Find an Agent

Selling Your Home? Here’s What You Can (and Can’t) Expect

Home for sale

Some homes sell the day they list, while others seemingly take forever. It might feel like you don’t know what’s going to happen, but there are certainly some things you can control and expect when selling your home.

While every situation is unique, there are a number of factors that can shorten or lengthen the time your house is on the market. It’s important that your home does not stay on the market for too long, as it will cause buyers to think something is wrong with your property.

If you want a quick home sale, the best thing you can do is hire a good agent. That’s why we’ve partnered with Clever Real Estate. Clever is an agent-matching service that pre-negotiates low rates with partner agents and passes the savings on to you. Clever can help sell your house for just a 1.5% listing fee — a fraction of the price that traditional agents charge.

👋 Want a quick, no-hassle home sale?

Our friends at Clever Real Estate can connect you with a top agent who can help you sell for more money on a timeline that works for you.

What You Can’t Control, but Can Expect When Selling Your Home

Market Conditions

This is all about supply and demand. In a buyer’s market, there are plenty of homes for sale and the demand for them is low. In a seller’s market, the housing inventory is limited, and the demand is high. You can’t control the market – you can only keep an eye out for when it will shift in your favor. Pay attention to the local news and talk with your agent so you know what to expect when you list your home.

Neighborhood Demand

Unless your home is mobile, you can’t magically change your neighborhood – but you can be realistic about who would want to live there and market your home specifically to those buyers. If you live in an area near great schools, consider posting your listing at your kid’s school to appeal to families in the area.

If you live in a great starter home in a walkable area, consider marketing to first-time buyers. That may mean making more repairs so government-backed loans like FHA loans can get approved. Speak with your agent about who’s buying in your neighborhood.

Location

Some buyers prefer the quiet streets away from the hustle and bustle. Others prefer to be walking distance to everything. Think about the best parts of being where you are and highlight them in your listing description.

Seasonality

Seasonality impacts different areas in different ways. Generally speaking, sales tend to be higher during the warmer seasons. If your property is in a beach town, you may find that is especially true for summer and even slower than usual in winter. But if you’re in a ski town, you may find the opposite to be true.

Time your sale accordingly, if possible. In some markets, it might make more sense to wait until the summer which is the home-buying season. In others, it makes sense to list your home asap.

If you need help timing the market, Clever can help! Clever can match you with top performing local agents who can help sell your home for just a 1.5% fee. You’ll get the full service experience of a traditional agent at a fraction of the price.

Meet trusted real estate agents with Clever 🤝

Looking for an agent? Clever Real Estate's licensed concierge team can introduce you to pre-vetted agents near you! You'll choose between top-rated agents from major brokerages like Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and more.  Best of all, you'll save thousands, thanks to Clever's affordable 1.5% listing fees. Buyers in 41 states and Washington D.C. can also receive cash back after closing!

What You Can Expect and Control When Selling Your Home

Price

If you live in a million dollar neighborhood and list your home for $1.5 million, you should expect it to take longer to sell. If you’re in no rush to sell and you know your home has special characteristics that warrant a higher price, then take your time and wait for the right buyer. In this case, if you need to sell fast, you will most likely need to lower your price.

Staging

Taking time to set up your space makes an enormous difference. Removing clutter, a fresh coat of paint, mowing the lawn… anything you’d do before you host family for the holidays. The more a buyer can picture themselves in your home, the more interested they will be.

Marketing

Getting exposure means making sure your property is listed on the MLS and that your listing is syndicated to the most popular real estate sites. It also means having a For Sale sign in your yard and spreading the word about your home on social media. Everything you do to increase your exposure will speed you along to a faster sale.

Response Time

This refers to how long it takes for you to answer your calls or emails from potential buyers. When you respond quickly to a buyer, it signals that you are a responsible and reliable seller. Buyers don’t want the hassle of following up all the time, so if you’re slow to respond, it can be a big turn off.

With a good agent, response time won’t even be a factor you have to worry about. Clever can help — and they can save you THOUSANDS. Clever can match you with highly qualified agents from brokerages like Coldwell Banker and Berkshire Hathaway who can sell your house for just a 1.5% fee. That’s because Clever pre-negotiates low rates and passes those savings on to you. You’ll get the full service of a traditional agent at a fraction of the price!

Clever is free and there’s no obligation to continue if you can’t find an agent you love (but we think you will).

💰 Save BIG with Clever! 💰
The average Clever customer saves $7,000 on their home sale. Find a great agent and save more with Clever today! It’s totally free and there’s zero obligation.

⭐ Connect with Clever and see how much you can save today! ⭐

Show more

Related Reading

Interested in buying or selling?

We've improved the traditional real estate model with modern technology to cut costs, not quality.

Get started today