll push you to cut your price later. I’ve seen this happen hundreds of times over my career. This unethical ploy is so common it has 2 names: “highballing” or “buying a listing”. Be careful!
So what should you do?
Get a 3rd opinion from a reputable agent. Tell him you’re NOT selecting the agent based on price, but rather on skill. Have him explain how he arrived at his number & show you the comps. Read them, ask questions, then drive by a few & compare them to yours. Be objective so you can arrive at a fairly accurate figure.
Good luck!
Selecting A San Diego Real Estate Agent
