Pricing a home is the single most influential decision you will make in the whole sale. Set it right and a steady stream of buyers will line up. Set it wrong and the home goes stale, sometimes in a matter of weeks. The good news is the data needed to set a defensible price is widely available in New Zealand and free to use. The skill is in reading it well. Here is how to research comparables like you would expect a professional to, before you put your home on the market.

Where to find the right comparable sales

Start with Homes.co.nz, OneRoof and Trade Me Property. Filter to your suburb and look at sold listings from the last six months, not active listings. Match for bedroom count, bathroom count, land area and floor area. Pay attention to condition, the size of the section, and whether the home is on a busy road or a quiet one. Three to five close comparables tells you the range. If your home falls in the middle of that range, you have a price you can defend in any conversation.

Then refine. Adjust upwards for genuine extras like a recent renovation, a stronger sun aspect, off street parking or a school zone change. Adjust downwards for obvious shortcomings like deferred maintenance or a very dated kitchen. Keep the adjustments modest. Buyers are also doing this exercise, with the same data. If your number lines up with the market, your listing will feel fair and credible, and the offers will follow much faster than if you tried to guess.

How Market My Place supports the pricing call

Pricing well is not just about the headline number. It is also about how the home is presented online once you choose. Market My Place builds the listing, photos and campaigns to give every dollar of the asking price the best chance of landing. We are also happy to look at your comparable research and offer a quick second opinion if you want one. The decision still sits with you. We just make sure the marketing matches the price you have set.