Choosing a launch price for a Mexico City country home

Two agents have valued our Mexico City country home quite differently. The higher proposal is naturally appealing, but I’m seeing comparable listings launch ambitiously, sit for roughly 74 days, and then reduce.

Would you start high to preserve negotiating room, or launch nearer the price buyers are likely to accept? I care more about completed sales than an agent’s pitch. Condition, neighbourhood boundaries and seller timing clearly matter, so I’m looking for the trade-offs rather than a universal rule.

On the information given, I’d lean toward the more realistic launch price. Negotiating room has little value if the opening figure keeps serious buyers away. That said, make sure the lower valuation isn’t based on a broader or weaker area. For a country home, small differences in location and condition can make supposed comparables misleading.

How wide is the gap between the two proposals, and how motivated are you to sell within a particular period? A modest difference allows one strategy; a large premium is effectively a bet on finding an unusual buyer. I’d also ask whether each agent expects mainly financed buyers, because that may affect which asking prices produce viable offers.

I wouldn’t treat the 74 days as proof that high launches fail. Those listings may have reduced because the sellers became more motivated, and some may later be withdrawn rather than sold. A distinctive property can also take longer to match with a buyer. Recent completed outcomes are much more useful than days advertised or visible price cuts.

Ask both agents to defend their figures using the same boundaries and property condition. Separate recent completed sales from active listings and withdrawn stock; otherwise an ambitious unsold home gets treated as evidence of value. I’d also want to know how much competing stock is newly listed, since a crowded launch period can dilute first-week attention even at a sensible price.

That’s fair about the 74 days, but it still warns against drifting without a plan. If you choose the higher figure, agree in advance what response would trigger a reduction: weak enquiries, viewings without offers, or repeated feedback on price. Waiting until the listing feels stale and then improvising is the worst version of the high-price strategy.

I’d be careful with automatic reduction triggers. Low activity can reflect condition, presentation, new-listing volume or buyer-financing difficulties, not just price. Record what prospective buyers actually object to before cutting. If several like the home but cannot justify the figure against nearby alternatives, that is stronger evidence than a quiet spell by itself.

The choice should follow seller motivation. If timing matters, launch nearer the range supported by completed sales. If you can tolerate a longer campaign, the higher figure may be defensible—but only if the agent explains why this home sits above the comparables and sets a disciplined response plan. I’d have both agents compare the same properties, including withdrawn listings, then choose the argument with better evidence rather than the larger number.