How Long Does It Take to Sell a House in the US?

Selling a home can be stressful and time-consuming, so you might wonder how long does it take to sell a house. The average sale takes anywhere from 60 to 90 days, depending on the area of the country.

If you want to get top dollar for your home, you'll need to plan ahead and prepare for the worst-case scenario. Selling a home can be a very emotional experience, but there are several things that you can do to take control of it.

We created this article as a guide through the home selling process, so there are dos and don’ts, as well as some worst-case scenarios that you should nick in the bud before they complicate your life.

Worst-Case Scenarios

• Your home isn't listed properly. Listing a house take skills and real estate knowledge, if you list it the wrong way there is a chance it’ll stay unsold for a long time.
• Too high or too low price. The pricing is disregarding the market conditions or the real value of the property. Real estate agents use real estate comparables and market research to evaluate your property’s value. Without this analysis, it’s hard to pinpoint a price and you can make a grave mistake.
• Bad location. Your home is located in an undesirable neighborhood, either as a consequence of redlining or because there are some modern obstacles
• Bad market conditions. The market has dropped too low or the housing bubble burst so the value of homes has not increased as quickly as it did before 2004.
• Wrong pick of a real estate agent. Your real estate agent doesn't provide any help when needed, they have too many other clients or are not experienced enough to help you with the sale.
• You can’t pass the inspection check. A contractor made major mistakes that are causing your home to become unlivable and unsellable. Either that or you're unable to make necessary repairs to keep your property in its best condition because you do not have enough money left after making all mortgage payments.
• There is a problem with the title or you have liens on the property. When you bought a house you didn’t sign a warranty deed and didn’t check the full title history of the property. Now it came back to bite you.
• Your timing is off. Listing a house around the holidays is not a good idea, especially if you want to get top dollar for it. The holiday season is when the market rests, amid other expenses and commitments. Only those sellers who are in desperate need of selling are putting their place on the market. Buyers know that and offer less money than they would in, say, March or September.

Things to Do for A Speedy Sale

Selling a house can be confusing and frustrating especially when dealing with emotions and stress. By taking a few simple steps beforehand, you will greatly reduce the amount of work involved once you actually decide to list your property.

Before you do anything, think about your current situation - emotional and financial. This is to ensure you are ready to take the next step. Some people realize too late in the process that they are not ready to part ways with their home and family heirlooms.

Here are some tips on how to prepare and what to expect as you begin preparing to put your home up for sale.

Staging and Curb Appeal

Cleaning and staging are essential for a speedy sale. Go through your house like it’s not your own. If you spot something that's ugly and easy to do, fix it right away. From dirty windows to broken screens, make sure to get them just right for the showings.

If you notice anything else, now is the time to correct it. Small things really stick with the buyer, and why lose their offers on easily fixable details?!

If you think you have no idea where to start, try hiring a professional stager or get your real estate agent to help you with it.

Get rid of clutter!

Throw out old boxes, magazines, newspapers, and junk mail. Remove personal photos, calendars, books, clothing, etc.

You may also consider getting rid of non-collectible antiques such as china, crystal, art glass, silverware, etc. If you haven't used something for years, throw it out so that you can start fresh or put it aside.

Decluttering beforehand will help you pack once you are ready to move out but more importantly it will allow the space to breathe and the buyer to envision themselves inside that house.

Clean up the yard!

Weeding, pruning trees and bushes, mowing grass place instead of marketing it. Make sure that the lawn is trimmed evenly all the way around.

Weeds are unsightly and could cause problems if they grow large enough to interfere with visibility. You should keep the overgrown areas short especially If you are selling an older home.

Some people even trim back the shrubbery to give the house a more modern appearance. You can try to match the color and style of the front porch, too. Give it a comfy look, people will feel more at home if they see a nice front porch.

Make sure that nothing smells funky

If there are any signs of food spoilage or mold, you should fix that right away. Funky smells immediately repel the buyers. If you enter a smelly room, you won’t be imagining yourself living in that space.

Unfortunately, people often get accustomed to the smell of their house, so it would be a good idea to call up an honest friend and have them tell you if there is anything wrong.

Repair major damage so the buyer isn't surprised

For example, if there is water damage, try to have it repaired so it doesn't show. Repairs help you preserve the value of the home and increase its chances of selling quickly. On the other hand, if the roof leaks badly, then you may want to replace it right away.

There are companies that specialize in roof repair and replacement. If you choose to leave the leaky roof alone, at least patch it up so you don't get too much rainwater onto the flooring below.

Put together a price reduction schedule.

You'll probably want to reduce the asking price because the market is slowing down. However, if you're trying to sell a newer home, price reductions could actually hurt your ability to sell quickly.

So decide ahead of time whether you'd rather lower the price yourself or would prefer that your realtor handle that task.

Invest in Marketing

In today’s day and age, when you market a property well, it can make it sell much faster than anything else. Create virtual tours, take good pictures for your target buyer, and be available to interested house hunters.

Working with an old-fashioned real estate agent can be challenging if you want to modernize the sales process. Talk about innovation when you first look for an agent. In light of the reports showing how many houses had offers after people only saw them online, it’s safe to say that you should market your house in more ways than one.

When Is the Best Time to List a Property

The best time to list a property will depend on the weather conditions in your area. However, there are some unwritten rules when it comes to selling a house. For example, if it’s a rainy period - wait until the sun starts shining to open your house for showing.

Not that people will not buy it if there is rain outside, it’s just the psychological effect of the bad weather. When it’s rainy, everything is damp and grey. If you have some leaks, they’re going to be more noticeable. People will bring the mud and moisture in with their shoes.

As the sun starts shining, you can show the best colors of your house - metaphorically and for real. You can show how open the space is when the light shines through the windows, and how the buyers can have a nice barbecue day in the backyard. It is easier to imagine a nice life in a house when the weather is nice.

How to Sell Without Any Repairment and Hassle

With all of this being said, there is one way to sell your house for top dollar without all the hassle. You don’t have to think about repairs, seasons, or weather - when you can just contact SleeveUp Homes and get the best price for your house as-is.

We guarantee $10,000 more than what anyone will offer. But don’t take our word for it, request the offer and see it for yourself.

Author:

Zachariah Peterson , CMO /

Zach has broad experience in marketing, technology, and finance, and he has held leadership positions at multiple startups since 2017.

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