Likes, follows and saves. But no offers

I want to walk you through a real story from right here in Boulder, because if you’re a homeowner, this is exactly the kind of situation that’d be helpful before you ever go on the market.

I met with the owners of a luxury home in late December after their property had already expired in the mid $1.7M range.

So we weren’t guessing. The market had already spoken. Here is the history of this home’s listing:

And what the data showed at that moment, December into early January was clear: the buyer pool above $1.6M had thinned out.

Not gone, but smaller, more analytical, and far more price sensitive.

At that level, you’re not dealing with a broad audience. You’re dealing with a small group of buyers who know the comps, watch the market closely, and wait for value.

So my recommendation was simple:

Come back at $1,625,000.

Not because the home “is only worth that”; but because that’s where the buyers were.

The strategy was to align with the market, create urgency, and drive real showings immediately because the first 30 days are where you have leverage.

Miss that window, and it’s very hard to get it back.

Instead, they rejected me after trying to beat me up on fees and repairs necessary and another agent listed the home at around $1.725M.

Basically the same strategy that had already failed.

I don’t know if the agent bought the listing or just misread the market but either way, nothing changed when everything needed to.

And what happens next is predictable.

Buyers see it hit the market again and think:

“Still overpriced”.

Not a new opportunity, just confirmation.

Then comes the online activity, likes, saves, follows. Of course the seller is talking about this.

But likes and saves doesn’t sell homes.

Those are liking and saving buyers are waiting for a price drop.

They’re not booking showings.

And you cannot sell your home without showings.

No showings = no offers.

Meanwhile, the property is sitting and sitting isn’t neutral. Sitting is puking out carry.

In this case, it’s about $4,000 a month.

So every month that passes is real money gone. Stack a few months together, and now you’re looking at $10K-$20K+ in carrying costs alone, before you even factor in price reductions.

And those reductions have to come.

Because eventually, every overpriced listing chases the market down.

The price moves into the $1.6s, right where it should have started except now it’s carrying high days on market, a history of reductions, and less leverage with buyers.

It’s no longer a strong listing. It’s a fatigued one.

And that’s the part a lot of people miss:

If they had launched at $1,625,000 in January when it was fresh, when buyers hadn’t dismissed it, when there was still urgency, they likely would have had real activity and a strong shot at a clean sale.

Because they would have been competing with no other homes on the market.

Instead, they’re now on track to sell at or below that number anyway…

But with months of carrying costs and lost leverage layered on top.

That’s how you end up netting less while aiming higher.

This isn’t about one property; it’s about how the market actually works right now.

If you want to understand where your home really sits, where the buyer pool actually is, and how to position it so you don’t fall into this cycle, I’m always happy to walk you through it.

No pitch. Just observing behavior and developing strategy.