Part 2: “Let’s Just Test the Waters First”

It’s one of the most common tactics in real estate – and one of the most misleading.

You’re gearing up to sell your home, and the agent says:
“Let’s just start with a Coming Soon sign.”
Or maybe:
“We’ll try it off-market first – just quietly.”
Or even:
“Let’s test it with no price and adjust later if needed.”

They paint it as a soft, low-pressure approach. And hey, sometimes you might even say:
🗣️ “I’m in no rush.”
🗣️ “We’ll wait until the best offer comes along.”

But here’s the truth: buyers are ready now.
They’re not sitting around waiting. They’ve usually missed out on several properties. They’re emotionally and financially prepared – and they want to buy as soon as something suitable hits the market.

If they don’t see your home as a real opportunity right now, they’ll move on.

So why are agents telling you to wait?

🚩 Let’s break it down.

💬 Reason #1:

They don’t have many listings.
In a tight market, some agents are struggling to stay relevant. With limited stock, they want to stretch out what they do have for as long as possible.

Every week your home is “sort of” on the market – via a Coming Soon sign, quiet listing, or vague off-market email – is another week they get to use it as bait to meet buyers (aka, potential future sellers).

They’re not focused on selling your property fast and for top dollar. They’re using your home to keep their pipeline going.

💬 Reason #2:

Off-market sounds appealing – but it limits your result.
Who doesn’t want to save thousands on marketing? That’s how agents sell the off-market pitch. But here’s the reality:

  • You’re only showing the home to the buyers your agent already knows.

  • You’re not creating competition.

  • Most buyers don’t fully trust agents, and aren’t sharing their real budget or timeline unless they’re seriously engaged.

So, the offers you’re shown?
They might not be the best.
They’re just the ones that were easiest for the agent to get.

💬 Reason #3:

They’re trying to condition you down.
Let’s be honest – this one is frustrating.

Instead of telling you upfront that your price expectations are too high (or helping you understand current market value), they take the long way around.

They get a few buyers through – slowly, and without momentum – and come back to you with “feedback” like:

  • “The buyers think it’s too expensive.”

  • “We got one offer, but it’s under where you wanted to be.”

Now they’ve got leverage to start bringing you down. And guess what?
You’ve wasted time, lost interest from serious buyers, and burned the excitement that comes with a fresh launch.

So, what’s the better way?

Simple: Launch properly. With urgency, strategy, and clarity.

At RE/MAX Elevate, we price almost every property we list. We create real demand and generate competition from day one. We’re not in the business of dragging things out to fill our calendar – we’re here to get you sold, for the best price the market will pay, in a reasonable timeframe.

Want the truth about how to get your home sold?

Call Kath Chown on 0458 912 906 – I’ll always give you honest advice, based on experience, not guesswork.

Stay tuned for Part 3 in “Why Did That Agent Say That?” where we’ll unpack another industry tactic that’s more about the agent than about you.