By: KeyCrew Media
In Northern New Jersey, the way a home is priced at listing often shapes what happens next more than the property itself. Many sellers still anchor their expectations to what a neighbor’s home sold for a few years ago, and that gap between expectation and current market reality is where deals start to go sideways. Accurate pricing, by contrast, changes how buyers respond to a listing from the first day it hits the market, according to Artur Tyszka, a real estate professional with The Tyszka Team.
When Sellers Price From Memory, the Market Punishes Them
Tyszka argues that the most damaging mistake sellers make right now is anchoring their asking price to what a neighbor sold for in 2021 or 2022. Buyers work from current comparables, and lenders underwrite to current values. A seller who insists on 2022 pricing is competing in a market that no longer exists.
“Nobody is considering what was sold in 2022 compared to today’s pricing,” Tyszka says. Northern New Jersey has still seen significant growth year over year, he adds, making the area an outlier compared to the rest of the country, but that growth is measured against recent sales, not two-year-old benchmarks.
The consequences are direct. An overpriced listing generates minimal showing traffic, typically five to ten groups in the first week by Tyszka’s estimate, and once a property accumulates days on market, it attracts a different kind of buyer entirely.
“When you start sitting on the market, that’s when people will start to take advantage of your home and look for a deal,” Tyszka says. “They’re going to nip you on the price, and then when the inspection comes around, they’re going to nip you on inspections. You’re not going to have much leverage, because it was your only buyer.”
Why Competitive Pricing Draws More Buyers
Tyszka points to a recent Wayne listing as a concrete illustration of the approach. The seller initially wanted to set the asking price above what the local comparables supported. Tyszka recommended listing below that target instead, reasoning that a lower entry price would widen the buyer pool and generate competitive pressure.
The seller agreed. The listing drew multiple offers and moved into a competitive bidding situation, which is exactly what the strategy is designed to produce. The difference was not the property itself. It was the market dynamics that accurate pricing created.
Tyszka says bidding wars are still occurring in Wayne, Bergen County, and Essex County. “In hot pockets and hot towns, they’re still very aggressive,” he says. The key variable is whether a listing is priced to attract competition or priced to repel it.
He contrasts that with a listing in a slower market where the initial price was set too high. The property drew roughly five to ten groups in its first week. After a price adjustment to a more accurate number, it went under contract in less than a week. “Buyers are still out there,” he says, “but they’re not overpaying for homes like they used to.”
The Window for Sellers of Wayne, New Jersey Homes Is Narrowing
For sellers considering a listing in the next three to six months, Tyszka’s advice is straightforward. He suggests moving sooner rather than later. His reasoning centers on the school-year buyer cohort, families trying to close and settle before September, who represent some of the most motivated buyers in the market.
Waiting until fall or winter means encountering a buyer pool that is smaller, less urgent, and more focused on extracting value. Delaying can carry a real cost in a shifting market, he notes. “We don’t even know what next year is going to bring,” he says. “We know what we know today.”
The market is showing some softening in certain areas, Tyszka acknowledges, but strong demand persists for well-priced Northern New Jersey homes in desirable locations. The risk for sellers who delay is missing the window when motivated buyers are actively competing.
Competing on Honesty, Not on Flattery
Tyszka says his approach is built on refusing to tell sellers what they want to hear when the numbers do not support it. He recently competed for a listing against five other brokers. He came in at $599,000. His competition was quoting $700,000. He got the listing.
“A lot of these agents that are giving these higher valuations are not doing their homework,” Tyszka says. “They’re just telling sellers what they want to hear, and that’s not what you want when you’re hiring somebody to represent the biggest asset of your home.”
His pre-listing process includes a walkthrough to identify anything likely to surface at inspection. When cosmetic issues can be resolved inexpensively, he advises sellers to handle them before going to market, since modest repairs can strengthen a home’s position with buyers. The more problems resolved before listing, the cleaner the slate for buyers and the stronger the seller’s negotiating position once offers arrive.
For sellers weighing whether to list now or wait, Tyszka frames the choice plainly. Demand exists today in Northern New Jersey’s strongest markets, and whether it will exist at the same level in six months is something no one can answer with certainty.
Artur Tyszka is a co-lead at the Tyszka Team at Keller Williams Prosperity, serving buyers and sellers in Wayne, Pompton Lakes, and throughout Northern New Jersey. The team closed over 180 transactions across Northern New Jersey in 2025.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information provided by the expert source cited above. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any real estate or financial decisions.
