How to Sell Your House in 5 Days In California

How to Sell Your House in 5 Days in California

Got a new gig in another spot you just couldn’t pass up? Perhaps your property has piled up a bunch of issues over time and you can’t handle the necessary fixes? Or, at worst, maybe you’re facing foreclosure or there are medical debts to clear.
These are some life events that may require you to offload your property quickly. Think, like, five days quick.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 6.12 million homes were sold in December 2021, after averaging 25 days on the market.

You may find that duration too lengthy, and you may be asking yourself if there’s a way to speed up the process.

So, if you want to learn how to sell your house in five days, we’ve put together a practical guide to assist you.

Factors that Affect How You Can Sell a House Fast

The real estate market is constantly changing. The demand for properties fluctuates throughout the year, but nevertheless, we narrowed down the factors that influence the speed of a home sale so you can adjust accordingly:

Location of the Property You Want To Sell

In real estate, people always emphasize: “Location is key.” It may sound overused, but why is it so important?
Location goes beyond just the address or nearby perks. As a buyer, you want your property to increase in value over time. To know this, you need to look into upcoming changes that could impact market prices.
Urban properties often see quicker appreciation compared to suburban ones due to steady economic growth and activity.

Month You’d Like to Sell Your House

If you want to sell fast, it comes down to supply and demand. So, you should sell when there are fewer homes available for sale and lots of buyers.
Real estate experts say April is the best time to sell because that’s when demand peaks. Selling in April also means you could get 2.8% more for your house compared to other times.
But it depends. For instance, in winter, people are focused on socializing, so they may not be actively looking to buy. However, that doesn’t mean there are no buyers at all. Though there may not be many, there’s also less competition from other sellers, so it may still be worth trying.

Market Conditions

During the pandemic, selling homes has been great because of the Federal Reserve dropping interest rates, making mortgages attractive. 
A lot of people want homes now, so buyers are competing, raising housing prices. Even though home sales dipped after June 2022, the median home prices went up, hitting $416,000, a record high.
These prices likely won’t drop soon, so buyers are likely seeking a good deal.

Condition of the Property You’re Selling

If you want to sell your home quickly, the first impression is important. Adding a new paint job or changing the front door color can make your property stand out and attract more potential buyers.
Once inside, addressing minor problems like broken lightbulbs or leaky faucets can reassure buyers that you’ve taken care of the details and that the property is well-maintained.

How to Determine Your Asking Price
(without a Real Estate Agent)

In order for you to determine your asking price, you must do a comparative market analysis.
In simple terms, a comparative market analysis or CMA involves researching recent sales prices of similar properties in your local area. This helps you determine a competitive selling price.
Without a CMA, you risk pricing your property too high, deterring potential buyers, or pricing it too low, missing out on potential profits. The key is finding the right balance by pricing your property slightly below market value to attract numerous interested buyers. This could lead to a competitive bidding situation, potentially driving up the final selling price of your home.

Options for a Fast Home Sale

There are several avenues open to you in selling your house fast. You can either: work with a real estate agent, sell it by yourself,
or sell to a cash buyer…

Option #1: Sell Your House with
Real Estate Agents in California

Opting for the conventional selling method involves putting your property up for sale through a local realtor.
Teaming up with a listing agent grants you access to their knowledge and skills in maneuvering through the complexities of the property market. A realtor can assist you with the following:

• Comparative market analysis based on recently sold properties so you can set the best price for your home.
• Advise you on what you can do to sell your house for a higher price, such as some basic landscaping or quick cosmetic repairs to make the property more attractive
• Stage the house and show it to potential buyers
• Handle the negotiations and closing

All that convenience must be paid through the real estate agent’s commission which ranges between 4 and 6 percent.

On top of that, you’ll foot the bill for other expenses tied to selling homes, like repairs, staging, and closing fees. These expenses can eat into your profits from selling the property.

To steer clear of these extra expenses associated with using a real estate agent, you can opt for…

Option #2: Sell Your House Yourself (For Sale by Owner)

As long as you have the time and energy to do so, then you can go the For Sale by Owner route. This means you’re completely in-charge of the whole process from staging to closing. There are no real estate agents involved. Needless to say, it would take a massive amount of effort and resourcefulness.

Sound daunting? Then you must definitely consider…

Option #3: Sell Your House Fast to a
Real Estate Investor in California

If you want to sell your property quickly and without the usual real estate procedures, your top option is to look into cash buyers and obtain cash offers from them.
When dealing with a traditional buyer, there’s a possibility of their financing not going through. But with a cash buyer, that risk doesn’t exist because they pay entirely in cash.
Cash buyers, who have extensive experience in real estate transactions, can close with you without having to wait for the sale of other properties.

Moreover, with real estate investors, you’re relieved of the following responsibilities:

• Pre-listing preparation – such as home inspection, repairs, cleaning, and renovation
• Marketing
• Showings and stagings
• Open houses

This means you get cash while putting in minimal effort. It’s a great choice, especially if your property is old or distressed with costly repair needs.

A Cash Buyer Wants a Distressed Property

Selling the property without making any repairs on the market will attract fewer buyers. This isn’t a problem for cash home buyers. They actively look for distressed properties they can fix up and sell for profit.

However, selling quickly and without any hassle does come with a cost. You should be ready to accept a lower price because the cash buyer will need to spend money on repairs and upgrades to make the property market ready.

To assist you, we’ve created a guide on selling a house with unpermitted work and your options.

A Cash Buyer Can Close Fastest

Closing with a cash buyer is simpler. Also, you avoid spending money on repairs upfront, with no assurance of getting it back from the sale. Such fixes could drag on for weeks or even months in the worst case.
So, in addition to money saved, you save the most important asset of all: time.

Pointers for a Quick Sale

List Your Home at a Price that Will Give You Room in the Negotiations

When buyers close a deal, they want to feel they’re getting great value for their money. So, you should be open to making some compromises like offering a home warranty or settling on a sale price lower than the listing. As long as you factor in a cushion in your pricing, it shouldn’t impact your profits negatively

Keep Yourself Up to Date with Real Estate Trends

The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an unprecedented boom in online economic activity.
In the past, people would crowd open houses when hunting for a home, but now, both sellers and buyers showcase properties online! Actually, 97% of buyers use the internet to find their perfect property.

Do Not Skimp on High-Quality Photos of Your Property

Finding a home nowadays relies heavily on the internet. Share top-notch pictures of your property to attract potential buyers. You can take the photos yourself or enlist a skilled photographer.

If you opt for the DIY route, ensure ample lighting by opening windows or replacing old bulbs.

Additionally, setting up a home office and capturing it in photos can be a real draw for buyers, especially with the growing trend of hybrid work setups.

Be Thorough in the Information You Provide to Potential Buyers

In addition to photos, an updated layout would be beneficial for buyers during the selling process. Also, if any maintenance or renovations (like dealing with mold, termites, roof repairs, plumbing upgrades, etc.) have been done on the property, you need to disclose who did the work and when.

If you’ve had a recent inspection on the property, provide the report to the buyer. A favorable inspection can boost the property’s value or speed up the selling process. Conversely, if issues are identified, it allows the buyer to address them accordingly.

Increase Your Curb Appeal

If you’re a buyer and you’re exploring a neighborhood for a solid real estate deal, chances are you’d want to check out a house that appears tidy and ready to move into.

Some landscaping improvements can significantly enhance your property’s attractiveness and improve the likelihood of a fast sale at a favorable price.

Play up Outdoor Spaces to Increase Market Value

After experiencing stay-at-home orders during the height of the pandemic, a lot of people realized the mental health boost that being able to go outside affords.

If your property has a nice yard, highlighting it in your listing can result in selling your house quickly.

Employ Unique Marketing Strategies

You could host a one-day open house event, inviting potential buyers to view your property after advertising it in advance. This can attract multiple offers without requiring an immediate decision.

Additionally, you could present a limited-time deal to motivate buyers to finalize the purchase in as little as 5 days. For instance, depending on your budget, you may include extras like a used vehicle or exercise gear. This could catch the attention of local media, giving you free exposure.

Disclose any Known Issues Before Selling

Don’t hide any issues because they may come up during the buyer’s inspection.

And if you don’t disclose problems, you could face legal issues later. So, either fix them before listing the house or tell the buyer so they can handle it.

Remove Clutter From Your Home To Sell Fast

Clearing personal items also helps prospective buyers visualize the space to make it their own. Just leave a few key pieces of furniture so they’ll have an idea of what the rooms can be for.

But if you really want to attract more buyers as soon as possible, pack your stuff into boxes and store them in your garage. This is a clear indication that you are ready to move as soon as the buyer closes on the property.

So, Is It Really Possible to Sell a House in 5 Days?

With the popularity of the Internet, the process of buying a home has become much simpler. With buyers and sellers more connected than ever, it’s entirely possible to sell your property within just 5 days!

Opting to sell to cash buyers in its current condition is definitely the optimal choice for a swift sale. When dealing with buyers who require financing, there can be a significant delay as they wait for their loan approval.

A cash buyer offers the quickest route to selling a home, not only because there’s no need for lender approval, but also because they buy houses as is. Upon requesting a cash offer, you can receive a contract the same day, with closing taking place in less than a week.

Closing Thoughts: How to Sell Your House
In 5 Days in California

The Easiest Way To Sell Your House Fast In California

You’re in the driver’s seat when you accept our cash offer for your house. We make the process simple, fast, and easy to follow when working with us. You have no obligation to accept our cash offer for your home when contacting us for a fair cash offer for your home. No matter the reason you want to sell your house, we want to buy your home as is. Remember that you get many benefits that include no real estate agent commissions, no cleaning, no improvements, and no stress. Our cash offer for your as-is house assures you of fast cash payment at closing with a reputable Title company. You can count on our company to give you a fair cash offer for your home! If you’re still thinking, “I need to sell my house fast”, calling us could be your best decision all day. 🙂