(A $199,999 price tag might be costing you buyers—here’s why)

This one trips up a lot of sellers—and honestly, many agents still get it wrong too. It’s not about what feels like a “smart” price… it’s about how buyers search for homes online now.

Back in the day, pricing at $199,999 instead of $200,000 made things look like a bargain—just like in retail. But this isn’t a clearance sale at the mall. Real estate search engines don’t work like that.

Here’s how it really works now:

How Buyers Search

Nearly all buyers—over 90%—start their home search online. And when they do, they don’t scroll through one long list of every home on the market. They set price ranges.

So if a buyer is qualified for $220,000, they’ll typically search in brackets like $200,000 to $240,000. That’s their sweet spot.

But if your home is listed at $199,999, it won’t even show up in that buyer’s search. They’ll never see it. You might be exactly what they want, at a price they can afford—but you’re invisible.

And the opposite happens too: by pricing just under $200K, you get shown to buyers searching in the $180K–$200K range—most of whom are looking for a deal and won’t offer full price anyway.

House Karma Tip:

Price on the even numbers—not below them. Use logical “breakpoints” like $200K, $225K, $250K. That way, your home shows up in both the upper and lower bracket searches, doubling your exposure.

This one little strategy can mean more eyeballs, more showings, and a faster sale.