6 Simple Tips That Will Help You Sell Your Property in the Fastest Time Possible

Updated October 2026. Six things to do in the two weeks before you list, so your home sells in the shortest time at a fair price. NAR figures were read on October 28, 2026.

To sell a property in the fastest time possible, choose your sales route first, then deep-clean and declutter, fix the front of the house, price at or just under recent comparable sales, show off the best features in photos, and get rid of odors. In September 2026 the median US home went under contract in 33 days (NAR); a well-prepared, well-priced one can beat that.

Jump to: 🪜 Pick a route · 🏠 Clean · 💲 Price · 📸 Showcase · ⏱️ Smell · ❓ FAQ

Sometimes you can’t wait for the perfect offer. A new job, a second mortgage, a family change: the clock is running. You may accept a little less to sell quickly, but you shouldn’t give the house away. These six steps are the balance between speed and price, and most cost more effort than money. For a side-by-side of every route by time to close, see our guide to the top ways to sell your home quickly.

Tip 1: Should you sell to a home-buying company or list it?

Decide this first, because it changes everything else. A home-buying company buys as-is for cash, usually within days, with no showings, repairs or lender. The cost is the price: the offer has to leave room for their repairs and resale profit, so it lands below what an open-market buyer would pay.

A listing on the MLS reaches the most buyers and tends to bring a market price, but it takes prep and a few weeks. If you need cash in two weeks, get two or three written cash offers. If you can give it a month or two, the remaining five tips are where the money is.

Do you need an agent to sell fast?

No, it isn’t required; it’s your choice. A listing agent prices the home, markets it, runs showings and negotiates, and charges a commission for that work. A good one can bring more buyers and, sometimes, competing offers. You can also list on the MLS yourself through a flat fee service and handle those steps, with help when you want it. Whichever you pick, the fee is negotiable: commissions aren’t set by law or NAR rules, you decide whether to offer a buyer’s agent anything, and since August 17, 2024 such offers can’t be shown on the MLS (NAR).

Tip 2: How clean does a house need to be to sell?

Cleaner than you keep it day to day. Before photos, walk through the house and clean every room top to bottom: baseboards, light switches, windows, grout, the inside of the oven and fridge. Then clear surfaces. Pack away family photos, souvenirs and two-thirds of what’s on the counters. Buyers need to see the room, not your life in it.

Outside counts too. The lawn and the front door are the first photo and the first impression. Mow, edge, trim the bushes, sweep the walk and paint or replace a tired door. A ragged yard tells buyers to look harder for problems inside. For small repairs that make a difference, see our list of fixes that can make or break a sale, and check the AC before summer buyers do; here are the common AC problems you shouldn’t ignore.

What’s worth fixing first?

Paint and small repairs. In NAR’s 2025 Remodeling Impact Report, the projects REALTORS® most often recommend before listing were painting the entire home (50%), painting one interior room (41%) and new roofing (37%) (NAR). Neutral, light colors photograph best. A roof is a big job; if yours is old, price it in or get a quote to show buyers.

Tip 3: How should you price a house to sell fast?

At or just below the value recent sales support. The higher the price, the longer a home tends to sit, and a stale listing usually ends with a price cut anyway. The first two weeks bring the most views, so you want the right number on day one.

Look at sales from the last three to six months within a mile, same size and style. Check pending sales too; they show where the market is going. Nationally, inventory was 1.60 million homes in September 2026, a 4.8-month supply, up from 4.5 months a year earlier (NAR). More choice for buyers means less room to test a high price. Our guide to setting the right price shows how to read comps, and the free home value calculator gives you a starting range.

Tip 4: How do you showcase your home’s best features?

Lead with what makes it different. A pool, a big yard, a renovated kitchen, a home office with a door, a bar, a view: put it in the first photo after the front, in the first line of the description, and set it up for showings. Turn on the pool lights. Set the patio table. Clear the office desk.

Staging helps buyers make the leap. In NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 83% of buyers’ agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize the property as a future home, and the most staged rooms were the living room (91%), primary bedroom (83%) and dining room (69%) (NAR). Good photos are the other half. Shoot on a bright day with every light on, from the corners of each room, and don’t use a fisheye lens that distorts the space.

Tip 5: Does the smell of a house affect the sale?

Yes. You stop noticing your home’s smell after a few days, but buyers notice it in the doorway. Pets, smoke, cooking and damp are the usual ones. Air freshener only covers them, and some buyers dislike strong scents as much as the odor itself.

Remove the source instead. Wash pet bedding, clean carpets and soft furniture, empty the trash daily, run the bathroom fans, and fix any leak behind a musty smell. Open the windows before showings. Our guides to getting rid of pet smell and smoke smell in walls and furniture go step by step.

Tip 6: How do you make showings easy?

Say yes. Every declined showing can push your sale back. Keep the house showing-ready for the first two weeks, offer evening and weekend times, and plan where pets go. Leave during showings if you can; buyers talk more freely without the owner in the room.

With Beycome, showing requests come through ShowingTime where the MLS offers it, and you approve each one from your phone. A complete listing goes live on the MLS within 2 business days, often in about 2 hours. Plans start at $99 with $0 at closing; see the flat fee MLS options. More tips for owners selling on their own are in our guide to selling a house fast by owner.

Frequently asked questions