Why Did You Let Them List It at £430k?

Let’s cut the fluff.

Jessica’s comment stopped me cold:

“Our estate agent put ours on for £430,000… reduced once, and now they want to reduce again. In their report, they’ve written £360,000. No houses like mine have gone for less than £375k to £400k.”

Let’s just sit with that a moment.

If comparable homes haven’t sold for under £375,000, and the part exchange figure is £360,000, then one of three things has happened:

1. There’s a typo. Unlikely.
2. The agent massively overcooked it to win the instruction.
3. The part exchange company is rinsing the valuation to protect their margin.

Either way, the person left holding the bag… is the seller.

And I’ve got to ask — not just Jessica, but anyone in this position:

Why would you allow an agent to list it at £430k in the first place?

The Agent Seduction Pattern

It usually starts with a valuation appointment that sounds something like this:

“Your home is stunning — and the market’s really buoyant right now. We’ve just sold one up the road for £X, and I’d be confident putting this on for £430,000.”

You smile. You feel proud.

This number is higher than you expected.

And maybe one of the other agents said £400k — maybe even £390k — but they didn’t seem as confident.

They didn’t flatter you.

They didn’t promise as much.

So what do you do?

You sign the contract.

You don’t ask for sold data. You don’t check the small print. You don’t quiz the strategy.

Because you want to believe it.

And That’s Where They Get You

You go to market.

You get a few initial viewings.

Maybe even a lowball offer.

Then it goes quiet.

The agent stops calling as much.

The enthusiasm fades.

And a few weeks in, they gently suggest:

“Let’s bring the price down to generate fresh interest.”

You agree.

Another few weeks. No real movement.

More reductions.

And then? Boom — a part exchange report lands on your lap valuing your home at £360,000.

You’ve now gone from hope to panic.

From £430,000 dream to £360,000 deal-or-no-deal.

The Psychology of Seller Denial

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Most people don’t choose the best estate agent.

They choose the agent who tells them the highest number.

Why?

Because selling your home is personal.

It’s emotional.

It’s your nest, your work, your memories — and you think it’s worth more than the data says.

So when one agent says £395k and another says “Let’s try £430k”, you go with the dream — not the evidence.

And they know that.

The agents who do this aren’t just bad.

They’re strategic.

They know they’ll talk you down later.

They know you’ll get frustrated and cave.

They know they’ve locked you into a long contract.

Because here’s the trick:

If they’d been honest from the start, you wouldn’t have signed

Let’s Talk About That Part Exchange Report

Here’s what many sellers don’t realise:

Part exchange valuations are not fair.

They’re not about open market value.

They’re about risk mitigation.

Part ex offers are usually around 80% of market value, give or take — because builders want:

• A margin for resale
• Control over the onward chain
• The ability to close the deal quickly

So if your home is realistically worth £400,000, they’ll offer £320,000 to £340,000.

And they’ll get some backroom estate agent to quietly mark the valuation lower in the report — justifying their lowball and still leaving the agent a fee.

So no — the £360k figure doesn’t mean your house is worth £360k.

It means someone is trying to profit at your expense — after you’ve already been misled by the first valuation.

How to Spot the Stitch-Up (Before It’s Too Late)

Here’s your checklist:

1. What sold evidence did the agent show you? If it was mostly asking prices — not actual sold prices — that’s a red flag.
2. How long was the contract you signed? Anything over 4 weeks (with long notice periods) is built to trap, not serve.
3. What was the strategy — beyond just listing on Rightmove? If they couldn’t clearly explain how they’d create competition, urgency, and demand, they had no strategy.
4. Do they push price drops as the only tool? Strong agents build demand and positioning. Weak agents reach for the “reduce” button like it’s a life raft.

My Advice to You: Never Hand Over Control to Someone Who Hasn’t Earned It

Because once you do?

You’re no longer in charge of your own sale.

You’re on the hook for their mistake — but they still get paid.

P.S. Here’s How I Work (In Case You’re Curious):

I offer sellers a zero-week contract.

You can walk away any time.

And if I don’t sell your home for the price I promise within 30 days?

My fee drops by 0.5% every week until it hits zero.

At that point, I sell your home for free.

Because this is about results — not fairy tales.

Need help?

Go to johnsavage.co.uk and grab your free ebook:

“For Sale, But Still Not Sold…”

It’ll show you what’s really going on — and exactly what to do next.

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