RANGE PRICING is a concept introduced locally in the mid-1980s, when I was a Branch Manager for Merrill Lynch Realty. We were told it came from Australia, and at first I thought it was a "crazy" idea. Initially. most people resist it, too; largely because it is "not the way we do things". Or is it? Please think objectively about this as you read on. When BUYERS SHOP, they do so "in a price-RANGE", don't they? When I value property as part of my listing and marketing plans, I always do so in a "range of value". Why not PRICE property the same way BUYERS shop and professional Realtors value property? NOBODY (especially in THIS market) really expects to receive their "fixed" asking price, anyway, do they? When you have a "fixed" price, and you say "make an offer" or "SELLER is motivated", etc...(as everyone does) BUYERS eye's tend to glaze over and their shoulders collectively shrug. HOWEVER, when you say "the SELLER is entertaining all offers between $______ and $______, you have just opened the bidding! Or, at least we HOPE you have. The way the program is SUPPOSED to work is that, when a SELLER is presented a signed, written-offer "within their specified price range", the BUYER can be ASSURED of no less than a signed written counter-offer response from the SELLER. THAT'S what "entertaining" the offer consists of. Ask any Professional Realtor and they will tell you that a SELLER (with a fixed asking price) has NO obligation to respond to your ("lowball")offer if that SELLER chooses not to do so. With RANGE PRCING (assuming your offer is within the specified range) that changes. Now, sometimes this is used as a "gauge" of the current market values, too. Consider the situation when no offers are presented even at the low end of the range...I will continue with discussion about this subject in future posts. The MLS right now doesn't get it, nor do most Realtors, because this is an example of "out of the box" thinking, I suppose. It needs to be explained properly. Please CALL DON TAYLOR to discuss your real estate needs...whether you are BUYING or SELLING. I can be reached on 727-458-7828