Market Moves with David McAtee

Want to go deeper on this week's topic? Read the full article on David's blog: https://marketmovesetx.com/post/honest-home-pricing-tyler-texas
Prefer to watch? Catch the video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozIwlQQqTAs 

In this episode of Market Moves ETX, David McAtee discusses one of the most challenging realities in real estate — what happens when an agent’s honest pricing opinion doesn’t match what a seller wants to hear. David shares why some agents inflate price recommendations to win listings, how overpricing affects a home’s time on market, and why he believes honesty and integrity will always lead to better outcomes for sellers in Tyler and East Texas. He walks through how a comparative market analysis works, explains the difference between listing prices and sold prices, and offers practical advice for homeowners who want to make sure they’re getting truthful guidance before putting their property on the market. Whether you’re considering selling your home or simply want to understand how the East Texas housing market works, this episode provides a straightforward perspective from an agent who believes the truth is always worth telling. To connect with David McAtee, visit MarketMovesETX.com or call 903-437-7126. Hosted by David McAtee, Realty ONE Group Rose, Tyler, Texas.

What is Market Moves with David McAtee?

This podcast is for East Texans who want clear, practical insight into real estate - without pressure or hype. Hosted by David McAtee, a real estate agent with Realty ONE Group Rose in Tyler, Texas, the show focuses on helping buyers, sellers, and local residents better understand the East Texas market before making major decisions.

Each episode breaks down real-world topics like buying and selling homes, local market trends, land and acreage considerations, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you’re planning a move now or just learning for the future, this podcast is designed to give you clarity, context, and confidence - one conversation at a time.

Hello and welcome to the Market Moves ETX podcast. My name is David Mac-Atee, and I’m a real estate agent with Realty ONE Group Rose here in Tyler, Texas, serving buyers and sellers across East Texas. Today I want to talk about something that comes up a lot in my work, and I think it’s worth sharing with you.

One of the hardest parts of being a real estate agent is sitting across the table from someone and telling them something they don’t want to hear. Most people who decide to sell their home have a number in mind, and that number usually means something to them beyond just dollars. It’s tied to memories, improvements they’ve made, and what they believe their home is worth.

But here’s the truth. The market doesn’t care about any of that. The market looks at comparable sales, current inventory, buyer demand, and interest rates. And sometimes what the market says is very different from what a homeowner hopes to hear.

When I sit down with a seller here in East Texas, I walk them through a full market analysis. I show them what similar homes in Tyler and the surrounding areas have actually sold for, not what they were listed for, but what they closed at. That distinction matters more than most people realize, because a listing price is just a wish until a buyer agrees to it.

Now here’s where honesty gets expensive. There are agents who will walk into a listing presentation and tell you exactly what you want to hear. If you want three hundred thousand, they’ll say three hundred thousand sounds great. They know the home might sit on the market for months, but they figure you’ll lower the price eventually and they’ll still get the listing.

I have never operated that way, and I never will. If I believe the market supports two hundred and sixty-five thousand, that’s the number I’m going to show you. I’ll explain how I got there, I’ll walk you through every comparable sale, and I’ll answer every question you have. But I’m not going to inflate a number just to win your business.

Has that cost me listings? Absolutely it has. There have been sellers who thanked me for my time and then listed with the agent who promised the higher price. And you know what happens more often than not? That home sits on the market for four, five, six months. Then the price drops, sometimes below what I originally recommended, because by then the home has gone stale.

So why do I keep doing it this way? Because I think about the long run. When someone in Tyler asks around about a good real estate agent, I want my name to come up because people trust me. Not because I told someone what they wanted to hear, but because I told them the truth and helped them make a good decision.

One question I get asked a lot is how do you know what a home is really worth in East Texas? The honest answer is that nobody has a crystal ball. I can’t predict the future and I won’t pretend I can. But what I can do is give you the best market data available, pair it with years of experience walking through homes in this area, and give you my honest professional opinion.

That combination of data and experience is what you should expect from your agent. Not promises, not guesses, and definitely not a number designed to make you feel good in the moment but cost you money in the long run.

At the end of the day, honesty is the only thing I have that nobody can take away from me. A listing can fall through. A deal can collapse. The market can shift overnight. But if I’ve been straight with you from day one, we can handle whatever comes because we started from a place of truth.

Thank you for spending a few minutes with me on Market Moves ETX. If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Tyler or anywhere in East Texas, I’d love to have a conversation with you. You can reach me at 903-437-7126 or visit MarketMovesETX.com. Until next time, remember — the right decision is always worth taking your time on.