One phrase we hear regularly during valuation appointments is this:
"We're not in a hurry to sell."
Usually, it's followed by something like:
"Let's try it at this price and see what happens."
On the face of it, that sounds perfectly reasonable.
After all, if you're not under pressure to move, what's the harm in testing the market?
Unfortunately, in today's property market, that approach can actually end up costing you thousands of pounds.
🚀 Every Property Has a Launch Window
When your property first comes onto the market, it enjoys something no price reduction or marketing campaign can ever recreate.
It's new.
Buyer alerts are sent.
Your estate agent contacts people already looking.
It appears at the top of Rightmove searches.
It's shared on social media.
People talk about it.
Neighbours notice it.
The first four to six weeks are usually when your property attracts the greatest amount of attention.
That's your best opportunity to generate competition between buyers.
⏳ The Longer It Sits, The More Questions Buyers Ask
If a property remains on the market for months with little activity, buyers begin asking themselves questions.
"What's wrong with it?"
"Why hasn't it sold?"
"Have they already turned down better offers?"
"If it's been on this long, perhaps they'll accept less."
Nothing may actually be wrong with the property.
But perception matters.
A stale listing often creates opportunities for buyers to negotiate harder.
💷 "Testing the Market" Can Be Expensive
One of the biggest misconceptions is that pricing higher gives you room to negotiate.
In reality, we've often found the opposite.
If buyers don't even book a viewing because they think the property is overpriced, you've lost the opportunity before negotiations have even begun.
Eventually, many sellers reduce the asking price.
But by then, the excitement has gone.
The property is no longer "new."
And buyers know you've already moved on price.
Ironically, many sellers end up accepting less than they might have achieved had the property been priced correctly from day one.
📉 The Market Doesn't Know You're Not in a Hurry
Here's the crucial point.
The market doesn't know you're not in a hurry.
Buyers don't see your circumstances.
They simply see a property that's been available for several months.
To them, it's just another listing that's failed to sell.
Whether you've been waiting patiently or desperately trying to move makes no difference to how buyers perceive your property.
🤝 If You're Not Ready to Sell, That's Absolutely Fine
This may sound unusual coming from an estate agent, but if you're genuinely not ready to move, there's nothing wrong with waiting.
If you have a particular figure in mind that today's market simply won't support, it may be better to hold off until market conditions change.
There's no point putting unnecessary pressure on yourself—or your property.
Because once it's launched, the clock starts ticking.
🏠 Our Philosophy
At Collyers, we're becoming increasingly honest with sellers.
If we don't believe the market will support the asking price, we'll explain why.
Sometimes that means difficult conversations.
Occasionally, it means we don't take the instruction.
That might sound strange for an estate agent.
But we'd rather lose an instruction than knowingly launch a property at a price we don't believe gives it the best chance of selling.
Because our job isn't to list houses.
Our job is to sell them.
There's a big difference.
💬 Final Thoughts
The first few weeks of marketing are your property's golden opportunity.
It's when buyers are paying the most attention.
It's when competition is most likely to happen.
And as we've said before:
The best offer is usually generated by competition, not by leaving room for negotiation.
If you're thinking of selling, don't ask:
"What's the highest price we could try?"
Instead ask:
"What's the right price to attract the strongest interest?"
Because in today's market, getting the price right isn't just part of the strategy.
It is the strategy.
