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5 Smart Price Change Strategies When Your Listing Is Running Out of Time

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5 Smart Price Change Strategies When Your Listing Is Running Out of Time


If your home has been sitting on the market and you’re now staring down the final 45 days before the listing expires, it’s time to act. The good news? A well-timed and well-executed price adjustment can breathe new life into your listing, attract fresh interest, and help you avoid the reset-and-relist cycle.

Here are five strategic ways to make your price change count:


1. Make a Bold Move to Create Urgency

Sometimes the best strategy is to make a sharp, attention-grabbing price reduction—especially if showings have been slow or offers nonexistent. Dropping the price by 3–5% (or more, depending on your local market) can pull your home into a new price bracket and catch the eyes of buyers who previously filtered it out.

Pro Tip: Position your new pricing just under a common search cutoff—e.g., drop from $765,000 to $749,000—so you show up in more filtered search results.

Use language like:

“Now priced to sell—final price before expiration!”
“Significant price improvement—motivated seller!”


2. Reposition to a Psychological Sweet Spot

A subtle change in pricing can make a big impact. Adjusting your price to a psychologically appealing number—like $899,900 instead of $924,000—can make the property feel like a better value, even if the price change is relatively small.

These numbers stand out more and often convert better because they “look” like a deal in buyers’ minds.


3. Reset the Momentum with a Temporary Delist

If the listing has gone stale, consider pulling it off the market briefly. Then, relaunch with fresh photography, updated copy, and a new price. While this won’t reset your DOM (Days on Market) on the MLS, it can create a renewed buzz on third-party portals and among buyer agents.

Pair this with a refreshed marketing strategy for maximum effect.


4. Promote the Price Change Like a New Launch

A price change isn’t just a backend update—it’s a marketing opportunity.

Make sure you:

  • Update the listing title and remarks to highlight the change
  • Share the update on social media
  • Notify your database and local agents directly
  • Consider a new open house or virtual tour highlighting the “just reduced” price

The more you communicate the shift, the more likely it is to catch buyer attention again.


5. Pair the Drop with Buyer Incentives

Sometimes a creative incentive can make your price change even more powerful.

Offer:

  • A closing cost credit
  • A rate buy-down to reduce monthly payments
  • A credit toward home upgrades

For example:

“$10K price drop + $5K buyer credit—must close by [date]!”

This combination not only sweetens the deal but gives buyers a concrete reason to act now.


Final Thoughts:

When a listing is nearing expiration, the key is to be proactive—not reactive. Whether it’s a bold move or a subtle tweak, a well-planned price change can re-energize buyer interest and lead to a successful sale without having to start from scratch.

If you’re in this situation and unsure which strategy fits your property best, feel free to reach out for a custom pricing analysis. Timing is everything—let’s make the final 45 days count.