If you’re ready to sell your home, you may have reason to want to sell it fast. Whether you're relocating for a new job that starts soon or have a pending offer on a new place, it's important to drum up interest in your house especially if you're looking to close quickly. The more potential buyers you can attract, the better your chances of selling fast—and at a good price.
Sometimes selling home the traditional way through a real estate agent might not work for your situation. A home’s condition can also be a big factor in why you need to sell a house quickly. Houses require constant maintenance and can become an enormous burden. Listing and selling a fixer-upper can prove difficult unless you have enough cash for repairs.
Maybe when it comes down to it, you’re not interested in repeated showings or haggling with buyers who expect HGTV move-in-ready homes. Maybe you are just embarrassed to show your house to lots of strangers.
In this handy, easy guide, we’ll share your best options when you need to sell a house fast.
Sell my house fast option 1: Get a cash offer
If you find yourself saying: “I want to sell my house asap,” one of the fastest ways to close the sale and move on is to request a cash offer.
You could contact multiple companies or the first We Buy Houses website you come across, but there’s a much better way to sell your Harford County, MD and surrounds house for cash — and that is through our simple form.
Simply answer a few questions about your home, and you can receive a no-obligation all-cash offer within a few days.
Key benefits:
• Speed
• No repairs, no commissions, no fees
• All cash
• Simplicity
• No-obligation offer
• Typically the best way to sell your house
How well does it work?
While selling a home to a cash buyer will likely not bring in top dollar, it will give you top speed, convenience, and simplicity, which may be the solution set you need.
Sell my house fast option 2: Hire a top agent known for speed
When you need to sell a house fast but also want a higher offer price, selling with a top real estate agent is typically a better choice. However, homes are currently spending an average of 54 days on the market (DOM) — the time between when a house is listed and when it goes under contract with a buyer. But if you’re working with a financed buyer, you also must factor in the time the buyer needs to close their purchase loan, which is around 43 more days.
Key benefits:
• More money for your home
• Top agents sell homes faster than average agents
• No cost unless your home sells
• Experience in your area
• Expert pricing and negotiating
Sell-fast options to avoid: Short sale, FSBO, and auction
Certain routes to selling your home may sound like a shortcut but aren’t what they seem. Some options to avoid include short sale, FSBO, and selling at auction.
Short sale: The “short” in “short sale” refers to money, not time. Selling short means that your lender has agreed to allow you to sell your home for less than you owe on it. As a general rule, short sales take a lot longer to finalize than a regular home sale.
FSBO: Selling FSBO (for sale by owner) is not a common option. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), only 10% of sellers take this route. Of those, 50% already knew the buyer. So unless you have a buyer already lined up, such as a friend or family member, don’t count on a fast FSBO home sale.
Auctions: An auction can be a fast option if you have the right combination of market, seller, and property. But auctions are unpredictable and risky when it comes to speed and proceeds. You might sell your house in 21 days, or it might take 45 days or longer. You have limited control of the final sales price, and auction costs can exceed traditional agent commissions. And you’ll still need to pay the auction fees even if your home doesn’t sell.
Why you might need to sell a house fast
Debt: You’re facing a financial deadline or foreclosure
Divorce: You’d prefer to sell the house quickly, split assets, and move on
Medical issue: You’re helping someone make new living arrangements
Inherited home: You need to settle an out-of-area inheritance
Job loss: You’re moving or downsizing after a loss of employment
Relocation: You’re taking a job in a new place
Bad tenants: You’re a property owner who wants to sell now
Damage: Your home has costly foundation, fire, or water damage
Tax liens: You’re facing unpaid property taxes or income taxes
Bad location: You’re unhappy about imminent changes nearby
What are the benefits of selling for cash?
While you will typically get less than market value, selling your home to a cash buyer may be an attractive option. Here are some of the top benefits of selling your Harord County, MD nd surrounding areas house to a cash buyer:
Fast closing: When you sell a house for cash, you can get money for your home much faster, usually in a week or two compared to several months with a non-cash buyer.
No repairs: Save the time, cost, and headaches of making repairs or improvements when you sell to a cash buyer, many of whom are looking for “fixer-upper” houses.
Simple and convenient: No prep. Fewer steps. Less paperwork. Selling to a cash buyer usually means selling your home as-is.
No marketing, staging, or showings: You won’t need a public for-sale sign, flyers, or schedule time for shoppers to walk through your house. Homes sold with traditional methods commonly require 10-25 showings before being sold.
Fewer fees: Not only will sellers be able to skip the agent’s commission, but many cash buyers also pay closing costs.
No lender-ordered appraisal: Selling for cash eliminates the lender-ordered appraisal and the delays or deal-killing risks that come when a home appraisal comes in low.
Less stress/less hassle: According to research by 1000Watt Inside, 70% of sellers consider the traditional sale process stressful. A cash sale is typically straightforward and fast.
No negotiations: Cash buyers typically make a take-it-or-leave-it offer, so there’s no negotiating or uncomfortable
Fewer financial, legal, or lender barriers: Because there is no lender involved, a cash sale doesn’t require financing approval or an appraisal. In a traditional home sale, buyer financing issues cause over a third of closing delays and can cause a deal to collapse.
Smaller holding costs: So long as you own a house, you’re responsible for its holding costs (also known as carrying costs), which include utilities, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and other fees that add up each month.
Fewer sales fall through (less risk): Many traditional buyers add contingencies to their offers, which increase the risk of a delayed or canceled settlement. Conversely, cash buyers rarely impose a financing, appraisal, or home sale contingency.
Can be a solution to life challenges: If you’re facing a divorce, foreclosure, imminent job loss or transfer, or perhaps you inherited a home out of state, you may benefit from a quick sale. Whatever your situation, an all-cash sale offers speed and less work.
Flexibility: Sellers who work with a house-buying company often select a move-out date that works best for them.
Peace of mind: You can have the peace of mind and financial certainty that comes with a cash sale, especially for homeowners juggling life challenges.
How does selling for cash work?
When you sell your house for cash, you can expect the process to go something like this:
Make contact: You reach out to a house-buying company or investor who serves your area and provide them with information about your home.
Receive a preliminary offer: In as little as 24-48 hours, you will receive a preliminary offer that may be subject to change after a house assessment.
Have your home assessed: The company schedules a walkthrough or exterior inspection of your house to evaluate its condition, usually within a few days’ time.
Get a firm offer: The company makes a firm offer, which you can accept or decline. Most of these companies will not alter their price, so negotiations are off the table.
Closing begins: If you accept the offer, you and the company will each sign the contract, and closing will begin.
Title clearance: The buyer will wait to ensure your home is able to convey a clear title before paying. If liens are discovered, some companies will assist you through the next steps.
Payment is disbursed: You receive payment, typically within seven days to 14 days. In addition, many companies that buy houses for cash provide flexible move-out dates.
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