I Sell Million-Dollar Homes: 7 Tricks To Max Out Your Sale Price
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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It’s no secret that real estate agents selling million-dollar properties use specific strategies to maximize sale prices. These tricks work across price points, not just luxury homes. And now it’s time they’re shared with the rest of the world!
Here’s what top agents actually do to get sellers the highest possible price.
1. Interview Multiple Agents Before Choosing
The biggest mistake is hiring the first agent you meet, according to Steph Mahon, owner of Dwell New Jersey (a top 1.5% agency specializing in high-value areas like Summit, Westfield and Chatham).
“Interview at least three,” Mahon advised. “We’re not all cut from the same cloth — and ‘hyper-local’ doesn’t always mean ‘best.’ Ask behavior-based questions that reveal how each agent thinks, solves problems and gets creative when things don’t go to plan. The right agent should be able to give you real examples of how they’ve done this before.”
Most sellers choose agents based on recommendations or yard signs without actually interviewing candidates. This lazy approach costs money. Different agents have different marketing strategies, negotiation styles and network reach. Interviewing reveals these differences before you commit.
2. Launch Like a Movie Premiere
The first 72 hours set the price ceiling, according to Alexander Fromm Lurie, executive vice president at City Real Estate and leader of one of San Francisco’s top-ranked luxury teams.
“Tease the listing early, preview it to top agents and select buyers, then release professional photos and copy on Thursday to capture weekend momentum and buyer urgency,” Lurie explained.
This staged launch creates buzz and competition. Buyers who know a property is coming feel urgency to act fast once it lists. Releasing on Thursday gives buyers the weekend to view and submit offers, compressing the timeline and driving up prices through competition.
Random Tuesday listings without buildup get lost in the noise. Strategic launches create events that buyers don’t want to miss.
3. Create an Experience or Tell a Story
Joe Luciano, broker associate at RE/MAX Bentley’s, emphasized that facts tell but stories sell.
“It really works when walking a buyer through a home talking about how the kitchen was used for entertaining or how the sellers threw the best parties outside by the pool,” Luciano said. “Maybe the home has been in the same family for over 50 years and this is the first time coming to market — use that.”
Luciano shared an extreme example: “I sold a property that had been in the same family since 1642 (not a typo, they were original settlers!) so you can imagine telling someone that this is the first time ever that this property has been available.”
Stories create emotional connections that justify higher prices. Buyers aren’t just purchasing square footage — they’re buying the lifestyle and legacy that comes with the property.
4. Invest In Professional Staging and Photography
Professional staging and photography are impossible to overlook, said Gavin Payne, broker and owner at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Haven. “While most luxury homes we list are lived in beautifully, there are very subtle changes and additions to the home decor that can make a huge difference to a buyer’s first impression,” Payne explained.
He added that capturing the best angles matters: “From aerial drone to sunset view photography and virtual and video tours, is essential to grabbing the attention of the most discerning buyers.”
Luciano agreed, noting that with million-plus dollar homes, “it’s absolutely worth investing a few thousand in how the home shows.” He added that for more modest homes, “a couple thousand in cleaning up or a landscape refresh can go a long way in both your final sales price and sometimes more importantly reducing your time to receiving offer.”
5. Price Just Below Round Numbers
Lurie explained the bracket pricing strategy that expands buyer pools dramatically.
“Buyers search in price bands,” he said. “Pricing just below a threshold (e.g., $1.495 million instead of $1.5 million) expands your audience, increases competition and often yields a higher final number.”
The psychology is simple: Buyers searching up to $1.5 million won’t see a home listed at $1.501 million in their results. But pricing at $1.495 million captures everyone searching below $1.5 million while still attracting buyers comfortable with $1.5 million properties.
This creates more showing requests, more offers and ultimately higher final prices through competition.
6. Focus On Micro-Renovations With Macro ROI
Lurie recommended skipping massive overhauls in favor of targeted facelifts.
“Fresh paint, updated lighting, new kitchen countertops, hardware, mirrors, refinished floors and landscaping are fast, high-impact upgrades that read as ‘new,’ drive buyer emotion and push up your sale price,” Lurie said.
Mahon reinforced this point about playing the game even in seller’s markets. “Leaving an outdated bathroom untouched and assuming buyers will ‘change it to their taste’ or pricing your home too high because you spent $100,000 on a state-of-the-art golf simulator is a surefire way to lose,” she warned.
7. Pre-Inspect To Reduce Buyer Fear
Lurie called transparency a profit center through pre-inspections.
“Pre-inspections and clean disclosure packet reduce fear, shorten days on market and strengthen your position in negotiation,” he explained.
Most sellers wait for buyers to conduct inspections, which inevitably find issues that become negotiation leverage. Smart sellers hire inspectors first, fix major problems and disclose everything upfront.
This approach eliminates buyer anxiety about hidden defects. It also prevents last-minute renegotiations that tank deals or reduce prices. Homes with pre-inspections sell faster and for more money because buyers trust the process.
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