It’s time to put a big fat price tag on your home. Where do you start? And how do you remain unbiased when this is the place you have cherished, worked on, celebrated important moments in, etc? You see beauty, emotions and value where others may only be looking at what’s obvious on paper - the size, amenities, location and unique characteristics.

Here are a few pricing strategies from the experts to get you going on the right track:

Start with a Free Online Estimate (but don’t stop there!)

Use listing sites like Zillow to determine a starting place for your home’s value. While not perfect (and occasionally outdated), this AI technology can give you a relative benchmark for where to begin. Other options include PennyMac, Redfin, and Remax. In fact, your bank may have an online home value calculator as well.

Look at House Comps and Schedule Tours

From there, try searching in your neighborhood for other homes with similar qualities. Check number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage and lot size, and more. If the property is comparable, review the home’s listing price. Is it above or below where you’re looking to list?

If you’re looking to nudge your price up a bit closer to house comps, look into doing some basic renovations. Simple changes like updating your fixtures, re-painting in a neutral color, and sprucing up your landscaping can go a long way. Also, to command your full asking price, make minor changes and get the house show-ready—paint over loud walls with neutral colors, replace any gross carpets with new flooring, clean every room, and declutter like you would for company, times 100.

Create a Bidding War by Pricing Low

Pricing lower than your comps, even by a little, drives demand for your property. To the surprise of many homeowners, this strategy often ends in even higher bids than if you had priced your home similar to neighborhood comps.

Consider Online Benchmarks & Pricing Filters

You know those handy filters on Zillow, Redfin and other sites? If you’re right on the edge of a filter category (say $300,000) you may want to consider pricing at $299,000. Why? A prospective homeowner searching for homes in the $200,000 - $300,000 range would completely miss your home (which they could afford) if you priced at $301,000.

Another strategy: price your home ON a benchmark. Take the past example: if we priced your home at $300,000 those searching for homes in the $250-300K range as well as those searching in the $300-350K range would see your home.

Remember the Season

Did you know that season affects home prices? The exact best time to list depends on your unique area (consult us for when to list your home in Denver!) but our data shows it’s possible to boost the profits on your house by over 75% if you sell at an opportune moment.

Unique Qualities

While it’s wise to put your personal emotions and memories aside while pricing your home, there are situations where individual home attributes call for a higher asking price. For example: water features, special land uses, income/development opportunities, highly useful floor plans, etc.

Chat With Your Agent

When all else fails, chat with your agent. They are intimately familiar with your local area, and can give you insights that you may have missed looking at online information. Perhaps they know of a home just up the street that priced above the market. Or maybe they even know the perfect buyer for your property!