How to Price Your Home when Selling Privately
How to Price Your Home when Selling Privately - How Much is it Worth?
It’s the most common property question Australians ask: how much is my house worth?
For most people, their home is their biggest asset. Whether you’re thinking about selling, refinancing, or planning your next purchase, understanding your property’s value is critical.
The truth is there isn’t one exact number. Your home’s value depends on market conditions, buyer demand, and how your property compares to others selling right now. That’s why the best sellers don’t rely on just one opinion — they use data, strategy, and flexibility. The price of your home depends primarily on comparable sales in the each. Meaning if John from 3 doors down sold his house for $850 000 and your home is similar in size and design, you will like get a around $850 000 or a little more. Buyers know this and will look at comparable sales before placing an offer
The 3 Best Ways to Work Out What Your Home Is Worth
1. Real Estate Agent Appraisal
An agent appraisal is often the first step because it’s free.
Agents assess your home and provide a price range based on recent sales and buyer demand.
Pros
Free and quick
Gives you a sense of buyer expectations
Useful as a starting point
Cons
Agents want your listing
Some agents over-quote to win business
Appraisals can vary widely
They often do not give you a final figure, its a disguised sales presentation
Its the agents best guess if they do give you a number
Use agent appraisals as information, not truth.
2. Professional Property Valuation
A registered property valuer provides an independent valuation based on:
Physical inspection
Comparable sales
Local market conditions
Property condition
Cost: Usually a few hundred dollars.
This can be valuable if you want an independent opinion or a report to show buyers.
Tip: Valuers often don’t factor in emotion-driven buyers — buyers who fall in love and pay above market value. These buyers exist, especially in lifestyle suburbs, renovated homes, and low-stock markets.
3. Do Your Own Market Research (The Smart Seller Move)
Confident sellers understand their own market.
Use realestate.com.au and Domain to:
Look at sold prices (not asking prices)
Focus on the last 3–6 months
Compare similar homes by location, size, and condition
Pay attention to:
Homes that sold quickly → priced well
Homes sitting 60+ days → usually overpriced
AirLister also provides access to pricing tools and comparable sales data so you’re not relying on guesswork or agent opinion.
4. Purchase a CoreLogic Property Report (The Smart Seller Move)
AirLister has partnered with CoreLogic to give sellers access to the same property data used by banks, valuers, and professional investors.
A CoreLogic Property Report provides:
Recent comparable sales for your exact area
Historical price trends
Property and land details
Market confidence indicators
An independent value estimate based on real data
This is not an agent opinion — it’s objective, evidence-based pricing.
How to Price Your Property for the Best Results
One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is choosing the wrong pricing format.
The way you present your price can dramatically affect enquiry levels and final sale price.
Option 1: “Offers Over” Pricing
Example:
Offers Over $800,000
Best used when:
Demand is strong
Stock levels are low
Your property is highly desirable
Why it works:
Captures buyers searching under $800,000
Creates urgency and competition
Encourages buyers to stretch
If does not put a roof on the price
This strategy often leads to multiple offers when priced correctly.
Option 2: Price Range
Example:
Offers Between $800,000 – $850,000
Best used when:
Buyer demand exists but varies
You want to anchor expectations
You’re testing the market
Why it works:
Attracts a broader buyer pool
Signals flexibility
Reduces low-ball offers
Important: Always ensure your lower range reflects genuine selling intent. Over-stretching ranges can reduce trust and enquiry.
Option 3: Fixed Price (Use Carefully)
Example:
$825,000
Fixed pricing works best when:
The market is slow
Comparable sales are very clear
You want certainty over competition
In many markets, flexible pricing strategies outperform fixed prices.
Why You Should Avoid “Contact Agent” Pricing
Using “Contact Agent” instead of a price is one of the fastest ways to lose genuine buyers. Most buyers actively filter out listings without a price, because it creates friction and uncertainty. They don’t want to call, chase, or be sold to — they want to know if the property fits their budget.
“Contact Agent” works for agents because it forces a phone call, allowing them to qualify leads and pitch themselves. For private sellers, it does the opposite. Buyers assume the price is unrealistic, the seller is unprepared, or that the listing will waste their time.
Clear pricing builds trust. A visible price, price range, or “offers over” strategy attracts more enquiries, shows confidence, and puts your property in the right search results — where serious buyers actually are.
Pricing Is Not Permanent
Unlike traditional agent campaigns, selling with AirLister gives you full pricing control.
You can:
Adjust your price anytime
Respond to buyer feedback
Increase or tighten your range if interest is strong
Reduce price strategically if enquiry slows
The first 2–3 weeks are critical. Strong enquiry means you’re priced correctly.
Free Property Appraisals from Your Broker
If you’re planning to refinance or buy again after selling, your mortgage broker can often provide a free property appraisal.
This can help you:
Understand your borrowing capacity
Plan your next purchase
Compare bank valuations vs market demand
Broker appraisals are particularly useful for:
Bridging finance planning
Pre-approval discussions
Understanding conservative vs market value
Using a broker appraisal alongside your own research gives you a clearer financial picture.
Final Thought
Your home’s value isn’t set by an agent — it’s set by the market.
The best results come from:
Understanding your data
Choosing the right pricing format
Staying flexible
Responding to genuine buyer interest
If you price strategically, the market will tell you when you’re right.
Last updated: January 2026
