You can have the perfect location, the right amount of space, and a beautifully maintained property, but if the price isn’t right, buyers won’t bite. In fact, they may not even click.
The first few days after listing your property are crucial. This is when your home appears in buyer alerts on platforms like Property24 or Private Property, where serious buyers are scanning every new listing that matches their wishlist. If your asking price seems out of step, they'll swipe past, and keep swiping. Even if you adjust it later, you’ve already missed your moment.
Buyers compare – and search within bands
If your property looks expensive next to similar homes, they won’t question the others – they’ll question yours. But pricing isn’t just about perception. It’s also about showing up in the right place.
Most online property portals group listings by price bands, which means that even a small difference in price can affect whether your home shows up in a buyer’s filtered search. For example, pricing at R999 999 will appear in searches capped at R1 million, but R1 000 000 may not.
This is one reason why pricing isn’t guesswork. It’s a strategy. And it’s worth getting right from the start
Read more: Budgeting for your home: Navigating hidden costs and financial considerations
Work with data, not instinct
An experienced property professional will guide you using real numbers – not wishful thinking. They’ll prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), using recent sales data to show what similar homes have actually sold for in your area, not just what they were listed at. This helps you enter the market with clarity, confidence, and competitive positioning.
Small details, big impact
Price formatting also matters:
- Use banded pricing to show up in search results and alerts.
- Don’t round up without reason. Clean, strategic pricing is more credible.
- Use consistent formatting, for example, R1 million is easier to process than R1 000 000.00.
Your price is your marketing tool
Smart pricing makes your property easier to find and easier to want. It’s the first thing buyers see, and often the last thing they’ll remember. Get it right from day one.
