What is a bidding war and how do you create one?
Written and reviewed by Andrew Ragusa, Licensed Real Estate Broker and Broker of Record, REMI Realty LLC — 11+ years of transactions across Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens.
The short answer
A bidding war happens when multiple buyers compete for the same property, often driving the final sale price well above asking. I create them by setting an attractive listing price that grabs attention online and brings the maximum number of buyers through the door at the same time. When buyers search for homes in Smithtown, Huntington, Plainview, or Syosset, they're scrolling through dozens of listings at once. If your price looks like a great deal compared to the photos, they think “I need to see this house.”
On average, hundreds of people may save a new listing in the first weekend alone, and a strong open house can bring dozens of buyers through at once. I use a targeted showing strategy to concentrate traffic, increase competition, and encourage buyers to submit their strongest offers with the best terms.