How To Tell If A House Is Overpriced: 5 Signs To Look Out For (2024)

2. It’s Been On The Market For A Long Time

Another way to figure out if a home is possibly overpriced is to find out how long it’s been on the market. If you’re working with a real estate agent, they can help you determine how long a property has been listed. You can also find this number by looking on various websites, such as Rocket HomesSM, where you would check out real estate listings. While the number provided might not always be 100% accurate, it can often give you a good idea of whether a home has been on the market longer than most.

3. The List Price Doesn’t Align With The State Of The Home

It’s easy to see a home in a listing and assume that it’s a well taken care of and perfect home. But pictures can sometimes show only the good parts of a home – especially if the home has been professionally staged to look good in photos. This is why it’s incredibly important to tour a home before ever putting in an offer or moving forward with buying a house.

For example, you might find a home that has everything you’re looking for but when you tour the property in person, you start to see some things that don’t align with the asking price. Maybe you’re noticing small signs of water damage, broken tile or the home’s layout is misleading compared to how it looks in the pictures online. Consult with your real estate agent or REALTOR® if you have concerns about a home and want to know how the cost was calculated given the current state of the home.

4. The Price Doesn’t Match Your Calculations

Anytime you’re looking at a home, you can always calculate on your own what the price of the home should be. This can be done by using an automated valuation model (AVM) tool which can help potential home buyers determine the property value of a home. An AVM will use existing data to calculate the estimated value of a property. AVM tools can be found through various real estate listing websites.

You can also do your own rough math by averaging several home prices from similar properties in your area. If the price of the home you’re interested in isn’t anywhere near that average price then you might be looking at an overpriced house.

5. The Home Hasn’t Received Much Attention

If you’re a potential buyer and are working with a real estate agent, they should be able to tell you if there’s been any recent activity with the property. If your real estate agent informs you that there hasn’t been much activity on the property (pending sales, offers, etc.), it could be a sign that the home is overpriced. If a home isn’t selling over a long period of time, one of the first things people are going to assess is the price of the home.

How To Tell If A House Is Overpriced: 5 Signs To Look Out For (2024)

FAQs

How To Tell If A House Is Overpriced: 5 Signs To Look Out For? ›

The Home Is Priced Higher Than Comps In The Area

Typically, comps in a certain area will fall within the same price range. If the house you're thinking of placing an offer on is priced significantly higher than a similar home on the same block or in the larger neighborhood, it could mean the house is overpriced.

How to know if a house is priced too high? ›

The Home Is Priced Higher Than Comps In The Area

Typically, comps in a certain area will fall within the same price range. If the house you're thinking of placing an offer on is priced significantly higher than a similar home on the same block or in the larger neighborhood, it could mean the house is overpriced.

How do you know if a house is too expensive for you? ›

Most financial advisors recommend spending no more than 25% to 28% of your monthly income on housing costs. Add up your total household income and multiply it by . 28. At most, you may be able to afford a $1,120 monthly mortgage payment.

How do you know if a house is worth the price? ›

  1. Use online valuation tools.
  2. Use the FHFA House Price Index Calculator.
  3. Get a comparative market analysis.
  4. Hire a professional appraiser.
  5. Evaluate comparable properties.
Nov 15, 2023

How do you know if you are paying too much for a house? ›

The home has spent a long time on the market

Beware of homes that just won't sell — it usually means they are overpriced. "If the home has been sitting on the market longer than similar homes nearby, it's a good sign that the list price was set too aggressively by the seller," Tucker says.

How do you negotiate an overpriced house? ›

How to Make an Offer on a House That Is Overpriced
  1. Hire an Experienced Real Estate Agent.
  2. Find Out if the Home Is Really Overpriced.
  3. Present Evidence to Show That the Home Is Overpriced.
  4. Know Your Seller.
  5. Make Your Offer as Appealing as Possible.
  6. Be Ready to Negotiate Back and Forth.
  7. Be Ready to Walk Away.
  8. The Bottom Line.
Feb 12, 2021

What is considered a high value property? ›

In general, most insurance companies consider a high-value home to be somewhere in the range of $750,000 or higher. However, some companies may only consider high-value homes to be worth $1 million or more.

How much is too much on a house? ›

How much of my salary should I spend on a house? The 28/36 rule, a commonly used financial guideline, states that you should spend no more than 28 percent of your gross monthly income on housing costs. Be sure to factor a down payment and closing costs into your budget too.

What is considered house poor? ›

“House poor” refers to the situation where a homeowner buys a home beyond their means, and their new home becomes more of a financial burden than a positive investment. Struggling to keep up with housing expenses doesn't leave a lot of room for fun or discretionary spending, either.

What is an appropriate price for a house? ›

How much does it cost to buy a house in California? The median price for a single-family home here is $843,340, according to September 2023 data from the California Association of Realtors (CAR).

How accurate are Zillow estimates? ›

The nationwide median error rate for the Zestimate for on-market homes is 2.4%, while the Zestimate for off-market homes has a median error rate of 7.49%. The Zestimate's accuracy depends on the availability of data in a home's area.

How can I predict the value of my home? ›

4 Steps to Know How Much Your Home Is Worth
  1. Learn the facts about your house and local market. ...
  2. Enter your address into a free online home value estimator. ...
  3. Compare your home's value to others in your neighborhood. ...
  4. Work with a real estate agent to find the most accurate price.

What is the most accurate home value estimator? ›

Any one of these options will give you a good idea of what your home is worth.
  1. Redfin's “How Much is my House Worth?” Tool. Redfin is one of the leading real estate websites. ...
  2. Zillow “How Much is My Home Worth” Checker. ...
  3. Realtor.com Home Value Estimator. ...
  4. Chase Home Value Estimator. ...
  5. Remax Home Value Estimator. ...
  6. Trulia.
Jan 21, 2024

How to tell if a home is overpriced? ›

Here are a few signs to be aware of:
  1. It Doesn't Match The Price Of Similar Listings. ...
  2. It's Been On The Market For A Long Time. ...
  3. The List Price Doesn't Align With The State Of The Home. ...
  4. The Price Doesn't Match Your Calculations. ...
  5. The Home Hasn't Received Much Attention.

At what age should you pay off your house? ›

To O'Leary, debt is the enemy of any financial plan — even the so-called “good debt” of a mortgage. According to him, your best chance for long-term financial success lies in getting out from under your mortgage by age 45.

How to not overbid on a house? ›

That said, there are some things you can do to try and avoid bidding wars.
  1. Understand what the list price means. ...
  2. Low-ball listing. ...
  3. Rely on your agent. ...
  4. Escalation clause. ...
  5. Try a bold offer. ...
  6. Consider the home's potential. ...
  7. Buying off-season. ...
  8. Write a personal letter to the seller.

What happens if you buy a house too expensive? ›

What sort of problems can "too much house" cause? Well, lots. High utility costs, high maintenance costs, and high stress levels to name a few. But low housing liquidity and high foreclosure risks are what would keep me up at night.

What is the risk of overpricing a home? ›

Overpricing tends to dampen the other salesperson's attitude, making it less likely for them to show your home. Overpricing lengthens marketing time and invariably results in a lower selling price than would have been otherwise obtained.

Is it better to price a house low or high? ›

Don't price it too high

If your home is overpriced, you run the risk of buyers not seeing the listing. Let's say you want $299,000 for your home, but you list it at $315,000 to see if anyone will pay the higher price. A buyer with a budget of $299,000 may search online only for homes priced through $300,000.

Should you buy a house when rates are high? ›

The bottom line. Today's elevated mortgage rate environment isn't preferable for homebuyers, but it doesn't mean that you should refrain from acting, either. If you discover your dream home, can afford the interest rate, find an affordable house, or have an alternative to rent, it can be worth it for you now.

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