Cutting €2,000 every month is like pulling off a plaster very slowly: it just hurts for longer.
You should lower the price of a house when the market tells you to, not at random: no viewings after three to four weeks, or around ten viewings without a single offer. When that happens, one clear cut of around 5 to 10% works better than several small adjustments. And before touching the price, check that the listing is not the real problem.
What the market is saying right now
Selling a house takes time, and a little longer than a year ago. According to the Laforêt network, the average time to sell in France reached 101 days in September 2026, six days more than a year earlier. Nine purchases out of ten involve a negotiation, with an average discount of 4.8% nationally and 5.1% outside the Paris region.
Houses are in a trickier position than average. Still according to Laforêt, buyer demand for houses fell by 4% over one year, while supply rose by 4%. The Notaires de France made the same observation in their July 2026 report: preliminary contracts pointed to house prices down 0.9% over one year, with buyers taking more time and negotiating harder.
The result: a price set “just to see” costs more than it used to. The longer a house stays online, the more buyers wonder what is wrong with it.
The signs that should alert you
The right moment to lower the price is not read on the calendar, but in how buyers react:
- No viewings after three to four weeks online: the price, or the listing, keeps the house out of searches.
- Viewings, but no offer: up to five viewings without an offer is normal; around eight, it is time to ask questions; beyond ten to twelve, the price is almost always the issue.
- Offers all at the same level, well below your price: together, buyers are telling you the value they see.
- Comparable houses sold for less: actual sales in your area are public, in the French DVF database.
The first month matters most: that is when the listing is new and seen by every buyer already looking. Do not let two or three months go by without reacting to these signs.
A small cut every month mostly teaches buyers to wait for the next one.
One clear cut rather than several small ones
Lowering the price by €2,000 every month seems cautious. It is often the worst option: each small cut signals a seller giving in bit by bit, encourages buyers to wait for the next one, and changes nothing for those who cannot see your house. Buyers set their searches on a round budget: €250,000, €275,000 or €300,000. As long as the price stays just above it, the house does not appear for them.
Worked example: two ways to lower the same price
Fictional case. A house is listed at €289,000. Comparable houses in the area sold for between €265,000 and €270,000.
| Three small cuts of €5,000 over six months | €274,000, still above the €270,000 budget |
| A single cut, in the second month | €269,000, below the threshold, seen by more buyers |
| Average negotiated discount in the regions (5.1%) | about €13,700 on €269,000 |
| What the clear cut gains you | several months of selling time, and fewer costs |
A cut of 5 to 10% is the usual order of magnitude; the real aim is to get back below your buyers' budget threshold.
During those months of waiting, the house keeps costing money: property tax, insurance, heating, garden upkeep, sometimes a bridging loan. These costs are rarely counted, and they eat into what you gain by holding out for too high a price.
Before lowering: check that the price really is the problem
A house can be at the right price and still not sell. Before any cut, review what buyers see: dark photos or photos taken in winter, a text that does not say who the house is for, a worrying energy rating with no explanation, a neglected garden. See the three listing mistakes that stop a house from selling and the seven real reasons a house stays unsold for a year.
Do not compare with listings. The prices your neighbours advertise are not sale prices: many of those houses do not sell. Only signed sales, available in the DVF database, show what buyers actually pay.
What to do in your situation
Buyers are coming and the interest is there: give offers two to three weeks before changing the price.
Redo the photos and text, aim at the right buyers; if nothing changes within three weeks, lower the price.
A single cut, below the budget threshold, together with a fully refreshed listing.
If the house has been on sale for several months with the same agency, the question of the mandate also arises: see your rights and options when a sale mandate drags on, and our action plan for a property unsold for months.
Our approach
We work on houses and estates that are not finding a buyer. Before talking about a price cut, we rework the price from actual sales, the presentation of the house and the profile of the buyers to target. When a cut is needed, it is decided once, at the right level. Find out how we help with properties that are hard to sell.
Frequently asked questions
How long before you should lower the price of your house?
With no viewings after three to four weeks, or after around ten viewings with no offer. The calendar matters less than how buyers react.
By how much should you lower the price?
Usually by 5 to 10%, with a precise aim: getting back below a round budget that buyers use in their searches, such as €250,000 or €300,000.
Is it better to make several small cuts or just one?
One clear cut. Successive small cuts make buyers wait and do not make the house visible to new budgets.
Should I lower the price if I get lots of viewings?
Not straight away. Viewings with no offer point to a gap between the price and what buyers see: look at their feedback before deciding.
How do I find out the real market price?
By comparing with signed sales in your area, available in the public DVF database, and not with listings still online.
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