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Seller Concessions: A Smart Strategy To Get Your House Sold

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For the past few years, it’s been mostly a seller’s market. But dynamics are shifting as the number of homes for sale grows. And that means that the market is balancing out a bit. As a result, some sellers are finding they need to be more flexible to close a deal. One strategy that can help? Offering concessions.

As the National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains:

“As home inventory begins to grow and buyers regain some advantage in the market, sellers may consider offering more in negotiations to make the deal more attractive and get to the closing table.”

What Are Seller Concessions? 

Concessions are homebuying costs that a seller agrees to cover as a way to get their house sold. And based on data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), nearly 1 out of every 4 sellers (24%) offered a concession in 2024. Here are a few of the most common types of concessions:

  • Covering Closing Costs: The seller pays for part (or all) of the buyer’s closing costs, like appraisal fees, title insurance, or loan fees. 
  • Price Adjustments: Instead of making repairs, a seller might lower the purchase price to make up for updates the buyer will need to tackle. 
  • Adding a Home Warranty: A seller may throw in a home warranty, giving the buyer peace of mind key repairs will be covered in the first year. 

And don’t worry. This doesn’t mean you have to come up with more cash to make it happen. These are things that get subtracted from your profits at closing – not more funds you have to bring to the table.  And not all concessions are about money.

There are other extras you could throw in. Like, if your buyer is coming from an apartment and has never had a yard before, they may ask if you’d be willing to leave your lawn mower behind. That’s another lever you could pull to keep them happy.

How Concessions Help Sellers 

Offering concessions can be a smart strategy for sellers to get a deal done. As Dennis Shirshikov, Professor of Finance and Economics, City University of New York/Queens College told The Mortgage Reports:

“Pricing homes realistically and being willing to offer concessions, such as covering a portion of closing costs or including upgrades, will be key to closing deals . . . in a less frenzied market.”

For example, let’s say you accepted an offer from a buyer, but after their inspection, you found out there are some repairs they want you to tackle before you hand over the keys.

Rather than starting at square one and searching for a new buyer, you could offer a concession. One option is you can take on the repairs and cover the costs yourself. But, if you really don’t want the hassle of dealing with contractors, you could reduce your price by however much repairs would cost. Alternatively, you could offer to pay a portion of your buyer’s closing expenses with the idea they’d use the money they saved at closing toward doing the repairs themselves.

Either way, a concession can be a great way to meet in the middle. However, it’s important to have an agent on your side to help with these negotiations.

A good real estate agent can help you decide when and how to offer concessions, so you don’t give away too much while still ensuring your house gets sold. It’s all about finding the right balance. 

Bottom Line

With the market becoming more balanced, seller concessions are coming back into play in some areas. The key is having an agent to help guide you through the process, so things work out in your favor.

What’s a concession you’d consider to move things along?

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For Sellers

Online Home-Buying Search Terms Recently Hit 2-Year High

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Believe it or not, there are clear signs buyer interest is heating up again.

Let’s talk about what’s really going on behind the scenes, and why the housing market might not be as quiet out there as it seems. 

Buyers Are Looking, and Search Trends Prove It

One of the clearest ways to measure what people are thinking about is to look at what they’re searching for online. And according to Google Trends, searches for phrases like “home for sale” have been climbing steadily this year.

The graph below shows an index of two common homebuyer search phrases and how popular they were on Google over the past two years. The higher the line goes, the more popular that phrase was. A 100 on the graph shows the most popular time for each phrase:

a graph of a number of peopleHere’s what really stands out in this data. Both phrases have been trending up overall this year, and they hit a recent high in mid-July. That’s a pretty strong sign that curiosity (and maybe even interest) in buying a home is improving.

That kind of momentum means something. Despite high mortgage rates and home prices, buyers haven’t given up. They’re still watching the market. They’re still browsing. And many are just waiting for the right opportunity to act. Maybe your house is exactly what they’re looking for. But you’ll never know if it’s not listed yet.

Now, this doesn’t mean demand is going to surge like it did during the pandemic. It just means some buyers are deciding they can’t wait any longer. And those are exactly the kind of buyers you want. Motivated. Eager. Ready to move when the right house comes along.

So, if you’re holding off on selling because you’re not sure if the demand is there, this data suggests it might be time to rethink your plans. Because while it’s not 2021-level demand, it doesn’t need to be. You don’t need ten offers to sell your home. You just need the right buyer.

And that buyer may be searching for a house like yours right now.

Bottom Line

If you’ve been thinking, “I’ll sell once buyers come back,” you might want to take another look. Online search trends show they’re already interested.

What would make you feel confident putting your house on the market this year? Connect with a local real estate agent to talk through it.

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Agent Value

Why Selling Without an Agent Can Cost You More Than You Think

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Cutting out the agent might seem like a smart way to save when you sell your house. But here’s the hard truth.

Last year, homes that sold with an agent went for almost 15% more than those that sold without one.

a graph of sales and salesThat gap is pretty hard to ignore. And with more homes on the market to compete with right now, selling on your own is a mistake that’s going to cost you.

This Isn’t the Market for DIY Selling

A few years ago, you might’ve gotten away with a “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) sign in your yard, navigating the process on your own. That’s because homes were flying off the market and buyers were pulling out all the stops. But that’s just not the case anymore. With more inventory than we’ve seen in years, we’re not in a “list it and they will come” market anymore. You need professional expertise.

A yard sign and some photos you take on your own won’t cut it.

Right now, the housing market is getting back to what most would consider a more normal balance of buyers and sellers, and that really changes the game. According to Realtor.com, the latest number of listings for sale was the highest it’s been in any month of July since 2019 (see graph below):

a graph of blue bars with white textAnd while inventory growth is going to vary by local market, nationally, this graph shows the number of homes for sale is inching back toward normal.

With more listings available, that means buyers can be more selective. They’ll compare your home to others on price, condition, photos, location, and more. If yours doesn’t stand out, it will get skipped over.

More Inventory = More Competition for You

Selling today requires the latest pricing strategy, expert prep work, professional marketing, and strong negotiation skills. And if you’re not bringing all of that to the table, chances are, you’re going to feel it in your bottom line.

More Homeowners Are Turning To the Pros

That’s why even more home sellers are working with agents today. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows a record-low percentage of homeowners sold without an agent last year. And the few sellers who tried to sell on their own realized their mistake pretty quickly.

According to Zillow, 21% of homeowners ended up hiring an agent anyway after struggling to sell on their own.

So, why take the risk? With a local pro, you’ll have:

  • Pricing precision to attract buyers and maximize your return
  • Expert staging and presentation advice to highlight your home’s best features
  • Pro-level marketing, including the best exposure and access to buyer networks you can’t reach on your own
  • Skilled negotiation to evaluate offers and navigate inspections, protecting your bottom line
  • Local market expertise that helps your listing stand out based on what inventory looks like in your area

An agent’s expertise isn’t optional anymore. It’s essential.

Bottom Line

In a market with more listings and pickier buyers, many sellers who try to sell on their own end up working with an agent anyway. So why not start there?

Connect with an agent so you have a pro who knows exactly what it takes to sell your house in today’s market, for the best possible price, without leaving money on the table.

Reach out to an agent if you want a professional assessment on what your house could sell for today.

 

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Agent Value

The 3 Things You Risk by Pricing Too High

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When selling your house, the price you choose isn’t just a number, it’s a strategy. And in today’s market, that strategy needs to be sharp.

The number of homes for sale is climbing. And that means buyers have more choices and can be more selective. If your price doesn’t line up with what else is out there, they’ll scroll right past it and go on to the next one.

Pricing right from the start is your best move – and a great agent can help make sure you do.

Overpricing Comes at a Cost

And more sellers are finding that out the hard way. They list their house based on how things were a year ago – or based on a neighbor’s sale that happened under completely different circumstances. Then, when their house doesn’t sell, they’re left with three tough choices:

  1. Drop the price: Cutting the price might help get more eyes on the house again, but it can also trigger red flags. Buyers may wonder what’s wrong with it. And that’s going to impact any offers you get after the price cut.
  2. Take it off the market: Some sellers give up on the idea of selling right now. The worst part about this is it means putting their future plans on the back burner. That dream of more space, downsizing, or relocating? On pause.
  3. Rent it out: Others go the landlord route, but managing tenants and navigating leases isn’t always the simple fallback it seems. Renting can work, but it’s often a lot more hassle than people expect.

None of those options were part of the original plan. And honestly, none of them are where you should end up if you wanted to sell. Here’s a look at how a local agent’s expertise can help you avoid these headaches. Let’s use price cuts as an example.

Where You Live Makes a Difference

While the number of price cuts is up nationally, data shows some parts of the country are seeing far more of them than others. It all comes down to how much inventory has grown in that area (see map below):

a map of the united states with blue squaresAs Realtor.com explains:

“Regionally, price reductions in June were significantly more common in the South and West (23% of listings) than they were in the Northeast (13% of listings), reflecting the inventory divergence across these regions.”

That means pricing isn’t one-size-fits-all. What’s happening nationally might not reflect what’s happening in your zip code, and that’s why you shouldn’t try to determine your list price on your own.

How a Great Agent Helps You Nail the Price

A skilled agent doesn’t just toss out a number. As Zillow says:

Well-priced homes are more likely to sell quickly, but pricing your home to sell quickly and for maximum dollar requires strategy and knowledge of your local market. You need to have a clear-eyed view of your home in relation to the competition, and knowledge about whether you’re in a buyers or sellers market. It also helps to know what buyers in your area can afford.” 

And that’s all knowledge your agent will have. They study your local market, compare recent sales, and factor in your goals and buyer behavior. Based on what’s happening where you live, sometimes the best play will be pricing right at current market value. Other times pricing a little lower actually will spark more offers and ultimately get you a better final sale price.

So don’t skimp on the strategy or on your agent. With their local market know-how, you’ll be able to sell quickly, even in a shifting market. 

Bottom Line

Overpricing can lead to tough choices you never want to face. But with the right price, and the right guidance, you can skip the stress and sell with confidence. Connect with a local agent so you have a pricing strategy that works for today’s market and gets you where you want to go.

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Copyright © 2020-2025 Mark Sincavage. All rights reserved.  
The information contained, and the opinions expressed, in these article are not intended to be construed as investment advice. Let's Talk Real Estate, Mark Sincavage, and Keeping Current Matters, Inc. do not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. You should always conduct your own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. Let's Talk Real Estate, Mark Sincavage and Keeping Current Matters, Inc. will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on the information or opinions contained herein.