By Robert Urban, FSBO Enthusiast and Full-Time Price Tag Philosopher
“Why yes, I did base my home’s value on what my neighbor claims he sold his for in 2019.”
So you’re selling your home without a Realtor.
You’re the lone wolf. A Rebel. The DIYer that people are often jealous of not being. Okay maybe you just are someone who sees the giant savings potential from FSBO.
And now comes the part that separates the brave from the bankrupt:
Pricing your home correctly.
Let’s be real-pricing is less of a science and more of a combination of psychology, math, and vibes.
Done right, your home is a honey trap for buyers.
Done wrong, and your listing will sit longer than that one Tupperware in the fridge you’re too afraid to open.
So here it is-the no-fluff, sarcasm-laced, reality-checked FSBO pricing strategy guide.
You’re welcome.
1. Don’t Price for Your Ego. Price for the Market.
You are emotionally attached to your home.
You’ve spent years in it. You’ve painted walls, fixed plumbing, maybe even had a ghost encounter in the hallway.
Buyers? They don’t care. They’re trying to decide if their couch will fit and whether the street looks murdery at night.
Tip:
Get objective.
Use comps (comparable recent sales) within the last 3–6 months in your area. Same square footage, similar features, and preferably no meth labs involved.
And if your neighbor says they got 100k over asking-unless they had a backyard roller coaster or sold during a pandemic market frenzy-take it with a salt mine.
2. Use the Psychology of Pricing: Yes, It’s Real.
You know how everything at Target costs $19.99 instead of $20?
That’s not an accident. That’s capitalism gently gaslighting you.
Same thing applies in real estate.
- $299,000 sounds psychologically more attractive than $300,000.
- But also… if buyers are searching in ranges, say $300k to $350k, your $299k house won’t show up in that search.
So you have to balance visibility with perceived value.
It’s a tightrope walk between human behavior and internet filters.
Basically, you’re trying to price your home like an evil genius with a heart of gold.
3. Start With a “Goldilocks” Price-Not Too High, Not Too Low
Let’s say it loud for the people in the back:
Overpricing kills your momentum.
Buyers scroll past it. They bookmark it “just to watch it fail.” And your listing sits, ages, and begins to reek of desperation.
(Kind of like milk-if it was sentient and begging for attention.)
Underpricing isn’t always better either.
You can create a bidding war… or you can just create a line of people asking,
“Would you take $40,000 less if I write a heartfelt letter about how much my dog would love your yard?”
Instead, price just under the comps if your house needs work, just above if it’s immaculate and staged like a West Elm catalog.
4. Use Odd Price Points to Stand Out
Ever seen a house listed for $318,750 and thought “Wow, that feels weirdly specific?”
That’s the point.
Buyers think: There must be a reason.
(Hint: there usually isn’t, but they don’t need to know that.)
Odd pricing can make your listing feel “strategic,” even if your entire pricing methodology was “vibes and three mimosas.”
5. Watch the Days on Market Like a Hawk on Espresso
Your listing is like bread. It’s freshest in the first week.
After that? Stale. Moldy. Tragic.
If you’re getting views but no offers, that means one thing:
You’re priced too high.
If you’re getting no views at all, either your price is in another galaxy, or your listing photos look like they were taken with a flip phone duct-taped to a squirrel.
Best practice:
If there’s no serious traction in 7–10 days, it’s time to reassess.
6. Watch Out for These Classic Pricing Mistakes
Mistake #1: “But I need to get X amount out of it.”
Listen, the market doesn’t care what you need. The market cares what the house is worth.
Mistake #2: Pricing with “negotiation room.”
If you list too high just so you can “have room to come down,” buyers will either skip you or lowball you into the dirt.
Today’s buyers are savvy. And emotionally exhausted.
Mistake #3: Ignoring condition.
Yes, your home has “great bones.” So does a haunted mansion.
If the roof is ancient and the carpet smells like 2003, price accordingly.
7. Still Unsure? Try a Flat-Fee Appraisal
For a couple hundred bucks, you can get a pre-listing appraisal.
That’s a licensed third party saying, “Here’s what it’s worth,” without the emotion, Zillow delusion, or awkward family input.
Plus, you can show it to buyers as proof that you’re not just pulling numbers out of the sky like a magician with a calculator.
Price Like a Pro, Even if You’re FSBO AF
You don’t have to be a Realtor to price your home right.
You just have to do your homework, detach emotionally, and avoid treating your listing like it’s a Fabergé egg blessed by Oprah.
Be realistic.
Be strategic.
And if in doubt, ask for help from places like Hoyonow.com-where we believe in giving FSBO sellers the tools, confidence, and occasional slightly humorous, but completely accurate blog post they need to win the game.
Because overpriced listings are sad.
But you?
You are not sad.
You are unstoppable.
You got this. I am rooting for you. –
Robert Urban