6 Tips to sell your home faster

A female agent is advertising a house for sale.

There are many instances in which homeowners may need to sell their home as soon as possible, such as relocating to start a new job, ending a relationship, or simply needing to sell the current property to complete the transaction on a new home purchase.

Whatever the reason, if you need to sell a house fast, consider these eight tips:

1. Choose an experienced agent

You can’t afford to take a chance on an inexperienced housing professional when time is of the essence. Instead, you should engage with a real estate agent that is familiar with your market and has previously assisted sellers in your situation before.

Start by browsing local “for sale” postings and saving the ones that stand out for having amazing images and interesting descriptions. One of the agents behind these types of postings may be a smart choice because they will be serious about selling your home quickly. Referrals are extremely valuable in the real estate industry, so ask relatives and friends, as well as your social media contacts, if they have dealt with a decent agent in your area.

Look for an agent who has worked in your area for several years and has sold a large number of homes. They are likely to have connections that can assist you in finding the perfect buyer. When you start reaching out to prospective agents, tell them what your ideal closing timetable is to see how they may help you fulfill it.

2. Set a Competitive Price

Research previous sales of properties similar to yours in the same neighborhood using online real estate websites. Then, calculate the price per square foot for these comparable sales. To do this, simply divide the price by the number of square feet. Take this number and apply it to your home’s square footage to get a reasonable starting price.

Keep in mind that you may wish to increase this number if your home is objectively more attractive (for example, if it is fully renovated) or decrease it if it is less desired (for example, if the roof needs to be replaced).

You might want to consider underpricing your home when you list it as your home will show up in more searches. Buyers often set a maximum price when they are searching online listings. You don’t want to miss out on potential buyers because your listing price is $505,000 instead of $499,000. Buyers could also be willing to stretch their budgets a bit if they find a home they love.

3. Clean and Declutter Your Home

Cleaning and decluttering your home before listing it may seem obvious. However, if you look through your local real estate listings, you are bound to come across a few properties in chaos. Buyers may find this unpleasant since they will have a difficult time visualizing themselves moving in if clutter and waste are around.

If you don’t have the time or physical ability to take care of this on your own, hire someone to clean and declutter for you. If your budget is tight, consider asking friends or family for help.

4. Stage Your Home

A nicely decorated living room is an important element in house staging.

If you have seen the Netflix series Selling Sunset, you’ll know that skilled home staging may make it even easier for buyers to imagine themselves in your home.

Stagers can work with what you have or supply hired furniture and decor depending on your budget and relocation timeframe. While it is feasible to stage a property yourself, specialists will have experience with layout and design, as well as the tactics that can entice buyers—so it may be worth considering if you need to sell your home quickly.

5. Take Professional Listing Photos

Many buyers first see homes online, so providing excellent photos is key. Here are some factors that make for top-notch real estate listing photos:

• Cleaning, decluttering and staging beforehand
• Early morning or early evening light (also known as the golden hour)
• Framing and cropping every shot
• Avoiding obvious photo filters (these tend to look fake and might make it look like you are hiding something)
• Wide-angle shots (but not so wide that they are distorted or misleading)
• More than one perspective of each room
• Logical order, starting with an attractive exterior shot

6. Choose a Financially Qualified Buyer or sell to someone you know

 If a buyer must obtain a mortgage in order to purchase your house, the procedure could take over two months. A cash buyer, on the other hand, may be able to close in a matter of days. However, because most buyers must finance their properties, waiting for a cash buyer may limit your alternatives and result in a lower selling price.

Another possibility is to sell to someone you know, such as a friend or family member, to avoid paying an agent’s commission. Keep in mind, though, that selling to someone you know may cause friction in your relationship if things don’t go as planned.