Your Home's List Price
The real estate market has been struggling lately. This has many people worried about buying and selling homes. You might be looking to sell your home and are wondering how to go about setting a list price. This is an important piece of information because it could set the tone for how your process is going to be handled. The following are some tips on setting a list price and making sure that you put forth the right effort at the correct time. You still need to get the best deal possible, even in a struggling market. You do not just want to unload your house and not make any money off of it, because that could come back to hurt you.The Local Market
Yes, the national market is something that is important to pay attention to, but in your case, you should view the local market. Each market is different, which is why you need to know your area. Look at some of the homes in your area and see what they have sold for. This will give you an idea of the money that people are willing to spend to get into your area. You can really figure out a solid list price. You also should take a look at the homes that have been on the market for a while. Know what their list price is and see if that is the reason the home does not sell. You need to learn from those that have had some success.Start Higher
When setting a list price it is alright if you start a little higher than you think. The price is probably going to be negotiated at some point. If you start too low then you might be negotiated right out of a fair amount. This is why starting higher is good, because if you negotiate then you will still get a fair deal. Now, if you want $200,000 for your home then you should not set the price at $700,000. Most people will not even give your home the time of day if they see that the home is already going to be priced at a ridiculous amount.Show Comparisons
You need to be able to back up your list price so that it is justified in the eyes of the buyer. This is why you should be able to have comparable list prices that you can show those interested in your home. It will really take the sting off of buying a home for most sellers if they know that they are getting market value. It will help you to be able to show the buyers that they are not getting scammed out of any money. It could also save them the need to haggle with you, which could end up netting you more money in the long run. This is why it is worth your time to show those interested that your home is fitting in nicely with the market.* Updated Jun 7, 2012