10/22/2026
🦄 I once sold a $20,000 horse for a LOW SIX-FIGURE amount… because the buyer liked his COLOR. 💀😂
Yes. You read that right.
And do you know how many times something like that has happened to me in almost 20 years of selling horses?
ONE. ☝️🦄🤯
Here’s the story.
A buyer came to see a middle-of-the-road horse I had advertised.
But while visiting, he spotted a completely different horse I was working in the arena.
He wanted THAT horse.
The problem? I didn’t particularly want to part ways with him nor did the owner.
So, just for giggles, I threw out an absolutely OUTRAGEOUS number. 🥴
To give you context, that horse was probably worth around $20,000 in the market at that time.
I asked for a LOW SIX-FIGURE AMOUNT.
Because who in their right mind would pay that?! 😂
Well…
HE WROTE THE CHECK. 💀🦄
Why?
He loved the horse’s COLOR.
An emotionally driven decision? 110%.
Now, before anyone gets excited and starts adding another zero to their horse’s asking price… 😂
Let’s talk about unicorn buyers, overpricing, buyer psychology, and what I’ve learned through years of selling horses, homes, and ranches.
I’ve been selling imported and homebred horses since around 2008, and real estate since 2019.
Hundreds and hundreds of transactions, countless hours of advertising, networking, marketing, some difficult markets, a few heartbreaks, and plenty of expensive lessons. 🥲☠️
And here’s what I’ve learned:
🐎 1. Overpricing can kill a conversation before it even starts.
When you’re selling, you WANT dialogue!
You want inquiries, conversations, offers, and opportunities to negotiate.
Every conversation gives you information, and information creates opportunities.
There might be a qualified buyer whose budget is just below your asking price. Someone who would happily negotiate or even stretch their budget for the right horse or property.
But when your asking price is significantly above market value, you’re creating a psychological barrier.
That buyer might never contact you.
And you’ll never even know they existed. 🫠
⏳ 2. The longer something sits, the more people question it.
Buyer psychology is fascinating.
People are influenced by what other people want.
When something attracts attention and competition, it creates urgency.
But when something sits unsold much longer than comparable items, buyers may start wondering:
🚩 Is something wrong with it? Did the horse fail a vetting? Does the house have inspection issues?
🚩 Is the seller difficult or unwilling to negotiate?
🚩 Is it simply overpriced?
Or is there something else nobody is telling us? 👀
None of these assumptions necessarily reflects reality, but perception influences demand.
Sometimes the longer something sits, the less desirable it becomes simply because buyers perceive that nobody else wants it.
💸 3. Waiting for your ideal price can get EXPENSIVE.
Anyone is entitled to ask whatever they want for their horse, home, ranch, or any other asset.
But here’s where I like to reverse the problem.
How much is waiting actually costing you?
With horses, you have boarding, feed, farrier, veterinary expenses, training, and potential injuries.
With real estate, you have taxes, insurance, mortgage interest, utilities, maintenance, and unexpected repairs.
An AC goes out. A pipe bursts. A horse gets injured. 🥲
Let’s say comparable assets are selling for $50,000 within approximately 30 days.
But you want $60,000.
That’s a $10,000 premium above what the current market is supporting.
Now imagine it costs you an additional $1,000 per month to hold that asset while waiting for your ideal buyer.
After 10 months, you’ve spent $10,000 waiting for an additional $10,000.
And that’s assuming you eventually get your asking price!
So ask yourself:
🤔 How long can I afford to wait?
🤔 What are my holding costs and potential liabilities?
🤔 What are comparable assets ACTUALLY selling for?
🤔 What evidence do I have that someone will pay my desired price?
Because hoping a buyer exists and having evidence that a buyer exists are two very different things.
🦄 4. Unicorn buyers are REAL… but they’re not a pricing strategy.
I’ve personally been involved in hundreds and hundreds of horse transactions.
I’ve marketed aggressively, built networks, used social media, and worked through some terrible markets.
And despite all that exposure, I’ve encountered exactly ONE buyer willing to pay such an extraordinary premium for something purely because he emotionally connected with it.
Have I seen it happen to others?
Yes, but I could probably count those situations on one hand.
Most buyers, even wealthy buyers purchasing luxury goods, still want to feel they’re getting a fair deal.
And increasingly, they’re informed, educated, and working with industry professionals who can help represent their interests.
So if your entire strategy revolves around finding that one person willing to pay an outrageous premium, understand that you’re making a bet.
And based on my experience, the odds aren’t in your favor. 🎰🥲
If you can comfortably afford to wait for that unicorn, by all means, go for it!
But if you need to sell within a reasonable time frame, that’s an entirely different conversation.
⚖️ MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS:
💡 Asking price and market value are two different things. You can ask whatever you want, but the market isn’t obligated to agree with you.
💡 Overpricing can eliminate qualified buyers before they ever reach out. You can’t negotiate with someone who never starts a conversation.
💡 Time on the market matters. The longer something sits compared to similar offerings, the more uncertainty it can create.
💡 Holding costs and risks are REAL. Sometimes the extra money you’re hoping to make disappears while you’re waiting.
💡 Study what’s actually SELLING, not just what people are asking. Good data gives you leverage, confidence, and the ability to negotiate from an informed position.
💡 And finally… unicorn buyers exist. But betting your financial outcome on finding one is a gamble, not a strategy. 🦄
At the end of the day, you can price your horse, ranch, house, or anything else however you want.
But sometimes the most expensive decision you make is refusing to acknowledge what the market is telling you.
I’ve learned these lessons through years of selling, plenty of marketing, some heartbreak, a few expensive mistakes, and ONE very memorable unicorn. 🦄😂
Now I’m curious…
Have YOU ever encountered a unicorn buyer? Or have you ever held out for a higher price and later regretted it? 👀🐎🏡
