The #1 Mistake LA Sellers Keep Making (and How to Avoid It)

Quick Take: In a fast-moving LA real estate market, pricing your home too high “just to see what happens” is the fastest way to kill momentum, scare off serious buyers, and invite lowball offers. If you want top dollar, you need to price for demand - not wishful thinking.

Table of Contents

• The Bakery Trap: Why Overpricing Fails
• What Really Happens When You Test the Market
• The Hard Truth About Overpricing
• How to Win Instead
• The Bottom Line for LA Sellers
• FAQs

The Bakery Trap: Why Overpricing Fails

Imagine walking into a bakery, eyeing a flawless croissant - only to see it’s priced at $28. You pause, question it, then walk away. That’s your home when you list it too high in LA. Buyers aren’t clueless. They’ve been scrolling listings for months, and they know what’s overpriced. They’re looking for value, not vanity pricing.

What Really Happens When You Test the Market

When you price high “just to see what happens,” here’s what actually unfolds:

• Showings are light or nonexistent.
• Buyers assume something’s wrong.
• Whispers of “they’re desperate” or “they’ll drop the price soon” start circulating.
• You lose your strongest leverage window - those first two weeks on market.

The Hard Truth About Overpricing

• LA buyers are price-sensitive. With interest rates still high, they’re skipping homes that feel overpriced - even before booking a tour.
• Time kills value. A 30-day-old listing might as well be six months old in this market. Perception is everything.
• Turnkey homes win. If your home isn’t fully updated, you’re not in the top tier. That means you have to compete on price, period.
• Testing the market is a trap. Instead of getting curious buyers, you repel the ones most likely to pay full price.

How to Win Instead

• Price it right - day one. The best-priced homes attract multiple offers and often go over asking. Yes, even now.
• Invest in presentation. Staging and strong visuals get buyers emotionally invested. LA is a visual market - don’t skip this step.
• Create urgency. The combination of smart pricing and great presentation gets buyers to act fast, not wait.

The Bottom Line for LA Sellers

You don’t set the price - the market does. But you do control how your home is positioned. The goal isn’t to get the highest listing price - it’s to create the most demand. Because stale listings don’t recover, and once buyers move on, they’re gone.

Thinking about selling? Price it right, and you won’t be playing catch-up. You’ll be calling the shots.

FAQs

Why is testing the market a bad idea?

Because buyers know what’s overpriced. Listing high doesn’t attract attention - it deters serious offers and delays your sale.

How long do I have before my listing goes stale?

In LA, momentum dies quickly. You have about two weeks to capture peak interest. After that, buyers assume something is wrong.

Can’t I just lower the price later?

You can - but by then, perception has shifted. Buyers smell blood in the water and often come in with lowball offers.

What makes a home feel like a deal?

Smart pricing, beautiful presentation, and competitive positioning. Buyers need to feel like they’re getting value - not overpaying for potential.

What if my home isn’t fully renovated?

You’ll need to price accordingly. Buyers will compare your home to turnkey options and expect a discount if updates are needed.

Is it ever okay to price above market?

Only if you’re creating scarcity or driving urgency through a strategic campaign. Otherwise, it’s almost always a losing move.

Want to sell without stalling?

Book a 20-minute strategy call . We’ll review your home’s position in the current market, avoid the common pricing traps, and build a custom plan to sell with confidence.