How do I know what to sell my house for?
Base your price on recent sales of comparable homes near you — similar size, condition, and location — then adjust for your home’s specific features and current market conditions. A comparative market analysis from an agent, or several competing agents’ pricing opinions, turns those comparable sales into a defensible number rather than a guess.
The most reliable anchor is what genuinely comparable homes recently sold for — not what they listed for, and not what an owner hoped to get. Look for recent closed sales nearby that match your home in size, bedrooms, condition, and lot, then adjust up or down for the ways yours differs: a renovated kitchen, a smaller yard, a busier street. This is exactly what a comparative market analysis (CMA) does, and it is why an agent’s pricing opinion carries more weight than an automated estimate that cannot see inside your home. Getting several agents to compete for your listing is a powerful way to pressure-test the number, because each submits their own projected price backed by comparable sales — giving you multiple expert opinions instead of one. Layer in current conditions: inventory, days on market, and demand all move the right price week to week.
What is the difference between market value and list price?
Market value is what a willing buyer would actually pay for your home today, evidenced by comparable sales. List price is the number you advertise it at — a strategic choice you set relative to market value to attract offers. They are related but not the same: the market ultimately decides value, while you decide the list price.
Market value is an estimate of the price your home would fetch in an arm’s-length sale under normal conditions, and it is grounded in evidence — recent comparable sales, your home’s condition, and current demand. List price, by contrast, is a lever you control. You might list slightly below market value to spark competition and multiple offers, right at value for a steady sale, or above it if inventory is tight and buyers are stretching. The danger is drifting too far above what the evidence supports: overpriced homes tend to sit, grow stale, and eventually sell for less than a correctly priced one would have. That relationship between price and net outcome is why pricing feeds directly into your net proceeds. Set the list price with a strategy, not an ego, and let the comparable sales keep you honest about where value truly sits.
Can I price my house above or below market value?
Yes. You can list at any price you choose — above, at, or below market value. Pricing below market is legal and can spark a bidding war; pricing above can work in a hot market but risks sitting unsold. There is no law requiring you to list at a specific value; the market decides what it will bear.
You are free to set any list price, and both strategies have a place. Listing below market value is a deliberate tactic to attract many buyers quickly and let competition bid the price up — sometimes past where a higher list price would have landed. Listing above market value can succeed when inventory is scarce and buyers are willing to stretch, but it more often leads to a stale listing, price cuts, and a lower final sale than a sharp initial price would have produced. Selling below market to a family member or as a genuine bargain is also allowed, though it can raise tax and lender questions worth checking — an issue that comes up often when selling an inherited house. Whatever price you choose, ground the decision in comparable sales and current demand rather than a target you simply wish were true.