Stephen R. Harless, Mortgage Lender - First Federal Community Bank

📊 A HOME'S LIST PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS IT'S VALUE...

It's simply an indication to the seller's strategy!

Not every home is priced the same way — and understanding the seller’s strategy can save buyers time, money, and frustration.

What we’re seeing in today’s market:

⬇️ Price Low Strategy
Some sellers intentionally price below market value to:

Create urgency
Attract more showings
Spark multiple offers
Drive the price up through competition

➡️ If a home is priced low, buyers often need to be prepared to offer more than list to win.

⬆️ Price High Strategy

Other sellers price high to:

“Test the market”
Leave room to negotiate

➡️ These homes may sit longer, giving buyers the opportunity to:

Offer at list price
Or potentially below asking, depending on demand and condition

🛡️ How Buyers Defend Themselves
The biggest mistake buyers make is using the same strategy for every house.

✅ The strongest buyers:

Work with a lender willing to run numbers before the showing, so they know their real comfort zone

Work with a realtor who studies comparables upfront to identify the seller’s pricing strategy

Why this matters:

If you assume every house requires over‑asking, you may overpay or stretch too far
If you assume every house can be negotiated down, you may lose good homes and burn out

📌 Smart offers are strategic — not emotional.

🧠 Bottom Line
Every home requires a different approach.
The goal isn’t to always win — it’s to win the right house, at the right price, with the right terms.

Now THAT’S a text I love getting!! 🥹

QUICK TIP: Fall in love with the numbers BEFORE you fall in love with the house.

Getting preapproved first tells you what fits your budget and what doesn’t, before emotions take over.

Once buyers picture themselves living there, it gets much harder to walk away from a payment that stretches things too far.

Preapproval keeps expectations realistic and protects you from making a decision you regret later.

Have you looked at what a comfortable monthly payment really is?

Renting is cheaper than owning...

MYTH!

Renting is not always cheaper than buying.

Rent can feel safer month to month, but it often rises while a fixed mortgage payment stays steady over time.

With homeownership, part of every payment builds equity instead of disappearing as an expense.
When you factor in tax benefits, appreciation, and long term stability, buying can be less expensive than renting for many households.

The real answer depends on how long you plan to stay and how the numbers line up.

Have you ever compared your rent to what a realistic mortgage payment would be?