Homeowners

The Best Advice for Selling a Home in Today’s Market, According to Real Estate Pros

Selling a home today isn’t the frenzy it was a few years ago, but the housing market is far from at a standstill. Homebuyer demand remains strong.

What’s changed is how buyers move through the process of purchasing homes. They’re more selective, more informed, and more deliberate about what they’re willing to pay.

This has created a new kind of opportunity for home sellers. Rather than relying on momentum alone, today’s market rewards strategy. Homes that are priced correctly, presented well, and are in good shape continue to attract strong interest and competitive offers. 

Here’s where smart home sellers gain an edge and how to position your property to attract offers.

Home sellers should respond to offers instead of rejecting them outright

Negotiations are back in today’s housing market. This makes it important for home sellers to not get discouraged and handle offers well, even when they’re tempted to dismiss them.  

Buyers today often test the waters with an initial offer. That doesn’t mean it’s their best offer. Sellers who shut down that first step may miss the chance to improve the deal. That’s why it’s key to keep the communication going.

“Be patient,” said real estate agent Sanjog Gopal of AZResidence in Tempe, Ariz. “My sellers who have been willing to respond to all of the offers they have received have often agreed to an accepted contract that is higher than where they thought they would end up.”

Home Seller Takeaway: An offer is the start of a negotiation. Sellers who engage tend to shape stronger deals.

Home sellers want to make a strong impression with your home online

Most buyers begin their home search online, so your listing photos often serve as the first showing.

“Advice for selling your home often boils down to one core idea: first impressions matter,” said real estate agent Kristen Deliza of The Keyes Company in Fort Myers, Fla. “When buyers walk through the door, they want to imagine themselves living there, not be distracted by clutter or a mess.”

Indeed, a home that looks cluttered, dark, or poorly maintained in photos can quickly lose buyer interest. By contrast, a clean, well-lit, and professionally photographed home signals care and value.

Small changes can make a meaningful difference. Decluttering, improving lighting, neutralizing décor, investing in professional staging services, and hiring a professional real estate photographer may help a home stand out.

You also want to make sure you remove any personal items, such as family photos, that make it harder for potential buyers to imagine living there.

Home Seller Takeaway: Strong listing photos and thoughtful presentation can determine whether buyers schedule a showing or move on.

Price and present your home strategically

Pricing a home correctly remains the single most important decision a seller makes. Many home sellers enter the market with a specific offer number in mind. While understandable, focusing too narrowly on that number can limit their ability to pursue better opportunities.

If you price too high, you may not be able to attract buyers. If you price too low, you may start a bidding war and end up with an offer over the asking price—or you may be leaving money on the table.

“My seller wanted to downsize and had a number in her head,” said real estate agent Krisztian Bocs at Southern California’s Home Bound Realty. “I told her flat out, listing high isn’t how we’re going to win this.”

Instead, Bocs priced the home just under market value to attract immediate attention.

“On day one, we had a cash offer come in $20,000 over asking,” said Bocs.

She also helped the seller secure their next home at a price below market value. “We went in $10,000 over asking and still got it well below what it was worth,” said Bocs.

Home Seller Takeaway: Homebuyers often compare listings side by side. The right listing price can impact how buyers respond to your home and how much you receive at closing.

Reframe your home’s flaws to expand the buyer pool

Every home sits within its own segment of the housing market, shaped by price point, condition, and who can realistically afford it. When a property isn’t showing well, the instinct is often to cut the price. A sharper move is to change who values it.

“I represented a seller with an outdated single-family home that had a specific personal style that had people asking, ‘What was the seller thinking?’ It wasn’t showing well in photos,” said real estate agent Cesar Melendrez of the Jason Mitchell Group in Hermosa Beach, Calif.

“Instead of reducing the price, we repositioned the property as a light fixer[-upper] with expansion potential and had a contractor bid on a 450-square-foot addition, with permits and plans ready to issue.”

That repositioning extended beyond the listing language.

“We targeted buyers using low down payment financing paired with renovation loans, something most agents overlook,” said Melendrez.

The shift worked.

“We got multiple offers from buyers who previously thought they were priced out and closed $85,000 over asking because we expanded the buyer pool strategically, not by lowering price,” said Melendrez.

Home Seller Takeaway: If a home isn’t landing with buyers, don’t always assume the price is wrong. Change the story to target homebuyers who can see its value.