08/07/2026
3 closings this week. 2 states. Both sides of the table.
Which means I watched buyers decide
— in real time — which homes deserved a Saturday showing and which they scrolled past.
→ Arizona listing — a seller who came back to me after 10 years and wouldn’t work with anyone else.
→ Arizona buyer — a family who called with almost no notice, their son starts school in Phoenix. I flew out, negotiated $10K in concessions plus $10K in repairs. Keys in their hands yesterday.
→ Tennessee buyer — a Minnesota family relocating here. We stretched across the state to find their acre with a pool.
Here’s what all three taught me about listing your home:
By the time a buyer schedules a showing, most of the decision is already made.
They looked at the first photo and asked “does this match the price?”
They read the description and asked “was this written for me, or copy-pasted?”
They compared it to the 8 other homes that hit the market that same day.
Every home we passed on this week, we passed on before we walked in.
One TN-specific thing I keep watching sellers miss: flooring and paint. Not a full remodel — fresh neutrals on the walls and updated carpet before you list. In this market, that’s the difference between “turnkey” and “project” in a buyer’s head — and it costs less than the price adjustment you’ll make in week three.
That’s why the launch matters — not the open house, not the sign in the yard. The first 72 hours your home is live is when your best buyers decide if you’re worth their Saturday.
Comment LAUNCH and I’ll send you the pre-list checklist I walk my sellers through.
