It didn't sell. That doesn't mean it can't.

A single mom had listed her home with an agent who never mentioned repairs or presentation at all. The house sat on the market at $715,000, then was reduced to $699,000. After three months with no sale, she took it off the market. Three months later, she listed with me. I recommended a few targeted changes: fresh interior paint, a painted front door, updated lighting fixtures, refreshed landscaping, and staging with a mix of her own furniture and some of mine, after we decluttered together. All in, it cost $4,000. We relisted at the original $715,000. Within ten days we had two offers, and the home sold for $10,000 over asking. She walked away with about $26,000 more than her reduced price, for a $4,000 investment.

I had a seller who first came to me to interview for the listing. They went with another agent instead, who listed the home at $1,500,000. Over the next six months, they chased the market down, $1,375,000, then $1,275,000, with no sale. They pulled it off the market. Six months later, they called me. I told them what I tell every seller: pricing matters more than anything else in this market. We listed at $1,295,000. Within three days we had two offers, and the home sold $55,000 over asking to a cash buyer.