Your home's market price is not set by an appraisal, a Zestimate, or what the house down the street is listed for. Those things may influence expectations, but they do not establish the market. Buyers do. Understanding what type of buyers are showing up, when they are showing up, and how they are responding is the difference between reading the market clearly and making the most of it. There are three types of buyers in every market. They do not arrive at the same time, and they do not carry the same weight.
"A" Buyers
"A" buyers are already in the market before your home appears. They are pre-approved, educated, and ready to act when the right home shows up. They have been searching actively, often for weeks or months. They know the inventory. They know what has sold, what is sitting, and what value looks like at your price point. They typically show up within the first two weeks of a new listing. That is why their response carries so much weight. If "A" buyers compete for the home, that is a strong signal the price and presentation are working. If they come through and do not write an offer, that is also a signal. If they do not come through at all, that may be the most important signal of all.
"B" Buyers
"B" buyers usually appear after the first wave has passed, typically in weeks three and four. They may like the home, but they are less urgent and more conditional. They may need to sell another property first, still be comparing options, or carry more financing concerns. Their interest is real, but it carries different weight than the response from "A" buyers. By the time "B" buyers are showing up, the most active buyers have often already weighed in. The quality of activity starts to change. Offers tend to be softer. Terms tend to be less clean. The gap between interest and action tends to be wider. A few showings in week three or four can feel encouraging, and sometimes they lead to a great result. But understanding what that activity represents helps sellers respond to it clearly and confidently.
"C" Buyers
"C" buyers are casual, early-stage, or simply bargain hunters. They may be imagining a move they are not yet ready to make. They tend to appear after a property has been on the market for thirty days or more. This kind of activity can feel good because it keeps the listing from feeling quiet, but traffic is not the same as demand. A steady trickle of showings at this stage may not mean momentum is building. It may mean the listing has moved from the most motivated part of the buyer pool into a less urgent one.
What This Means for Sellers
"A" buyers, "B" buyers, and "C" buyers tell you different things, at different times, with different levels of conviction. Sellers who understand that distinction are better positioned to make smart decisions, respond with confidence, and achieve the strongest possible outcome.
Your Trusted Advisors,Â
Peter and Tregg
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