Keeping Listings on Track With Seller Anxiety
Clear expectations, steady updates and visible marketing help prevent rushed price cuts and emotional decisions that can derail listings in slower markets.
NEW YORK — In slower housing markets, most listings don’t fail because of marketing missteps, but because unmanaged anxiety begins to shape seller decisions.
That emotional response can quickly lead to tense communication, rushed price changes and deals that collapse without anyone clearly naming the underlying issue. Josh Ries, a real estate broker and lead generation consultant, said in Inman that preventing these outcomes starts long before a listing goes live, with credibility, expectation-setting and early trust playing a central role in keeping decisions grounded.
Consistent communication, especially when activity is limited, reduces uncertainty by turning effort into visible progress rather than assumption. Strategic marketing beyond the MLS can also reinforce that a listing is actively being worked, without resorting to unplanned spending that erodes profit. These practices can create a steadier process that protects pricing discipline, preserves agent margins, and keeps transactions from derailing under emotional pressure.
Source: Inman (01/13/26) Ries, Josh
© Copyright 2026 Smithbucklin