US News

Seattle Luxury Broker Eric Akines Advises High-End Sellers to List on Competitive Position, Not the Calendar

With inventory rising and buyers taking their time, Seattle luxury real estate broker Eric Akines of REAL Residential is advising sellers of homes above $3 million to decide when to list based on their property's competitive position rather than on the season alone. "You sell it when the property has the strongest strategic position in the competitive set," Akines said. Akines said buyers who watched the market through July and August returned in September better informed. They have seen price reductions and homes sitting on the market, and many understand they now have negotiating leverage. At the upper end of the market, most buyers are not constrained by the monthly payment, but they have more choices than they have had in years, and that has reduced urgency. "Buyers aren't reluctant to buy," Akines said. "They're reluctant to settle." To decide when to list, Akines evaluates competing inventory, how distinctive the home is, who the likely buyer is and conditions in that specific neighborhood. A standout home facing limited competition and motivated buyers, he said, has little reason to wait. For other properties, the greater risk can be listing in the fall rather than in spring, typically the strongest season of the year. He recently advised a client planning to list a waterfront property priced above $5 million this month to wait until April. In spring, he said, the gardens, landscaping and weather will allow the home to photograph and present far better. Distinctive homes that are priced realistically continue to move quickly. A penthouse in Capitol Hill's Lamplighter, a building commissioned around Seattle's 1962 World's Fair, sold within 24 hours of listing at its full asking price of $1.15 million. Patience is also paying off for buyers. A couple relocating from Chicago to be closer to their daughter toured a West Seattle view home, waited about a month to see whether it would sell, then returned and purchased it well below the asking price. Looking ahead, Akines expects Seattle-area prices to continue softening over the next year before stabilizing, with appreciation likely to resume within about two years, depending on interest rates and broader economic conditions. He described the current period as favorable for cash buyers, and said sellers who can combine a realistic price, strong presentation and targeted marketing remain best positioned. About Eric Akines Eric Akines is a luxury real estate broker with REAL Residential in Seattle, specializing in architecturally significant and design-driven homes in Seattle, Mercer Island and the Eastside. He is also licensed in Idaho and serves clients in Sun Valley. RealTrends Verified ranks him among the top 1.5% of agents nationally, with more than $48 million in 2025 sales volume. More information is available at ericakines.com . Media Contact Heather Hook KeyCrew Media