Apologies to Bob Bruss but here’s another example of why I prefer round number pricing for real estate.

Michael Gallagher, a financial-services executive, initially listed his four-bedroom house in Shawnee, Kan., at $274,500. When the listing expired, Gallagher’s new broker suggested that he boost the price to $275,000. Within weeks, the home sold for $271,000, $36,000 more than the best previous offer.

The explanation? Buyers who use the Internet typically search in increments of $5,000 or $25,000, says Kerwin Holloway, a managing broker with Reece & Nichols, a unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which handled the sale. At the higher price, Gallagher’s home was likely to turn up in more searches. It also looked like a bargain to someone whose search started at $275,000. At the lower price, it was one of the most expensive homes priced between $250,000 and $275,000. Until recently, brokers had taken their cues from retailers, pricing a home at $199,500 because it seemed like a better deal than one priced at $200,000.