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Edited by Bailey Peterson
Written by Michelle Delgado
Edited by Bailey Peterson
Tips for Selling Fast | Comparing Options for Selling Fast | Cash Buyers | iBuyers | Listing With an Agent | FAQs
If you need to sell your house fast, don’t assume listing on the open market with a real estate agent will be too slow.
With inventory at an all-time low, and buyer demand at an all-time high, it’s a fast-moving market.
In 2020, the average time to get an offer on the open market was just 25 days—a five-day decrease from the previous year. In current hot markets, many homes get multiple offers within days, sometimes even hours.
When you sell to a buyer who needs financing, however, closing takes another 30-45 days. But in this market, many buyers are paying all cash or making large down payments, which can shrink that typical closing period.
To evaluate your local market, talk to a local agent. Our friends at Clever can connect you with a top real estate agent in your area who can help you understand exactly how much your home is worth and how long it might take to sell on the open market. Get in touch for a free competitive market analysis!
If you’re in a difficult situation and need to close on your home quickly, your next best options are:
- Cash buyer companies
- iBuyers
Still, cash buyers and iBuyers come with trade offs. Although they deliver on speed and certainty, unfortunately neither are likely to net you as much money as a traditional sale.
Key Takeaways
- Is selling fast a necessity or a preference? Your answer will help you decide whether alternatives to listing on the open market are too costly.
- Cash buyers and iBuyers typically pay less than fair market value for houses (sometimes as little as 50%), but they can make instant offers and close in as little as seven days.
- A quick sale isn’t guaranteed if you work with a real estate agent to list your home, but an agent can market your home aggressively and generate interest from multiple buyers to get you the best possible deal.
Tips for Selling a House Fast
The internet promises tips and hacks to sell your home fast on the open market. But the truth is, no one-size-fits-all approach works every time.
Because local conditions drive real estate markets, we recommend consulting a professional in your area.
That said, a few best practices hold true across a variety of markets:
- Price your home competitively. A high asking price can deter buyers from making an offer on your home. Whether you’re selling for sale by owner (FSBO) or working with an agent, your asking price should reflect your home’s actual market value. Establish a fair price by researching comparable, nearby houses that have sold in the past three to six months. Don’t forget to factor your home’s condition into your price, too.
- Focus on necessary repairs. If you have any money to spend on repairs, focus on the most essential ones. For example, a leaking roof might scare a prospective buyer away! If you plan to make cosmetic updates, focus on things like changing bold paint colors to fresh, neutral hues that make your space feel more open.
- Get expert advice. If you want to go beyond generic tips to find the best solutions for your home, nothing beats speaking to a real estate agent. An agent can provide in-depth knowledge of your local market conditions, and they’ll know what buyers are looking for.
Cash Buyers vs. iBuyers vs. Real Estate Agents
| Criteria | Cash Buyer Companies | iBuyers | Top Agents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average time to offer | 3-7 days | 1-2 days | 25 days |
| Average closing time | 1-4 weeks | Flexible, as little as 1.5 weeks | 4-7 weeks |
| % of market value paid | 50-70% | 98-99% | 100%+ |
| Fees | None | 5-10% | 4-6% commission |
| Help negotiating | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Connections to real estate investors | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Free comparative market analysis | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Instant offer | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Selling to a Cash Buyer
Unlike a typical buyer who needs financing to purchase your home, a cash buyer can afford to purchase your home for cash. This can expedite the transaction, since a cash buyer won’t have to jump through underwriting and a lender’s many required hoops.
Cash buyers generally fall into two categories:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| "We buy houses" companies | Companies (rather than individuals) that pay cash for houses |
| Real estate investors | Landlords and house flippers who purchase properties as investments |
Cash buyers may also include retail buyers who have the reserves to make all-cash offers, and buyers who work with a company that offers an upfront underwriting and a cash-backed offer program. In any case, cash buyers can usually make an on-the-spot offer and close as quickly as you’d like.
Of course, there’s a major catch with the main cash buyers. They almost always pay significantly less than your home’s fair market value — sometimes as little as 50%, rarely more than 70%. After all, it’s an investment, so they’ll want to buy low and sell high.
Top Cash Buyer Companies
National Coverage
- Offer in 24–48 hours
- Close in 3 weeks
- No closing costs
We Buy Ugly Houses is a national brand that’s been in the business for over 20 years, so the business’s reputation and processes for buying homes are well established. However, because We Buy Ugly Houses operates on a franchise model, the quality of the service that you receive could vary depending on your location.
Home sellers who choose to sell to We Buy Ugly Houses can expect to get far less than fair market value for their property, but the company can close in as little as three weeks.
Pros
- You get an offer in 24–48 hours.
- You can close in as little as three weeks.
- There’s no need to prep the home for listing or worry about repairs.
Cons
- The company pays less than what sellers could net on the open market.
- The quality of service varies between franchises.
We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 franchises across 47 states.
Fastest closing
- Offer in 24–48 hours
- Close in 7 days
- No closing costs
We Buy Houses has numerous positive reviews from customers, and the brand carefully vets real estate investors who want to obtain a license. It’s also able to close in just seven days, which is faster than most cash buyer companies.
Although We Buy Houses investors won’t pay what you’d get on the open market, working with one is more likely to be successful than if you were to try and find a local real estate investor on your own.
Pros
- You get an offer in 24–48 hours.
- The company carefully vets real estate investors.
- You can close in just seven days.
Cons
- There’s little to no room for negotiation after the initial offer.
- Investors have some freedom to price homes as they see fit, so offers may be better in some regions than others.
- The company pays less than fair market value for homes.
We Buy Houses has over 2,700 offices across 50 states, plus Washington, DC.
Flexible closing
- Fast closing times
- Limited regional availability
- Free moving service
MarketPro might be an option for home sellers who need to sell fast and don’t mind leaving some money on the table, but they only operate in a handful of states. Furthermore, the way that MarketPro calculates their offer is inherently misleading, as they claim they just deduct 10% from the price you’d get on the open market in order to save you time and help you avoid selling costs. In reality, they deduct 10% from what they estimate your net profit would be, which makes their service seem like a better deal than it actually is.
Pros
- Free moving service
- No need to make repairs before selling
- Close in as little as seven days
Cons
- Only available in a handful of states
- They pay 10% less than what they estimate you’d net after all of your costs selling on the open market
MarketPro HomeBuyers operates in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Cash buyer network
- No guaranteed offer
- National network of investors
I Buy Houses sells leads from home sellers to a network of real estate agents and real estate investors. When you submit your information on the website, there’s no guarantee that you’ll receive an offer or that you’ll even be contacted, which could be a problem if you need to sell fast. Furthermore, I Buy Houses does not have any criteria for investors who want to join their network, so home sellers who are contacted by an investor through the site should do their own due diligence.
Pros
- Gives home sellers an opportunity to connect with local real estate investors
Cons
- I Buy Houses does not vet investors. Anyone can pay the subscription fee and sign up.
- The company has no standards to govern how transactions are conducted.
- There’s no guarantee that you’ll be contacted, or that you’ll receive an offer.
IBuyHouses.com has over 6,000 subscribers across all 50 states.
Cash buyer network
- No guaranteed offer
- National network of investors
Unlike other companies that buy houses for cash, Expert Home Offers is really just a lead generation platform for real estate agents and investors. This means that the company has zero control over your end-to-end experience as a home seller, and you’ll only get an offer if one of the investors in the Expert Home Offers network happens to be interested in your home.
Pros
- Gives home sellers an opportunity to connect with cash buyers
Cons
- Real estate investor’s in the network don’t have to meet any qualification criteria
- There’s no guarantee that you’ll get an offer or be connected with a cash buyer
Expert Home Offers has subscribers in every state.
Selling to an iBuyer
iBuyers are large, venture-backed companies that make cash offers on homes — and tend to pay closer to fair market value than cash buyers.
Selling to an iBuyer is simple. After submitting basic information about your home’s age, size, and features online, an iBuyer provides an initial, no-obligation cash offer within 24-48 hours.
If you like the offer, you can schedule an in-person inspection to receive a final, adjusted cash offer that accounts for any repairs the iBuyer will have to make before reselling the home. Most iBuyers can close a sale in as little as two weeks.
However, iBuyers charge service fees, which could result in you walking away with less than if you sold with an agent on the open market — even after paying a full commission fee.
Top iBuyers
Best tech
- 5% service fee
- Available in 50+ cities
- Choose your close date
In comparison to other iBuyers, Opendoor offers the best value because the fees are capped at 5% and it pays close to fair market value for homes. Sellers should be aware that Opendoor deducts repair costs from their final offer, and the company no longer allows home sellers to handle repairs on their own.
Pros
- You get a free, no-obligation offer.
- You can choose when you close.
- With late checkout, you can stay in your home up to 17 days after closing.
- Opendoor is available in 50+ markets and continuing to expand.
Cons
- You have no control over repair costs.
- There’s strict criteria for purchasing homes (e.g., no structural damage, no homes pre-1930).
Opendoor is currently available in 47 major markets in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IN, MN, MO, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, DC.
Customer reviews of Opendoor are mostly positive, with an average rating of
4.3 across 3,322 reviews.
No longer available
- Service fees can be as high as 9%
- Close in just 7 days
- Up to 90 day closing window
Zillow Offers has been permanently shut down as of November 2, 2021.
Pros
- Flexible closing window (7-90 days)
- Cash offer in just two days
- Dedicated Zillow Offers advisor for every customer
Cons
- High fees — up to 13% of the total sale price
- Strict home eligibility criteria
- Little to no opportunity to negotiate on price
Zillow Offers is available to home sellers in 25 metro areas across 12 states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, MN, NV, NC, OH, OR, TN, and TX.
Fast closing
- 6% service fee
- Close in just 8 days
- Great customer service
Offerpad can provide home sellers with a fast cash offer and quick closing (as little as eight days). We noticed that most recent Offerpad reviews are positive, with home sellers noting that Offerpad reps were friendly and helpful throughout the selling process.
Pros
- You can close in just eight days.
- There’s no need to repair or prep the home.
- Home sellers have an extended stay option.
Cons
- Some customers report high repair costs that reduced their final offer.
- Free local moves are available only within a 50-mile radius.
Offerpad is available in 25 metro areas across AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, KS, MO, NV, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX.
Customer reviews of Offerpad are mostly positive, with an average rate of 3.9 across 524 reviews.
Trade In
- 6% service fee
- Backup offer from Orchard
- Full listing service
Orchard makes it easier to finance the purchase of a new home before you sell your old one, but they’ll only purchase their home directly from you if it doesn’t sell on the open market after 30 days. If you want the freedom to choose your own agent, another trade-in service may be a better option.
Pros
- Leverage the equity in your current home to buy a new home
- Avoid paying two mortgages at once
- Sell directly to Orchard if you can’t sell on the open market
Cons
- Have to work with Orchard’s agents
- Only available in 11 metros
- High fees — 6% service fee plus closing costs and repayment or old mortgage
Orchard is currently available to home buyers and sellers in 11 metro areas across 7 states: CO, GA, MD, NC, OR, TX, VA.
As-is iBuyer
- Fees from 5-13%
- Close in 10 days
- Buys vacant or owner-occupied houses
Redfin Now can provide home sellers in select markets with a fast, predictable sale. Unlike most iBuyers, RedfinNow even buys vacant homes, which could be good news for sellers in difficult situations. However, the high service fees and additional closing costs could be expensive.
Pros
- Purchases homes as is, with broder eligibilty criteria than most iBuyers
- Flexible closing window of 10-90 days
Cons
- Fees can be as high as 13%
- No home trade-in incentive
- No late checkout option
RedfinNow is available in metro areas across .
Because Redfin Now is the smallest iBuyer, reviews of the service aren’t widely available. However, across 3,322 reviews the company has an average rating ofm4.3 out of 5.
Trade In
- 1.25% fee to trade your home
- Flexible timeline up to 6 months
- $25,000 cash advance
Knock’s business model is not like typical iBuyers since it’s actually a home trade-in service. For home sellers who are struggling with timing the sale of the old home in order to purchase a new one, Knock can make the situation easier by giving you the ability to make a non-contingent offer. However, you’ll have to pay a 1.25% fee for this service.
Pros
- Make a non-contingent offer to buy your next home
- $25,000 interest-free cash advance
- Avoid paying two mortgages at once
Cons
- Doesn’t work with owners of distressed properties
- Old mortgage must be repaid after closing
Knock is currently available in 70 metro areas across 15 states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MD, MI, MN, NC, OR, SC, TN, TX, WA.
Listing With an Agent
A traditional sale on the open market will most likely to result in offers that match your home’s fair market value — or even more, if multiple bids drive up the price.
Although a real estate agent can’t guarantee a fast sale, the most experienced know how to price and market homes to attract offers quickly.
Agents can help you to sell your home faster by:
- Recommending what, if any, repairs and upgrades you should complete
- Listing your home on the MLS
- Staging your home to showcase its potential
- Sharing your listing with local real estate investors in their network
- Pricing your home competitively
Finally, when offers start coming in, your agent can represent your best interests by negotiating the highest possible offer for your home.
Most home sellers can expect to pay their real estate agent a 2.5-3% listing commission — but our friends at Clever can connect you with a top listing agent for a pre-negotiated low rate. With Clever, you can get full service from a local agent while paying just 1.5% commission or $3,000, depending on the price of your home.
FAQs About Selling a Home Fast
What’s the fastest way to sell a house?
Companies that buy houses for cash (such as “We Buy Houses” companies and iBuyers) make near-instant offers and close in as little as seven days, making them the fastest way to sell a house. However, they pay much less — typically only 50-70% of fair market value.
In a hot real estate market, it’s possible to sell a house in just a few days — but if the buyer needs conventional financing you’ll still likely have to wait 30-45 days to close. This may be worth the wait, since you’re likely to receive fair market value or even more for your home.
When’s the best time to sell a house fast?
According to data from Zillow, houses sell fastest in early spring.
In fact, homes sold in the first two weeks of May typically sell six days faster and for $1,600 more than the average listing. According to the data, if you’re able to list your house in the spring, you’ll have a much better chance of selling quickly.
However, local market conditions impact how quickly houses sell. If there’s excess inventory in your market — that is, if available homes outnumber buyers — your sale might take longer.
How can I sell my house fast for a good price?
To get the best possible sale price, list your home on the open market with an experienced real estate agent.
Top-rated local agents will know what you need to do to your house to attract the best offers from potential buyers.
If you want to prioritize speed, your agent may price your home slightly below its fair market value.
Many agents price homes low to attract multiple immediate offers. A potential bidding war may lift the price over fair market value. In other words, if all goes well, you’ll not only get it under contract quickly — you’ll also get top dollar.
Recommended Reading
4 Strategies for Selling Your House Fast: For home sellers who need to close immediately, we gathered tried-and-true strategies for finding a buyer ASAP.
What You Should Know Before Selling an Inherited Home: From tax implications to legal processes, we broke down everything you need to know about selling a property you inherited.
How to Sell Your Home – The Ultimate Guide: A complete breakdown of the home sale process, from start to finish, to help prepare you for your big sale and save money on realtor fees.
Are “We Buy Houses” Companies a Ripoff? Companies that advertise “we buy houses” promise an all-cash offer and fast closing. But is the promise of fast cash too good to be true? We found the truth.
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