Updated October 2026. Seven low-cost tricks to help sell your home faster, what each one costs, and what agents told NAR actually moves buyers, plus how to get the finished house in front of as many buyers as possible.
To sell your home faster, neutralize the colors, fix what an inspector will flag, tidy the yard, deep clean, rearrange furniture, bring in light and dress up the front door. These are cheap and they work: in NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 49% of sellers’ agents said staging cut a home’s time on the market. As of October 2026, with NAR reporting lengthening days on market, that edge counts.
Jump to: 🏠 7 tricks · 💲 What it costs · 📸 Photos and listing · ⏱️ Today’s market · ❓ FAQ
Selling faster, in numbers
- 49% of sellers’ agents said staging reduced time on market; 29% saw a 1% to 10% higher offer (NAR, 2025).
- Agents’ top prep advice: declutter (91%), clean the whole home (88%) and improve curb appeal (77%) (NAR, 2025).
- Median cost of a staging service: $1,500, versus $500 when the agent handled it (NAR, 2025).
- Painting the entire home is the project Realtors most recommend before listing, at 50% (NAR, 2025).
When your home hits the market, you want the right buyer to see it, love it and make an offer before it goes stale. You don’t need a big renovation for that. Small projects that make the house look cared for do most of the work. Here are seven, roughly in order of bang for the buck.
What are 7 tricks to sell your home faster?
1. Neutralize your home
Bold walls are fun to live with and hard to sell. A light, neutral palette makes rooms feel bigger and lets buyers picture their own things in the space. Paint over the bright accent wall, and take down dated wallpaper or borders. NAR’s 2025 Remodeling Impact Report found painting the entire home is the project Realtors most often recommend before listing (50%), and painting one room comes next (41%).
2. Complete needed repairs
You’ve learned to live with the sticky door and the dripping faucet. Buyers won’t. Fix cracked walkways, loose railings and broken windows, since those also raise safety flags. Most buyers order an inspection, so getting ahead of the obvious items saves you a round of repair requests. Not sure where to stop? Our guide to what not to fix before selling sorts the worthwhile repairs from the ones that don’t pay back.
3. Freshen your landscaping
Curb appeal was the third most common recommendation in NAR’s staging survey, at 77%. Mow, edge, trim bushes away from windows and pull weeds. Put a pot of flowers by the door. If you have a porch or deck, clean the outdoor furniture. Our small yard landscaping ideas help if space is tight.
4. Clean the whole house
This is cheap and it’s what agents ask for most: 91% recommend decluttering and 88% recommend cleaning the entire home. Shampoo the carpets, wipe walls and trim, and clear the counters of small appliances and paper. Clean the tops and handles of the fridge, dishwasher and oven. Pack away about a third of what’s in each closet so storage looks generous.
5. Rearrange your furniture
Make clear walkways through each room and group seating around a focal point. Look at visual weight, not just size: light colors and pieces on thin legs feel lighter than dark, boxy ones. Take out the extra chair. A few fresh touches help, too. Faux flowers from www.jamaligarden.com look real and don’t wilt between showings, which is handy when you can’t refresh a vase every day.
6. Play up the light
Open every blind before a showing and swap heavy drapes for simple panels. Replace burned-out bulbs and use the same color temperature throughout so rooms don’t look patchy. White and pale walls bounce light around and make rooms read bigger in photos.
7. Dress up the front door
The front door is the first thing a buyer touches. A new mat, a couple of seasonal plants and clean house numbers go a long way. Check that steps and railings are solid. If you have room for a bench or a porch swing, make sure it’s in good shape.
How much does it cost to get a house ready to sell faster?
Less than most people expect. The tricks above mostly cost time, paint and a few plants. Here’s how the bigger items compare, using NAR figures where they exist.
| Project | Typical cost | What NAR found |
|---|---|---|
| Declutter and deep clean | Your time, or a cleaning crew | Recommended by 91% and 88% of agents |
| Curb appeal | Plants, mulch, a new mat | Recommended by 77% of agents |
| Paint the whole home | Varies by size | Most recommended project before listing (50%) |
| Professional staging | Median $1,500 | $500 median when the agent staged |
Spend where buyers look first. NAR’s staging survey found buyers rank the living room (37%), primary bedroom (34%) and kitchen (23%) as the most important rooms to stage. Our list of 8 ways to renovate on a budget has more cheap ideas.
Why do listing photos matter so much?
Because most buyers meet your home online first. In NAR’s staging survey, 73% of buyers’ agents said photos in the listing were highly important to their clients, and 43% said the same about virtual tours. Among sellers’ agents, 88% put photos at the top.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →Shoot on a bright day after you’ve cleaned. Turn on every light, shoot from a corner at chest height and skip the wide-angle stretch that makes rooms look odd in person. Our home photo tips cover the rest. A strong description matters too: see how to write listing descriptions that attract buyers.
Then get the listing in front of buyers. With a Beycome flat fee MLS listing from $99, your home goes on the local MLS with the maximum photos the MLS allows, and you pay $0 to Beycome at closing. You keep control of the price, the photos and every showing. Beycome lists in 17 states and DC and has helped 22,000+ homeowners save over $225 million. Prefer an expert at your side? Beycome Concierge is $1,399, with full support while you stay in control. Support runs 7 days a week, and Artur AI answers 24/7.
How do you keep the house ready for showings?
The hard part isn’t getting the house clean once. It’s keeping it that way for a few weeks while you live in it. Pack a “showing basket” for the counter clutter, mail and chargers you can grab and stash in a car. Keep a short list by the door: blinds open, lights on, toilet seats down, pet bowls away.
Say yes to as many showing times as you can. A buyer who can’t get in this weekend may see another house instead. If you have pets, plan where they’ll go. Leave the house during showings so buyers can talk freely, and follow up afterward to ask what they thought.
Does price matter more than staging right now?
Often, yes. NAR reported existing-home sales rose 1.5% in September 2026, but called August and September the two slowest months for sales this year. Its chief economist said higher inventory and longer days on market give buyers more negotiating power, and that sellers need to be realistic about local conditions.
So the fastest trick of all is a fair price from day one. Pull recent sales near you and start there. Our guide to setting the right price and the free Beycome home value calculator help you land on a number. If your market is slow, read how to sell quickly in a slow market.
Questions about selling faster
What is the fastest way to sell a house?
Price it right from day one, clean and declutter, fix obvious problems and get it on the MLS with good photos. NAR found 49% of sellers’ agents saw staging shorten time on market.
Does staging really help a home sell faster?
Often. In NAR’s 2025 survey, 49% of sellers’ agents said it reduced time on market and 29% saw offers 1% to 10% higher.
What should I fix before listing my house?
Safety issues, leaks and anything an inspector will flag. Paint and small repairs usually pay back. Big remodels rarely do right before a sale.
How much does home staging cost?
NAR reported a median of $1,500 for a staging service in 2025, and $500 when the agent handled it. Doing it yourself costs mostly time.
What color should I paint my house to sell?
Light neutrals like soft white, greige or pale gray. They make rooms feel bigger and photograph well.
Which rooms matter most to buyers?
The living room, primary bedroom and kitchen, per NAR’s 2025 staging survey. Start there if your time or budget is short.
Prices as of November 2026; Concierge is $1,399 and Basic is $129 in California and Illinois ($99 elsewhere). “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; other closing costs and taxes still apply. Survey figures come from NAR reports of agent opinions and vary by market. General information, not legal advice; store links are examples, not endorsements.
Sources
- NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Staging news release, read October 27, 2026.
- NAR, Profile of Home Staging report page, read October 27, 2026.
- NAR, 2025 Remodeling Impact Report news release, read October 27, 2026.
- NAR, Existing-Home Sales, September 2026, read October 27, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
Beycome provides real estate services through affiliated licensed brokerages and has a commercial interest in the services and business models discussed on this blog. Content reflects Beycome’s perspective and may promote our services; it should not be treated as independent or neutral reporting.
Articles are provided for general informational and educational purposes only, not as financial, tax, legal, or investment advice or a recommendation for your particular situation. Reading this blog does not create a brokerage, advisory, or other professional relationship.
Information, opinions, pricing, service descriptions, and comparisons reflect the sources and information available when an article was published or last updated and may change. Although we aim for accuracy, we do not guarantee that all content is complete, current, or applicable to your circumstances. Laws, market conditions, and service availability vary by location. Examples and estimated savings are illustrative, depend on stated assumptions, and do not guarantee individual results.
Verify relevant information directly and consult qualified professionals before making decisions. Beycome services are subject to applicable agreements, eligibility requirements, and state-specific terms.
