Sellers still pricing homes like it's 2021 — and it's costing them

Our take

While this data comes from the UK market, the underlying behavioural pattern is deeply familiar to South African sellers, particularly in metros like Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban where the post-COVID price optimism has similarly lingered. South Africa's residential market has faced its own supply-demand recalibration, with rising interest rates over the past two years cooling buyer appetite and stretching affordability. Sellers who anchor their asking price to what a neighbour achieved in 2021 or 2022 — or to what they need to fund their next purchase — are setting themselves up for prolonged listings, price reductions, and unnecessary stress. For SA sellers, the lesson is practical: work with a registered EAAB agent who can provide a current comparative market analysis, not a valuation based on peak sentiment. For buyers, an oversupplied or stale listing often signals room to negotiate. Pricing a home correctly from the outset generates more viewings, stronger offers, and a faster, cleaner sale — which ultimately serves everyone better.