Key Details:
- According to a new report from Realtor.com®, homes with phrases like “Priced to Sell” or “Bargain” in their listings come with an average discount of nearly $38,000 compared to the median-priced home.
- Markets like Little Rock, AR, offer the largest discounts at 23.1%, while Orlando, FL, has the smallest discount at just 3.2%.
Buyers looking to save some serious money on their home purchase may want to pay closer attention to the words used in listing descriptions.
According to a new report from Realtor.com®, listings that feature phrases like “priced to sell” or “bargain” have more to offer than slick marketing language—they actually come with significant discounts.
On average, homes with these value-based terms sell for almost $38,000 less than the median-priced home.
The report found that nationally, homes with value-based terms suggesting a discount on the price are listed for 8.5% less than similar properties without those key phrases.
That said, the impact varies from market to market. In Little Rock, Arkansas, buyers can get discounts as high as 23.1%. But in Orlando, Florida, these phrases lead to a modest 3.2% reduction.
This data reveals an important home shopping strategy for budget-conscious buyers: keeping an eye out for specific language in listings can translate to real savings—especially in markets where these terms are less common and more effective.
Key Phrases and Average Discounts
Listings that use phrases like “priced to sell” can save buyers nearly $38,000, on average, compared to the median-priced home.
Other terms buyers should keep a lookout for:
- “Bargain”
- “Undervalued”
- “Underpriced”
Nationwide, homes described using value-based terms like the above are listed for 8.5% less than similar properties.
Of course, the impact of these terms depends on where you’re looking. Discounts vary widely by market—from 23.1% in Little Rock, AR, to 3.2% in Orlando, FL.
Homebuyers in Southern and Midwestern markets see the largest discounts.
Metros with the largest discounts on “priced to sell” homes:
- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR (-23.0 %)
- St. Louis, MO-IL (-18.7 %)
- Charleston-North Charleston, SC (-15.9 %)
- Memphis, TN-MS-AR (-14.5 %)
- Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI (-12.6 %)
- Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY (-12.5 %)
- Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, MA (-11.5 %)
- Tulsa, OK (-11.4 %)
- El Paso, TX (-11.2 %)
- Wichita, KS (-10.9 %)
Meanwhile, in markets Western markets like Seattle, WA, and Salt Lake City, UT, as well as Southern markets like Orlando, FL, sellers are offering the smallest discounts on “bargain” listings.
Metros with the smallest discounts on “priced to sell” listings:
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL (-3.2 %)
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA (-3.7 %)
- Salt Lake City, UT (-3.8 %)
- Austin-Round Rock, TX (-4.0 %)
- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO (-4.3 %)
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA (-4.4 %)
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL (-4.4 %)
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (-5.2 %)
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI (-5.5 %)
- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA (-5.8 %)
Listings and Market Sensitivity
As one would expect, the share of listings with value-based phrases also varies by market—from 1.9% in Long Island, NY to 6.7% in Sarasota, FL.
Markets with fewer listings with terms like “priced to sell” tend to show more sensitivity to characteristics like home condition, driving discounts based on factors beyond terminology.
Read the full report for more information, including methodology.
