Why Price Is Everything
You can have the best marketing, the most beautiful photos, and the most aggressive agent in Kitsap County — and still fail if your home is priced wrong. Price is the single most powerful lever in a home sale. Get it right, and everything else falls into place. Get it wrong, and you're chasing the market down.
This isn't about pricing low to create a bidding war (though that can work). It's about pricing accurately — positioning your home where the largest pool of qualified buyers will see it, want it, and compete for it.
The Science of Strategic Pricing
Pricing a home isn't about what you want, what you need, or what you put into it. It's about what the market will pay — and the market tells you exactly what that is if you know how to listen.
- Comparable sales — recent closed transactions for similar homes in your area establish the baseline
- Active competition — what you're competing against right now affects how buyers perceive your value
- Days on market trends — how quickly homes are moving tells you whether to price at, above, or below recent comps
- Price bracket psychology — buyers search in ranges ($400K–$500K, $500K–$600K). Where your price falls relative to these brackets directly affects how many buyers see your listing.
What Happens When You Overprice
Overpricing is the most common — and most costly — mistake sellers make. Here's the reality:
- The first two weeks matter most — that's when buyer interest peaks. An overpriced home misses the window of maximum attention.
- You become a comp for your competition — buyers who see your overpriced home then see a fairly priced competing home perceive the competitor as a deal
- Price reductions signal desperation — when you eventually drop the price, buyers wonder what's wrong with the home
- Extended time on market costs real money — every month you hold the home means another mortgage payment, utilities, maintenance, and opportunity cost
The data is clear: homes priced right from day one sell faster and for more money than homes that start high and reduce.
Market-Based Pricing in Kitsap County
Kitsap County's diverse markets require nuanced pricing:
- Bainbridge Island — smaller inventory and unique properties mean fewer comps. Pricing here requires understanding what makes each property special, not just square footage.
- Poulsbo — waterfront vs. inland creates a significant price split. Proximity to downtown is a measurable premium.
- Silverdale — military BAH rates influence the buyer pool's purchasing power. Pricing within BAH-supported ranges maximizes demand.
- Bremerton — rapid appreciation means last year's comps may already be stale. This market requires the most current data.
- Port Orchard — the widest price range in Kitsap means competition at every level. Precision prevents getting lost.
My Pricing Process
- Comparative Market Analysis — I start with a thorough CMA that identifies your home's position in the current market
- Competitive Review — we look at what's active, pending, and recently sold in your specific area
- Strategic Discussion — I present the data and my recommendation. You ask questions. We align on a strategy.
- Market Response — once listed, I monitor showing activity, feedback, and market response. If the data says we need to adjust, I'll tell you early — not after three months of silence.
Ready to Price Your Home?
Strategic pricing starts with knowing your home's value. That's free, and I'm happy to provide it whether you're selling next week or next year.