How to Sell A House Fast

Selling your house quickly means choosing the best home-selling option for you and highlighting the best features of your home.

While most homeowners prefer to sell their home fast, there are times, such as a new job or a death in the family, when it becomes a must. In these cases, it’s important to know the challenges involved, such as avoiding prospective buyers looking to take advantage and timing your listing to earn top dollar. The following guide can help you best weigh your options, whether you’re listing on your own, using an agent, or seeking out a quick cash offer.

Steps to selling your house quickly

Decide how you want to sell

The first step in selling your home fast is choosing one of three options: for sale by owner (FSBO), hiring a traditional real estate agent (and paying real estate commission), or selling to an off-market buyer for cash—which can mean finding an investor or developer on your own, or selling via a marketplace like Sundae. The benefits and challenges of these options are detailed further below.

Declutter your house to look its best

According to the National Association of Realtors®, showing potential home buyers an orderly home can up the sale price and draw attention away from property faults, helping you sell faster. Pay attention to grout, dust, and pet stains. You could also refinish floors or apply a fresh coat of paint – just be sure to factor in cost.

Add home value with small, quick repairs

Big home renovations can be time-consuming and costly, but small issues like broken fixtures and squeaky doors can be fixed with a quick hardware store trip, adding to the value of your home. Make these upgrades to any areas buyers might explore during walkthroughs.

Increase interest with curb appeal

The front of your home is usually the first image a potential buyer sees, so make it worthy. Do simple landscaping and reduce clutter to brighten your yard and catch the eye of scrupulous searchers. How you present your home to buyers reflects how much you love it – and how much they could.

Stage your home to show its potential

Potential buyers who can visualize their future in your home may be more likely to act on impulse. According to home staging professionals, the average staged home in today’s market sell 5-11 times faster than the average unstaged home. You’ll want your home look to be immaculate, but also lived in – set the dining table, open your (organized) closets and decorate empty tables with plants or a vase of fresh cut flowers.

Get the pictures – or hire a pro

Smartphones can make it easy to shoot attractive listing photos of your well-prepared home. But working with a flash or sunlight can be tricky, so turn on the lights and choose an overcast day to shoot clean, uncluttered rooms that highlight your home’s best features. If you need help, you can hire a professional photographer or ask your agent for a referral.

Post your home listing

When you sell your home through a listing agent, it will post to the MLS (multiple listing service), which ensures it will appear on sites like Zillow and Realtor.com. If you sell your home yourself, you’ll also have to list it, which takes time. The first rule is to research your local real estate market so you don’t overprice your home.

Show your home like a pro

When showing your home, you’ll either have the help of an agent or you’ll be hosting showings yourself. Professionalism and flexibility go a long way in maintaining a potential buyer’s interest. Keep a sign-in sheet of your visitors or the buyer’s agent at open houses to help boost the home selling process.

When to sell your house fast for cash

Sometimes your situation calls for you to sell your house fast for cash. If you don’t have time to spend on all the preparation steps listed above, selling your house off-market, as-is, as you can with the Sundae marketplace, can be your best bet. Knowing when to do this can save you money in the long run. Below are a few scenarios for a quick sale:

Scenario	How to sell	What to know
Your home is in good condition and a good location	Traditional real estate agent; FSBO; off-market cash buyer; Sundae	This is the easiest sale scenario and you won’t have to invest time in repairs; but a traditional agent’s process still takes time. So consider if a higher selling price is worth a longer wait. Sundae can get you good offers within about 10 days
You have an older home with a good location that needs work	FSBO or off-market cash buyer; Sundae	A traditional agent will want your house in turnkey condition, but older homes in a good location appeal to those looking to renovate for profit
Your home needs work and is not in a good location	Off-market cash buyer; Sundae	An investor might see potential you don’t
Your home is facing foreclosure	Off-market cash buyer; Sundae	Investors looking for distressed properties can get you cash quickly
Home needs work but has rental potential	Off-market cash buyer; Sundae	Homes near universities or large shopping centers are very attractive to investors willing to do the work

Options to sell your home quickly

• Hire a traditional real estate agent – The housing market tools of a traditional agent can be an asset when you want to sell fast, but paying the 5-6% commission can be a downside, and the traditional marketplace doesn’t always attract buyers with cash on hand for a quick sale.
• For Sale By Owner – Known as FSBO, this option gives you control, but it takes more effort to prep, list, and show the home yourself. You’ll be responsible for ensuring a pleasant closing experience for you and the buyer.
• On your own with off-market cash buyers – If you prefer to sell for cash, there are ways to do so off the local market. You could put your house up for auction, which can drive competition, but you could get less than market value. In a good location, a developer might seek out your property for cash. Other investors looking to buy as-is can pay cash and close the deal quickly, but you have to take care to avoid predatory buyers who will take advantage of you.
• Sell fast on the Sundae marketplace – If you’re looking to sell your home fast without the hassle or risk of other options, you can sell it as-is for cash in as little as 10 days through Sundae. Although as-is sales tend to go for a lower selling price than those on the traditional market, selling with Sundae means getting multiple cash offers to compare so you can get the best one. Sundae also takes care of all the pre-listing steps, and provides flexibility on your closing date, and even offers up to $10,000 in advance if you qualify and need cash fast.

Give your home sale a boost with these quick tips

• Research and price your house right. If your asking price is over the maximum listing price a buyer might set, they might not see it.
• Reduce the clothing in your closets to better highlight storage space.
• Depersonalize your home so visitors can imagine themselves in the space.
• Add natural light or lamps to any room that is too dark.
• Paint with neutral colors that are more inviting to visitors.
• Clean up the yard and outdoor space.
• Look for a professional photographer with drone or 3D experience to modernize your listing.
• Write a concise, compelling description for your home listing.