Don’t Select a Real Estate Agent Based on Price

by Adam Miller

Don’t Select an Agent Based on Price Here’s Why It Could Cost You

Let’s have a real conversation here.

If you’re planning to sell your home in Lakewood Ranch in 2025, the market is more challenging than it’s been in years. Yes, there’s still buyer demand - but buyers are cautious, they have more homes to choose from, and in many cases, they’re comparing your home to brand-new construction with builder incentives.

That’s why the way you choose your listing agent matters - a lot. And one of the biggest mistakes I see sellers make is picking an agent based on the price they promise rather than the truth about the market.

The Hard Truth About Pricing

Here’s what most people don’t realize: no agent controls the value of your home.

I don’t.
The top agent in the county doesn’t.
Your neighbor who sold in 2022 definitely doesn’t.

Only the current market - the pool of qualified buyers, their financing ability, interest rates, inventory levels, and competing properties - determines what your home is worth right now.

A skilled, honest agent can’t make your home worth more than the market will bear. But an unqualified or inexperienced agent can make it sell for less, either through bad marketing, poor negotiation, or letting it sit on the market too long without a strategy.

How Overpricing Backfires

Here’s a pattern I see all the time:

A seller decides what they want for their home before looking at the data.
They meet with multiple agents.
They choose the one who agrees with their number - often the highest “bidder” for the listing.

Sounds good in theory, right? More money for you.

But here’s what actually happens: that high-priced listing sits. After a few weeks, the showings slow down. You get feedback like “It’s nice, but overpriced.” The agent starts suggesting price reductions. Weeks turn into months. By the time you get to the price you should have started with, your listing is stale, and buyers are wondering what’s wrong with the home.

In many cases, you’ll end up selling for less than you could have if you’d priced correctly from the start.

the 941 lifestyle group

Why the Truth Is Better Than a Big Promise

In this market, you don’t need someone to “yes” you into a listing agreement. You need someone who will show you the numbers - honestly - and back that up with a marketing plan that makes your home stand out from every other option out there.

Think of it like going to the doctor. If you had a serious illness, would you want them to tell you the truth so you could start treatment? Or would you want them to pat you on the back, say “you’re fine,” and send you home without addressing the problem?

Overpricing is the real estate version of that. It’s the “disease” that keeps your home from selling. The cure? The right price and the right strategy from day one.

What My Team and I Do Differently

I’m Adam Miller with the 941 Lifestyle Group. We live and work right here in Lakewood Ranch, and we specialize in selling homes in this market - the one we have today, not the one we had two years ago.

Here’s how we handle it:

Pricing with precision: We use hyper-local data, current buyer trends, and competition analysis so you know exactly where your home fits in the market.
Marketing that works in 2025: Professional photography, cinematic video tours, aerial drone footage, and targeted online ads - so your home is seen by qualified buyers locally, nationally, and internationally.
Story-driven presentation: We don’t just list features; we sell the lifestyle of your home and your neighborhood - something no automated listing can do.
Active communication and adjustment: If the market shifts, we shift with it. We don’t just wait for buyers to show up; we go find them.

This Market Rewards the Right Strategy, Not the Highest Starting Price

Lakewood Ranch buyers in 2025 are more informed than ever. They know what other homes have sold for, they’re factoring in builder incentives, and they’re negotiating hard. Starting too high just hands them more leverage.

The sellers who win in this market are the ones who:

Price strategically from the start
Work with an agent who markets aggressively
Stay ahead of market changes instead of reacting months later

Selling Soon? Let’s Talk.

If you’re thinking about selling in Lakewood Ranch this year, let’s skip the “highest bidder” approach and focus on the truth and the best strategy for today’s market.

I’ll show you exactly what your home is worth, how we’ll position it to stand out, and how we’ll market it so you get the strongest offers possible — without the wasted time and frustration of chasing the market down.

Schedule your 15-minute discovery call, and let’s make a plan that works in this market.

Beyond Homes - We Match Lifestyles

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. We are excited you found us.

We are the 941 Lifestyle Group.