In a market where confidence often masquerades as overconfidence, the difference between a good sale and a great one lies in honest, experience and execution.
At Corum, we often say that the asking price should make you feel a little uncomfortable – because you’re not the buyer. It’s a phrase first coined by Mark Jamieson, Partner at our Newton Mearns branch, and it perfectly encapsulates the delicate balance between optimism and realism that underpins a successful sale.
This year, we’ve achieved some truly exceptional results for our clients; record-breaking sales across Greater Glasgow and the West of Scotland. But these results haven’t come from chance, luck, or blind faith. They’ve come from honest advice, rigorous market analysis, and a strategic approach to pricing.
“Overpricing a property rarely ends with a better result; more often, it leads to stagnation, price reductions, and an inevitable loss of momentum.”
“Overpricing a property rarely ends with a better result; more often, it leads to stagnation, price reductions, and an inevitable loss of momentum.”
The illusion of value
Across the property market, there’s often an unspoken pressure for agents to flatter homeowners with inflated valuations. It’s an easy way to win business. After all, if two agents are pitching for your instruction and one tells you your home is worth £50,000 more than the other, it’s natural to be drawn to the higher figure.
But as we’ve seen time and again, that temptation can quickly turn into frustration. Overpricing a property rarely ends with a better result; more often, it leads to stagnation, price reductions, and an inevitable loss of momentum. In a digital world where buyers have unprecedented access to data, an overpriced home doesn’t just sit – it lingers. And once that initial spark of interest fades, it’s incredibly difficult to reignite.
The irony is that the process of overpricing is often dressed up as confidence, when in reality it’s an agent’s reluctance to have a difficult – but necessary – conversation.
Strategy, not guesswork
Pricing shouldn’t be an ad hoc exercise or a hopeful estimate. It should be strategic, rooted in comparable data, local insight, and a deep understanding of buyer psychology.
At Corum, our Partners and valuers are market specialists who live and breathe their areas. Every valuation is a product of experience and evidence; not ego. We analyse recent sales, understand how different home types perform in micro-markets, and evaluate seasonal trends. From there, we build a tailored strategy that aligns presentation, timing, and pricing to maximise impact.
When a home is priced correctly, it attracts multiple buyers early, creates competition, and builds confidence in value. And when buyers have confidence, sellers achieve premium results.
The myth of ‘making it easy’
Recently, we heard that a competitor has been telling clients that “Corum make it easy for themselves” – the implication being that we don’t push asking prices aggressively enough.
Needless to say, the tale of the tape tells a very different story. Our results this year speak for themselves; exceptional sale prices, minimal time on the market, and consistently satisfied clients.
There’s no glory in listing something you can’t sell. An asking price shouldn’t be a vanity exercise; it should be a vehicle for results. The real skill isn’t in inflating expectations to win business, it’s in setting a price that ignites the market and then executing a strategy that delivers beyond it.
Making it “easy” is, in truth, the product of doing things properly.
“The right asking price shouldn’t be a guess, a gamble, or a number chosen to please; it should be a strategy designed to deliver.”
“The right asking price shouldn’t be a guess, a gamble, or a number chosen to please; it should be a strategy designed to deliver.”
Honesty builds trust
Selling a home is one of the most important financial decisions a person will make, and with that comes emotion, expectation, and vulnerability. That’s why trust between seller and agent is everything.
At Corum, we believe that trust starts with honesty. Being transparent about a home’s realistic value isn’t always the easiest route, but it is the right one. We’d rather start the journey on solid ground than build on false expectations.
Our experience this year reinforces this. Many of our most successful sales this year began with candid conversations about market positioning. By starting from a place of realism, we were able to create marketing strategies that generated excitement, multiple offers, and ultimately, exceptional results.
Beyond the number
The value of a home isn’t just determined by bricks and mortar, it’s shaped by how it’s presented, promoted, and perceived. Professional photography, elevated copywriting, intelligent advertising, and genuine human connection all play their part.
That’s where Corum’s strength lies. We combine marketing expertise with decades of property experience to craft campaigns that tell a story. Because buyers don’t just buy houses; they buy into lifestyles, feelings, and possibilities.
The real secret to success
In the end, the most successful sales happen when realism meets ambition – when a home is priced strategically, presented beautifully, and supported by a team that understands both the data and the emotion behind every move.
Our advice to sellers as we look ahead is simple: choose an agent who values truth over temptation. The right asking price shouldn’t be a guess, a gamble, or a number chosen to please; it should be a strategy designed to deliver.
Because the asking price should make you feel uncomfortable. You’re not the buyer.
by Gordon McGuire
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