How to avoid the errors costing sellers the most money and time this year

Selling a home is one of the biggest financial transactions most people will make — and small missteps can cost thousands of dollars, or the deal altogether. According to data from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), HomeLight, Realtor.com, and Redfin, three mistakes show up again and again this year. Here's what they are, and how to avoid them.

1. Overpricing the Home

Pricing is the single most important decision a seller makes — and the one most often mishandled. In a nationwide HomeLight survey, 77% of real estate agents named overpricing as the number one mistake sellers make today.

Nearly 1 in 5 sellers had to drop their asking price in 2025. Homes priced 10% above market value lose roughly half their pool of interested buyers; price 15% over, and 90% of buyers are gone.

Timing backs this up: homes that sell in under two weeks get full asking price 70–85% of the time. Homes still on the market after 17+ weeks get full price only 9% of the time, and are three times more likely to need buyer incentives to close.

The fix: Price to today's market — not last year's comps, and not a number that "feels right." A pricing strategy grounded in current data attracts more offers, faster.

2. Skipping Repairs and Staging

With more inventory on the market, buyers have more homes to compare — and less patience for deferred maintenance. NAR reports that two-thirds of sellers now make at least some repairs before listing.

Homes that don't show well lose buyer attention quickly, even when the issues are minor and inexpensive to fix.

The fix: Small investments in repairs, staging, and curb appeal pay off in faster offers and stronger terms. A pre-listing walkthrough to flag quick wins is often worth more than a major renovation.

3. Digging In During Negotiations

Today's buyers are more budget-conscious, and inspection credits, repair requests, and modest price adjustments are standard parts of a deal again.

Redfin data found that inspection and repair disputes were a leading cause of deals falling through in 2025 — often because a seller refused to budge.

The fix: Go into negotiations expecting some give-and-take. Sellers willing to make reasonable concessions close more deals, and close them faster, than those holding a hard line.

Bottom Line

The sellers getting strong results this year have one thing in common: they're pricing, prepping, and negotiating based on where the market actually is — not where they wish it were. If you're thinking about selling, let's talk through what today's market means for your home specifically.

Sources

National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) — nar.realtor

HomeLight national agent survey — homelight.com

Realtor.com market data — realtor.com

Redfin research — redfin.com