Selling a Home Fast: 10 Tips to Make it Happen

My husband and I recently went through the process of selling our home. It was the first time taking on this endeavor for both of us, and in the week or so before we went on the market we found ourselves plagued with a whole lot of stress and one big question: What if we can’t sell this house?

We had reason to be worried. We’re currently in the process of building a new home, and needed to sell so we could get moving into a rental while the build gets finished. If we didn’t sell, we’d be stuck with two homes, two mortgages, and too much responsibility. So we did everything we could think of to optimize our home for a fast sale. Four days after going on the market, we were under contract.

There is, of course, an element of luck to selling a home fast, but if you’re doing everything right on your end, it’s only a matter of time before the right buyer comes along. On the flip side, if you’re failing to take the necessary steps to optimize your home for a fast sale, you may be turning off potential buyers who might have made an offer if things were different.

To sell your home fast, you have to take an active role in the process. Don’t sit back and wait for the buyer who can see past potential flaws. Do your homework, make fixes, and go out of your way to show just how great your property is. Here are 10 tips to guide you through the process.

Choose your agent wisely

Go on the market at the right time

The housing market ebbs and flows throughout the year on a pretty set schedule. While it’s not impossible to sell a home in November or December, you’re much more likely to have success in the spring, when more buyers are out looking. If you’re trying to sell a home quickly, your best bet is to list no earlier than late February so that you can take advantage of the heavy activity.

Get professional pictures taken

Price it right

Declutter

Depersonalize

Stage your home

Be accommodating

Set yourself apart

Ask for feedback

The average home sells between 65-70 days, but it is absolutely possible to sell faster than that if you take the time to optimize each aspect of the process. While you can’t make a buyer materialize out of thin air, you can do everything in your power to make sure that when the right buyer does come along, they know immediately that they’ve found their perfect fit.