Lt. Kaffee replies, “I think I’m entitled to them … I want the truth.”

To which Col. Jessup explodes back, “You can’t handle the truth!” This was not quietly uttered, nor was it whispered under breath. It was a full-throated courtroom outburst, both authoritative and aggressive.

Now, no one is flipping courtroom tables during a listing appointment, but I would be so bold enough to admit that the same dynamic plays out consistently in living rooms across America every single day. In fact, it has happened twice to me this very week.

Two different Realtors, at different times, sit across the kitchen table from a potential seller. Each is being interviewed. Each walked through the home, researched the market in the area and has come prepared with comparables to establish value. One brings real data, while the other brings a song (albeit a good one) and a prayer. Only one of them, however, is telling the truth. Despite the same square footage, same upgrades, same neighborhood, and same market data, these two Realtors arrive at wildly different values for the home. How could this happen?

The first realtor sits down and explains what the home will sell for, in the real world. This agent shows recent closed sales in the area (not active listings, since we don’t have data on what someone will pay). This person also shows the active days on the market, as well as price reductions in the neighborhood and current buyer behavior. What she does not do is tell them what it could sell for if all the planets aligned, nor what it could sell for if some random buyer appears in the form of a fantasy unicorn with a sidecar of money trees. Instead, she delivers a line that may not make anyone clap but does make the math work. “Based on current market data, your home will likely sell between $710,000 and $720,000 if priced correctly and we declutter and stage accordingly.

Perhaps that wasn’t the exact number the seller was hoping for. It is not only possible, but probable that the number doesn’t match Zillow nor what the neighbor told you it was worth. Nor may it be the number the guy next door sold his house for in 2020 (the one with 700 more square feet on ½ an acre more property than yours). But the number does match reality. This Realtor explains that pricing properly from day one creates urgency and stronger negotiating power. She tells them that overpricing their listing would create a lower offer since it will be seen as a stale listing since it will likely sit on the market with no showings until an appropriate price adjustment is done. At this point people will think something is wrong with it since it has been sitting for so long.

After explaining that her goal for them is to get as much money as possible in their pocket from their home in a suitable time frame, she walks away with confidence knowing that she has a solid and proven marketing plan for this home.

Then the second Realtor walks in. He smiles, nods enthusiastically, and says, “I think we should list at $760,000.” The seller’s eyes light up. Being the bearer of such better news than the first, everyone is suddenly feeling great. Nobody is dwelling on closing costs. Days on market couldn’t possibly be relevant, and when asked about the three nearby homes that recently had price reductions, he shrugs and grins, much like a wolf hiding under the clothing of a baby lamb. Just like that, they are awarded the listing. No callbacks, no discussion, just a bigger number. Now both the seller and the agent have enjoyed a journey right onto Fantasy Island.

As expected, there is a plot twist. The home hits the market overpriced. Buyers scroll past, showings are nearly non-existent, and feedback rolls in with comments like, “Nice house, but overpriced,” or “does not comp out at ask price,” or, my personal favorite, “found a newer, larger home for less.”

The cruel irony is, the seller almost always sells for less than it would have if it had been priced correctly on Day 1. The truth, the one that the seller could not handle, was simply this: the magical higher list price was never really obtainable. It was a marketing pitch. Homes don’t sell based on hopes. They sell based on supply and demand, buyer purchase power, comparable sales that have closed, and market velocity.

As Realtors, we have little control over any of those factors. Our job isn’t to flatter you; it is to protect your equity. It is to tell the truth, even when the truth isn’t what you want to hear. The proverbial first Realtor isn’t out to win listings; she is out to win results.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com.