By Mike Lentz | The Mike Lentz Team – Keller Williams Realty
Pricing at or just below market value from day one creates immediate buyer demand and positions sellers to receive their asking price or more. Nationally, only about 40% of sellers achieve this goal, though South Jersey’s strongest counties are outperforming that average. Most sellers who miss the mark started with a price that was too high. The right home pricing strategy means understanding current market conditions and setting a competitive price that attracts multiple showings in the first two weeks.
Most sellers enter the market with one number in mind. And it’s often the one that costs them the most. That’s their asking price. Getting your home pricing strategy right from the beginning is critical to success.
A survey from Realtor.com shows about 8 in 10 (80%) of sellers expect to sell at or above their asking price today. But here’s where things get interesting.
In reality, only about 4 out of every 10 (roughly 40%) actually do.
That’s the national picture. But here in South Jersey, sellers in our strongest counties are actually beating that number.
According to our latest county market recaps, here’s what April 2026 looks like:
- Camden County: 49.5% of homes closed over list price
- Gloucester County: 44.4% over list
- Burlington County: 43.3% over list
Nearly half of all sellers in these counties are getting more than asking price. But it still takes the right strategy to land in that group. So what separates the sellers who get top dollar from the ones who don’t?
Let’s break it down.
What Should You Really Expect To Get for Your House?
That 40% national number may sound low at first, but it’s not.
If you look back to the last typical year for the housing market (2019), what we’re seeing is a return to what’s normal (see chart below). If anything, slightly more homeowners are able to sell above list price today compared to 2019:
It only feels low because the past few years were anything but typical. Between 2020 and mid-2022, buyer demand was sky-high and the number of homes for sale was at record lows. Almost everything sold over asking.
Now the market has shifted.
There are more homes for sale. Buyers have more options. And that means they’re more selective about how they spend their money.
In other words, the rules have changed – and pricing like it’s still 2021 is where sellers run into trouble. You have to meet the market where it is if you really want to cash in big.
What Happens When a Home Is Priced Too High
Here’s the reality. It’s easy to think pricing high gives you room to negotiate. But it usually does the opposite.
When your home is priced above what buyers expect, they don’t negotiate. They move on.
Because buyers notice price first. And if your home doesn’t line up with similar options in your area, it may not even get a showing. That’s when things start to snowball:
- A high price gets less interest from buyers.
- Less interest means fewer offers.
- And fewer offers usually means more time on market.
Take a look at this table from the Indiana Association of Realtors. While this data is from one state, the general trend holds true across many markets in the country. It shows that homes listed at or under market value sell fast. But homes priced high? They linger. And that delay comes at a very real cost.
The Price Cut Trap (And How To Avoid It)
When a home sits that long without offers, many sellers will do a price reduction. According to Realtor.com, 16.7% of sellers are going that route today.
But here’s the real problem. Even a price cut doesn’t guarantee a sale.
In fact, some buyers will see a reduction as a sign something’s wrong with the house – even when nothing is. That’s why your initial pricing strategy matters so much.
That’s why data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows the longer a home sits, the bigger that price cut tends to be to attract buyers back:
So what starts as a strategy to “leave room” for negotiation can end up costing you more in the long run. If you’re wondering why your house isn’t selling, the answer often comes down to that initial price.
Why a Strong Home Pricing Strategy Matters from Day One
Even though listing at or even just shy of market value may sound counter intuitive if you’re looking to get as much money as possible, it really is the best strategy.
Because the goal isn’t just to list your house to see what price sticks. It’s to price it in a way that creates demand from day one.
NAR puts it best:
“While some sellers are pricing their homes higher than ever, a more ‘goldilocks’ frame of mind is a better approach to avoid price cuts and lingering time on the market.”
There’s a sweet spot. Too high, and buyers disappear. Too low, and they question the value.
But right in the middle? That’s where the magic happens.
And that’s where the right agent comes in.
They help you understand what buyers are actually paying right now, how your home compares, and how to price your home to sell so it stands out immediately. That strategy is the difference between:
- Listing high, watching it sit, and selling for less later.
- Or pricing it right, creating competition, and putting yourself in a position to win from the start.
Bottom Line
Many homeowners think they can list high now and negotiate later, but that’s a mistake that costs them. Even in South Jersey, where our top counties are outperforming the national average, sellers who price too high still end up leaving money on the table.
If you want to be in that group, it starts with getting the price right from day one.
If you want to talk through what this means for your situation, schedule a quick call and we’ll walk through it together.
For the full picture in your county, see our latest recaps for Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland counties.