Want to Sell Your House Fast? Here's How the Experts Do It

Sell to cash buyer | Sell to iBuyer | Sell with an agent | Expert tips

Whether you're relocating, have inherited a property, or are dealing with job loss or foreclosure, selling your home quickly might be a priority. A long process isn’t ideal when time is of the essence. But it's still important to weigh your options carefully to avoid leaving money on the table.

Selling to a cash buyer or iBuyer is a viable option. Yet for most homeowners with a bit more time, listing their home on the MLS can attract motivated buyers while still helping them get a higher sale price than a typical cash offer.

Something to keep in mind is that selling quickly doesn't have to be an either/or scenario. Get offers from a few cash home buying companies. Once they get eyes on the house, they can usually make you an offer on the spot, and there's no obligation to accept. Then you can list with a realtor a 30-day period, telling them that the net from sale has to beat the best offer you have in hand.

If you're undecided about which route to take, we recommend starting with Clever Offers, which lets you quickly compare offers from a variety of sources, ranging from local investors to nationwide iBuyers. You can also test the waters with a no-obligation MLS listing — allowing you to see what a wider range of buyers would pay for your house as is, without the commitment of a lengthy listing agreement. Answer five simple questions and start comparing offers.

How to sell your house fast

Sell your house to a cash buyer

While selling your house the traditional way can easily take 60 days or more, cash home buying companies like We Buy houses and Clever Offers can help you close in as little as 1–2 weeks. They'll also purchase homes that other buyers won't, including homes with title issues or those in need of major repairs.

In addition to speed, cash home buyers offer other benefits such as:

• Giving you the flexibility to choose your own closing date
• Buy your house as is — meaning no repairs, staging, showings, or appraisals
• Eliminating realtor fees and closing costs
• Taking care of cleanup and letting you leave unwanted things behind

However, selling your house for cash comes with considerable drawbacks. In many cases:

• You'll only get 65–75% of your home's potential market value after repairs.
• You won't have any representation during negotiations, leaving you open to a bad deal.

Whether a cash buyer makes sense for you will often depend on your urgency to sell and your level of attachment to the property. If you want to offload a problem property as quickly and easily as possible, and don't mind leaving some money on the table to do it, a cash buyer is probably worth looking into. Just make sure to get multiple offers to avoid being taken advantage of.

Sell your house fast to an iBuyer

iBuyers like Opendoor are real estate companies that purchase homes for cash, helping homeowners sell quickly without listing on the open market or making any repairs. Some iBuyers also offer buy-before-you-sell options, giving you cash upfront with the option to list for additional upside once you move. With either option, you can typically move on your timeline with very little hassle.

While iBuyers offer speed and convenience for those looking to bypass a traditional home sale process, selling to one has its drawbacks:

• iBuyers typically make below-market offers to resell homes for a profit
• These companies also charge service fees, typically 5% or more of the sale price 
• iBuyers also deduct the costs of any improvements needed to get your house 'market-ready'

While iBuyers pay more than your typical house flipper, they still tend to offer 5–15% less than market value. However, if your home has appreciated significantly since you bought it, and you want to sell with as little hassle as possible, the simplicity of the process may be worth the financial tradeoff.

Sell your house fast with an agent

Listing your home with a realtor on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is usually the best way to maximize your sale price, even if you need to sell fast. As of December 2025, sellers are commanding 98.6% of their list price when they sell. And while the average time to sell is currently about 63days across the United States, an experienced realtor can sell your home much faster.

Depending on your goals, a realtor can also market your home as is — signaling to buyers that you don't want to make any repairs. This strategy can attract a variety of buyers, ranging from local investors looking for a rental to traditional buyers looking to add their own touches.

While realtor commissions have historically been around 5–6%, plenty of top-rated realtors can help you sell for significantly less. Opting for a lower commission brokerage can save you thousands on your selling costs without having to sacrifice your equity or compromise on your selling timeline. 

8 expert tips for selling your house fast on the market

Whether you’re facing a tight timeline or just want to simplify the process, the right strategies can help you attract serious cash buyers and close quickly.

Follow these tips if you list on the open market and aim to attract cash buyers.

1. Help buyers see your home's potential

“Declutter like your in-laws are visiting and deep clean like your life depends on it. First impressions are everything, and buyers need to walk in and feel like it’s already home. A little paint, fresh flowers, and great lighting go a long way!” says Heather Herr, the founder and CEO of Private Real Estate Collection.

Many real estate experts agree with her advice. Adding a fresh coat of paint and decluttering are two of the most common advice we received when asking industry experts “how to sell my house fast.”

Here are some pointers on what to focus on when preparing your house for sale:

• Make necessary repairs, like fixing plumbing or roof leaks
• Enhance its curb appeal: trim your lawn, plant fresh flowers, paint the front door, and update exterior lighting
• Deep clean your home, including windows, carpets, and ceiling fans
• Declutter as much as you can to create a more spacious, inviting home
• Remove photographs and personal items

2. Invest in staging

When you want to sell your home fast, it may feel counterintuitive to invest additional time (and money) in staging. But plenty of seasoned real estate experts swear by it as one of the top strategies for a quick sale.

“...We’ve seen for ourselves two very similar homes — one staged and the other not prepared for sale as well, and the staged one always sells more quickly at a better price,” shares Sean Woolley, the founder and director of leading real estate agency Cloud Nine Spain.

“How you live in a home and how you stage a home to market it are two different things,” adds Jo Ann Bauer, an associate broker and realtor.

To make the most impact, aim to make your home seem as neutral as possible so buyers can easily imagine their life in it.

3. Take professional photos

As with staging, professional photos can be an investment that pays dividends when selling your house quickly. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 66% of buyers rank photos as the most important feature when searching for properties.

“Many buyers start their property purchase journey online, and good photography makes your property stand head and shoulders ahead of the rest. Investing in professional photography is probably the single most important thing you can do to sell your home,” notes Woolley.

Many of his peers agree and share from their experience that well-lit professional photos of a clean, decluttered home will help sell a property faster.

4. Set the right price

Even if you want to sell your home fast, it doesn’t mean you have to lower the price significantly to find the first interested buyer. In fact, experts have many tricks under their belts to ensure a home sells quickly without sacrificing a homeowner’s return.

Jo Ann Bauer shared her approach to creating interest among buyers, saying that “pricing your home just under market value can generate multiple offers and a potential bidding war – not only promoting a quick sale, but possibly a more lucrative one as well.”

Getting the number right is another tricky piece of the process that comes with expertise and market knowledge.

“A buyer looks in increments of $25,000 until they reach $400,000. Once past $400,000, it’s more like $50,000 increments. Therefore, a home with a probable price of $460,000 needs to be priced at $449,000 because no one stops their search at $460,000,“ says Jeff Lichtenstein, a broker and owner of Echo Fine Properties.

“I'd say half the homes on the market are priced improperly and thus not found by the buyer’s agent or the end buyer on the web.”

A local agent can be invaluable in helping you set the right price. Connect with an experienced agent today through Clever for a professional comparative market analysis, which can guide your pricing and help maximize your return. Fill out this short quiz to get started.

5. Be flexible

Flexibility can pay off when trying to sell a home fast, especially if you can be more accommodating when scheduling open houses and are open to price negotiations.

“Each showing presents an opportunity to attract potential buyers. Instead of declining a request for a showing at an inconvenient time, it's better to suggest alternative times that work for you,” recommends David Schulz, a broker and owner of Schulz Realty.

6. Offer perks for buyers

Flexibility also means being ready to sweeten the deal for buyers during your negotiations. In some cases, this cherry on top, combined with your thoughtfulness, will convince a buyer to close on your home.

For example, you can offer to cover the costs of small issues found during the home inspection, closing costs, or even an interest rate buydown. Add that to incentives such as a quick-close bonus or cash offer discount, and you’ll likely find more interested qualified buyers.

7. Highlight your home’s unique qualities

Remember what attracted you to your home when you first saw it? Maybe it’s the renovations or upgrades that you use and enjoy every day. Selling is the best time to draw attention to these unique features.

“Sellers should share the reasons why they were attracted to the property, as well as the benefits that a buyer can enjoy. Today, buyers are particularly interested in homes that offer specific orientations, appealing views, energy-efficient appliances, and smart home technology,” says Schulz.

8. Work with an experienced agent

A qualified agent knows many tips and tricks for selling a house quickly, which is helpful when you’re in a rush to sell. Alexandra Gupta, a broker from the Corcoran Group, used many of the best practices we discussed earlier to achieve success for her client.

“The house was on the market for several months without much interest," says Gupta. "The owners were relocating and needed to sell fast, so I knew we had to make some strategic changes."

Gupta recommended that the seller adjust the price slightly below similar homes in the area to generate interest and create a sense of urgency. She also arranged professional staging and photos to showcase the house online.

“Within just a few days, we had multiple offers, and after a few rounds of negotiations, the house was sold for a price that exceeded the owners' expectations," she says.

The bottom line

The fastest way to sell your house with no additional effort would be by selling to a cash buyer or iBuyer. However, convenience and speed come with a price. Using this approach, sellers typically get only 60-80% of their home’s fair market value.

If you need to sell a home quickly but want the best deal and don’t mind a bit of work, working with a low-commission realtor and selling on the open market might be an excellent option. You'll save costs while getting expert support and the best price for your house.