BidHalf
The Journal
Building a Comparables Set: What "a Good Deal" Actually Means
A single competing listing isn't a reference price — it's one data point. Here's how to build an actual comparables set from sold prices, handle outliers and disagreement, and use it to tell a real deal from a discounted-looking one.
The Winner's Curse: Why the Auction Winner Often Overpays
In any auction where bidders are each guessing at an uncertain value, the winner is disproportionately likely to be whoever guessed highest — not whoever guessed most accurately. A hypothetical walkthrough of why, and what actually protects you from it.
When to Walk Away: A Bidder's Pre-Commitment Checklist
Walking away from an auction isn't a failure — it's the entire point of setting a ceiling in the first place. A practical checklist for the exact moment you're deciding whether to hold your number or chase the price.