So you have decided to sell your home and chose your favorite agent. You are working on preparing your home for sale and beautifying it but in the back of your mind there is always the nagging question, how much shall I ask for it in order to get a good strong offer?

Pricing the house is the marketing strategic. In different times you would use different marketing styles.

In a seller’s market you can comfortably price it low knowing that you’ll generate many offers and get wonderful offers, well beyond  your asking price, but in a transition market like now, you can dream about the good old times and hope for many offers.  Price your house as close to what you think you can get for it realistically. You do not have the luxury of pricing low and get $100k over the asking price with 2 month free rent back and ‘as is’ sale.

For example, Sunnyvale real estate conditions can vary from one neighborhood to another. In Homestead high school area you can still play with the low pricing. Everything sells there. In North Sunnyvale it can’t be done. Together with your agent you can weigh and analyze the local market and set the list price. Cupertino also varies from one neighborhood to another. Monta Vista High school area is still hot while other areas with less desired schools take longer to sell. Price your house as close to the market price but not too high. If the house is priced too high agents and buyers lose interest, the property becomes “stale” and you’ll end up getting less money for your property.