Why is it we stop asking why when we become adults?
Children ask why all the time. Why is the sky blue? Why do I have to eat my vegetables? Why do I have to go to school?
One reason we stop asking why is we think it makes us look ignorant.
Another reason may be that we don’t want to offend (or annoy) the other person, even when not asking why puts us at a disadvantage in, say, a negotiation.
Well, I have news for you folks, if you aren’t asking why in real estate, you’re losing money.
“Why is this home listed at this price?” is one of the most important questions in real estate.
One way of avoiding the fear of asking why (i.e., feeling ignorant or not wanting annoy) is to reference a baseline when asking why.
By definition, a baseline is a starting point used for comparisons. As such, you can blame, consciously or subconsciously, the baseline for asking why.
Let’s apply this to real estate.
X-ValueTM is a computer-generated estimate of the market value of any home in Singapore, including HDB flats, private apartments, and landed homes. It is widely-available to anyone for free on SRX.com.sg, STProperty.sg and various SPH digital publications. As such, X-Value is everywhere.
The purpose of X-Value is to provide a neutral, mathematical baseline in which market participants can start a pricing discussion or a negotiation. In other words, X-Value automatically triggers the question, “Why?” 
For example, say you are interested in buying a home. The first thing you should do is compare the X-Value with the listing pricing. If the latter is higher, the logical next question is simply, “Why is the listing price above X-Value?”
(If the listing price is below X-Value, the question is not only “Why” but “What is wrong with this home if it is selling at a discount?”)
There is no reason to feel embarrassed about asking why. There could be legitimate reasons the listing price is higher. For example, maybe the condition of the home or its Feng Shui warrant a higher pricing point. Or, maybe the agent included a buffer as part of a negotiation strategy. Or, maybe the agent and seller mispriced the home.
In using X-Value in your questioning, you inoculate yourself against accusations of ignorance or pestering. You can blame X-Value for causing you to ask why.
Furthermore, if X-Value is good enough for the professionals, there’s no reason you should be shy about asking why there is a difference in price. X-Value is a widely-accepted baseline for pricing and negotiating a home. Agents, valuers, property analysts, bankers, developers, policy analysts, and other property professionals use X-Value on a regular basis.
Valuers use X-Value to provide property consumers with an indicative valuation for planning purposes and to help them evaluate their financing options, including cash outlay.
Valuers use X-Value as a starting point for full assessments of residential properties.
Credit departments ask appraisers to explain why their valuation differs from that of the computerized X-Value. This process brings more information to the forefront and allows for better mortgage underwriting.
Property analysts use X-Value to track changes in market cap and assess different segments of the market. They also use X-Value to support research projects.
X-Value provides each of these market participants with a baseline with which to assess a home, a portfolio of homes, a segment of the market, or the market at large.
Whenever something in the market deviates from that of the X-Value the question is why. By asking why, they introduce their judgment and justification into the assessment.
Why is not a bad word in real estate. There’s serious money on the table so don’t feel embarrassed or ignorant by asking questions.