Wondering how can I sell my house fast. You’ve come to the right place.
I’ve sold houses within 24 hours. I’m sure most real estate agents will say the same. I’m not sure how true all of those stories would be, though. I’ve also sold many properties at the first open home. Or even just before the first open home. Being able to sell a house fast isn’t just possible in a booming market it’s also possible in a normal market. I must admit I’ve never done this. It is a terrible market like the global financial crisis.
I’ve also sold over 30 properties where another agent had tried for 90 days and not been able to, then I’ve taken over the properties sales and sold it fast also. I put this down to lits of things like property presentatin and dialog I use with buyers.
So yes. Suppose you need to sell your house fast, it’s very possible.
The process of selecting a real estate agent can feel daunting. Your choice will substantially affect your sale price, time on the market, and the entire selling experience. If you’re wondering how to “sell my house” fast, the right agent is crucial.
You need the right guidance whether you’re selling your first or fifth home. We’ve put together seven crucial tips to help you select a real estate agent who’ll boost your property’s value while keeping stress levels low and helping you sell your home fast. Our guide walks you through everything from credential verification to performance analysis to find your ideal real estate partner who can help you “sell my house” quickly.
The perfect agent for your home sale is out there. Let’s take a closer look at what you should think over when you want to “sell my house” fast.
Sell My House Fast: Understanding Real Estate Agent Qualifications
In Qld Australia, it’s madness how easy it is to become a real estate agent. Which is nuts considering you are selling someone’s largest asset. There are two licenses.
Salesperson certificate: a 3-day course and you can now sell real estate. After this course is finished you then apply with the Department of fair trading to get your certificate and away you can go
Licensee real estate agent: a 6 day course. After this couse is finished you then apply with he department of fair trauding to get your certificate and away yoiu can go.
What amazes me is these courses don’t do training on ethics, negotiation, pricing, or marketing. They just cover the legislation like how to complete a form 6 and a sales contract. Which is really the easiest part of being an agent.
Sadly, most people have a poor opinion of real estate agents & I put this down to how many agents have been trained to “secure the listing” at any cost and worry about it later. Many agents are trained to use tricks that they become very good at to make people sell with them. Like “I have a buyer” I can bring them through tomorrow” or “You mentioned you’d like $1.5M. I’ll get you $1.7m in 7 days”. and “I can sell your home, and my marketing is free”. The list goes on.
Understanding a real estate agent’s qualifications plays a significant role in choosing the right person to sell your home quickly. Let’s look at the credentials that set qualified professionals apart, especially those who know how to”sell my house” fast.
Sell My House Fast : How to test sales agents
I have a buyer I can bring through tomorrow” I have lost lots of listings to sales agents that say this. The owner will tell me, “Byron, we went with XYZ because they said they have a database of buyers and can get them through the property tomorrow”. I should say I also have a list of buyers too, which I usually do. It’s my experience that buyers first want to see some photos and make an appointment a few days after knowing the address and seeing the photos. This is a more logical process because why would a buyer want to take time off work to view a property urgently when they don’t know that much about it?
In Qld, when an agent tells you they have a database of buyers, they can bring them through tomorrow. They can’t legally do this without the owner signing Form 6. This is their trick. Form 6 is usually an exclusive agreement for the agent to sell your property over the next 90 days. So instead, do this. Tell the sales agents you would be delighted for them to bring their database through. Confirm with them they can do this over the next 7 days. Then, when they confirm this, sign the Form 6 with them for 10 days. This will call their bluff. They’ve already confirmed they have buyers, and 7 days is enough, so now they just need to prove it. If they don’t agree. They really can’t have any logical reason not to other than they lied about all these buyers they have.
If they are being honest about the buyers, they can get through in the next 7 days. This is a great way for you to sell your home fast, in 7 days, without too much effort, so go for it. Just don’t give them longer than a 10-day Form 6 agreement. Of course, if you like what they have been doing at 10 days, you can always sign another one.
The last thing to consider with this strategy is that when you do this, you are only hearing from the small pool of buyers in your sales agent database. New buyers are coming into the market all the time, and there might be five new buyers looking. Now, the agent doesn’t know about that; they might be prepared to pay considerably more. It’s just that you will never know.
Sell My House Fast : Preparing your property
You can sell your property as it is right now. With zero preparation. The amount of time, effort, and money you invest in preparing your property for sale really comes down to what you are prepared to do and the time you have. What home sellers need to realise is that the less presentable the home is, the less it will sell for. Of course, I could go on here about all the ways to prepare your home for sale, but that is for another article.
Average days on the market
When you want to sell your house fast, the question is, how fast do you mean, in 24 hours? Do you mean in 7 days or 30? What does fast mean to you? Suburbs have average days on the market. Knowing what your suburbs’ average days on the market currently is will help you understand what you are up against. If the average days are 60, but you need a sale in 3 weeks’ time, then you will need to get moving and engage a sales agent who can move fast. If the average days on the market in your suburb is 60 and you need that 3-week sale, this is where you need to get very clear with your sales agent exactly what they will do. In the industry, this is called a “quality conversation.” Sales agents often talk like politicians, “It will be wonderful, Margaret. We will work hard to get your property under contract in 3 weeks’ time.” What does that even mean? Compared to, “Margaret, if you need a sale in 3 weeks, we also will need to consider the buyer’s conditions because if we accept a sales contract on week 3, subject to finance, and then the buyer can’t get finance, we’ve made a grave error. So let’s discuss what terms we will need to meet your targets, plus the process & pricing we need to make this happening happen. .” That’s a quality conversation. It creates a specific action plan upfront everyone agrees on and something for the sales agent to be held accountable to. Exciting.
Pricing
Everyone selling their home wants the highest possible price, which is still possible when you want to sell your home fast. However, homeowners need to be a little bit flexible with this. “I want to sell in three weeks, but only if I get my price” can make things challenging.
Unfortunately, many sales agents are a bit vague about how they compare to your house to comparable sales: how much they sold for, how they compare to yours, days on the market, and pricing strategy. If you can clearly see most comparable properties are selling for $1.5M in 60 days and you need to sell in weeks, you may need to consider accepting a price below this.
Marketing
I mentioned above, having a sales agent show buyers over 7 days. You might not want to bother to do this first; you have wasted 7 days and now only 14 days left to sell your property. Instead, you need to launch a solid marketing strategy. I tell all my clients the worst thing they can do is under-market their house. I’ve mentioned how I’ve sold over 30 properties another agent tried to sell and failed. It’s not always about the price. It’s usually a marketing issue and how buyers are handled. Again, I could go into what marketing you need to get maximum exposure here, but that is also for another article.
So my advice here is immediately launch into a solid marketing campaign at the same time as having your agent call their buyer database.
Fear of loss
When you have a solid marketing campaign and multiple buyers viewing their property, buyers get a fear of loss. They assume if they like the property, other buyers would too, so they need to act fast for fear of missing out.
Agents Ability
It makes me cranky to think about how many sales agents are out there selling homes who don’t have the skills or ethics to do the right thing for owners and buyers. To be a good sales agent, you don’t need to lie. I’m proof of that. Selling hundreds of properties making wonderful money, ethically and honestly. Of course, I’m not the only one, but they seem rare. The sales agent’s ability is the most crucial thing when wanting to sell your home fast, which covers a vast scope of skills, from being honest with pricing, the marketing process, the sales process, the negotiation process and integrity. A few small examples: About every 2 years, I secret shop real estate agent, and of 8 open homes I send someone to. Usually only 2 or 3 of those sales agents are call them back. Most of the properties I sell are because I have called the buyers back and had a quality conversation with them. Another simple example is this. Most buyers will say to me, “Is the price negotiable” Some agents might say “, No” or maybe simply the say “yes, it is” , and leave it at that. My dialogue is something like this:” Yes it is. What price did you have in mind?”. The buyer might then tell me a price, possibly even one much lower and my reply is, “Would you like to make an offer at that level?”. I only take offers on official sale contracts, and I even take meagre offers. Not to pressure the sellers down on price but to get the buyers engaged and then to try and get them to raise their offer to where it needs to be.
Property Presentation
The more move-in ready, the more your home will sell for, and the faster it will sell. Early on, I said you can sell your home as it is right now without doing anything, which is true. Just expect your price to be impacted.
If you have the time to make your home move-in ready, even better. Property presentation makes a big difference. If you only had time to do one thing, it would be to move most of your furniture into your garage to create the illusion of space. Back to how I have sold over 30 properties that other agents tried to sell. One property, the owners were prepared to drop the price by $50k. Instead, we put the price up. Kath and I spent an entire Sunday moving a lot of their furniture into the garage, and then spent $900 at Kmart to decorate it a little. Sold within 7 days.
Access to the property
I’ve had some sellers tell me they don’t want open homes or even a for-sale sign. That’s fine. Open homes are best when possible. If you need to sell your home fast, advertising many open homes sends a clear signal to buyers that your property is “on the market.” Saturday, Sunday and a mid-week, along with private inspections in between. The more access you can give buyers, the better.
Example timeline
If you asked me today, Wednesday. I could have your property decluttered & photographed tomorrow (Thursday). The photography would be back on Friday. The property could be launched onto the internet Friday afternoon, with the first open home Saturday. So that’s on the market within 3 days.
Sell My House Fast : Analysing Sales Track Record
Past performance is one of the best ways to predict a real estate agent’s future success, particularly when you need to “sell my house” quickly. Let’s examine the key metrics we use to analyze an agent’s track record and help you make an informed decision about who can help you sell your home quickly.
Number of Successfully Closed Deals
Successful properties settled can paint a clear picture of an agent’s effectiveness, especially in helping clients sell their homes fast.
Looking beyond just the numbers, a truly effective agent should demonstrate:
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- Consistent performance across different market conditions
- Strong conversion rates from listings to sales
- Positive client feedback and testimonials about fast sales
- Clear communication throughout the process
Note that quality matters more than quantity. An agent who closes fewer deals but maintains excellent sale-to-list ratios and quick selling times might serve you better than one with many sales but average performance metrics, especially when you need to “sell my house” fast. I use to sell about 50 properties a year. For the Sunshine Coast thats a lot. I’m now semi retitred so I sell very few homes, the advatange for my clients is I have considerably more time to work with buyers on their sale.
Sell My House Fast : Assessing Marketing Capabilities
The digital-first real estate market makes an agent’s marketing skills vital to selling your home quickly. Your property’s success depends on finding a real estate agent who knows how to showcase it effectively to potential buyers, especially when you want to sell your home fast.
Digital Marketing Strategies
Your home sale needs a complete digital marketing approach, particularly if you need to sell your house quickly. realestate.com.au has 4 ad sizes. For over 10 years now I’ve only sued their latgest ad, even for very cheap porperties. It’s a surpreise to me how many agnet use the 3 smasller ads.
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- Website optimization and property listings
- Copy Wring
- Photography
- Email marketing campaigns
- Video Walk Throughs
- Professional listing presentations
- Lead generation and nurturing systems
These digital strategies are crucial when you want to sell your house fast.
Sell My House Fast : Reviewing Communication Style
Communication can make or break your home-selling experience, especially when you need to sell your house quickly. Your agent’s communication style is just as significant as their sales record. Let’s explore how to assess this vital aspect of your potential real estate partnership, particularly when you want to sell your home fast.
Responsiveness and Availability
Accessibility forms the foundation of effective client service, especially when you need to sell your house fast. A responsive agent should:
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- Return calls and messages within the same business day
- Be available during agreed-upon hours
- Have backup support when unavailable
- Provide multiple contact channels
- Show consistent accessibility
- Protecting you the selller and your price
You should test potential agents by reaching out at different times. Their response time and quality during this initial phase often show how they’ll communicate throughout your home-selling experience, which is crucial when you want to “sell my house” fast.
Regular Updates and Reports
Proactive communication sets exceptional agents apart from average ones, especially when helping clients sell their homes fast. Your agent should provide regular updates without prompting, keeping you informed about:
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- Property viewing feedback
- Market condition changes
- Online listing performance
- Offer status and negotiations
- Next steps in the selling process
Great agents know each step in the selling process is a chance to communicate. They anticipate your needs and address concerns before you ask questions, which is particularly important when you need to “sell my house” fast.
Preferred Communication Methods
Finding an agent whose communication style matches your priorities makes a big difference, especially when you want to sell your home quickly. During initial meetings, discuss your preferred methods of communication and update frequency. A professional agent should be versatile in their communication approaches and offer:
Digital Communications:
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- Email updates with market reports
- Text messages for time-sensitive updates
- Virtual meeting capabilities
Traditional Methods:
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- Regulat Phone calls
- In-person meetings as needed
- Written reports and documentation
You should discuss communication expectations upfront with potential agents, especially regarding how they’ll keep you informed when you need to “sell my house” fast. The right agent adapts their style to match your priorities while maintaining professional standards. They explain their communication protocol and show how they’ll keep you informed throughout the selling process.
Note that effective communication goes beyond frequency – quality and relevance matter most, particularly when you want to sell your home quickly. Look for agents who listen actively and respond thoughtfully to your concerns. They should explain complex real estate concepts simply and provide clear, practical information about how to “sell my house” fast.
Sell My House Fast : Examining Negotiation Skills
I mention a bit later a fun way to test an agent negotiation skills. But you can also ask what is ytheir priocess for acceoying offert and how do they hanlde low one. Fior my I take low offers not to push you down on price bit to enage buyers and pushg them up. I also only take offers on sales contracts. Just this week my daughter was tekking me about a fiedn of her’s who os foir sale, she had 2 great offers but both pulled out. It was clear to me these wherr either verbal, emails or letters of offers. Someting I never do.
I few months back now I was talking to an agent who had a lcient that wnated $950K for ytjier apartent. He has an offer of $860k and told the owner he had a great offer comong in. Thats a terrbly sad way for handly an offer. a create offer owuld be $940k or even $950k. If I took an offer of $860k I wouldnt even tell the seller yet, befoere I tryied to get the buyer to increse it somewherr closer to wehayt the vaiue of the prtoperty is. Being a good negfiator is about protecting ther owners porice and helooing the buyer see what they needs to pay to secure the property. I’ve had many buyers end up paying $100k more than their orogional offfer.
Past Negotiation Success Stories
Concrete examples of successful negotiations reveal more about an agent’s capabilities than theoretical knowledge, especially in fast-selling scenarios. Key factors to evaluate include:
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- Documented success in price negotiations for quick sales
- Creative problem-solving in challenging situations
- Track record of winning multiple-offer scenarios
- Experience with buyers of all types
- History of positive relationships
These factors are crucial when you want to sell your home fast. HOw can you test this ? As them if their commission is negition. How they resond wil give you an indivation. They might say “No”, they might say “I have discoutn it by 10%. Both these are poor negiation skjills. What they shioudl sday is this “What fee did you have in mind ?” When you say your fee. They shoudlthen say somegthing like this “ Would it be faiur to say that if we can agree today on a fee you’d be happy tyo enagge my serbvices” Here is the thing. If an agent discounts their fee without even knowing if you wiull use them, the still have not won your business, so why are they even consiering offering you a discount. Firsyt they need to confirm you will use ythem as long as a gee can be agreed. Then if you have said a fee they shioudl posisble not agree ti it and ask fir a littl more. This is a great fjund fun way to test their ability to negotiate.
Handling Multiple Offers
In Qld sasles agent are not legally allowed play buyers offer off each other. Instead we need to infirm all bueyrs multople buyers are making an offer an dtheyu need to make their best offer possible and all offers will be presented to the seller at the same time. What a lot of real esatte agents get wrong is they think thats it. The owner has to accept the highest offer. This isn’t correct. In Qld the process is onve yteh seller has chosen the contarct their prefer, they vcan then negotaite. they vcan ask for more moneyt, they van asl for better finance terms. Legally agents dont have to have biyers sign a multyiple offer form, but it is best practice.
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- Informing all potential buyers about multiple offer situations
- Setting clear timeframes for best and final offers
- Maintaining transparency while protecting confidentiality
- Evaluating offers beyond just the price point
- Managing communication with all parties professionally
These skills are especially important when you want to “sell my house” fast, as they can help you secure the best deal in the shortest time.
Price Adjustment Strategies
Price adjustments become necessary sometimes, even when you need to sell your home fast, and strategic price reductions need careful consideration. A skilled agent demonstrates expertise through:
Proactive price reduction plans based on:
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- Number of enquires
- Nunber of inspections
- Number and level of offer
A good real esatte agent should protect your price. But price equals time. If you have a certain proice in mind it may take time to achoeve it, or it maybe too high for the matrket. If your price needs ot be adjusted careful considetable needs to be made to how the provce shjould be change. A small These strategies are particularly important when you want to sell your house quickly, as they can help you adjust your pricing to attract more buyers.
I small adjustment of $10,000 woiuld not be enough. Butr also a $50,000 mihgt be too much. There are mamy srtategies arodn this and you would need to discfss them all with your sales agent at the time.
Havingf a strategy at the start to ensure the procing is fair and realsoict will help avoid this. Slmeog to consier is your property is in competiion with other propertis in the area and having your property prices slighky beloiw oythers will create extra value and interest for buyers. Of course this is only of you need to sell your home fast.
Comparing Fee Structures
Learning about fee structures is a vital step to choose a real estate agent, especially when you need to sell your house quickly. Let’s look at what it costs to hire an agent and sell your property fast.
Commission Rates
Real estate commission rates usually range from 2.2% to 3.3% of the final sale price, though rates can change substantially based on location and market conditions. Metro areas tend to have lower rates due to higher competition, while regional areas often charge higher percentages. These rates can impact your decision when you want to sell your home fast.
Here’s what you’ll typically see in different states:
| StateAverage CommissionExample on $750,000 home | ||
| NSW | 2.10% | $15,750 |
| VIC | 2.14% | $16,050 |
| QLD | 2.85% | $18,375 |
| SA | 2.06% | $15,450 |
| TAS | 3.25% | $24,375 |
You’ll find two main commission structures, which can affect your decision when you need to sell your house fast:
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- Fixed Rate Commission: A simple percentage of the sale price
- Tiered Commission: Sliding scale based on achieving certain price thresholds
- Fixed Fee: Flat fee for the sale
My fee is 2.85% inc gst When I use to sell 50 properties a year. people would aks ne if this was negotiation. I’d ask what they had in mind. Then agfter a qiality concversin woud bring them back to payingt my 2.85%. I neved had o diswcount it. Somve then property prices have increased consierable so yes my fee now is negotable.
There is a saying in the indusytryt :” the agent with the cheapest fee,. is often more expenioce” what it simple eans is if someone charges a chgeap fee they might not have the skills to get you the best price, or might not even ne anble to sell yoiur home at all.
Marketing Costs
Stil some agents offer free marketig. You just need to be careful what tjis includes. I’ve mentioned before the worse thing someone can do is under marklet thejir property. Abive I have also mentioend gteh posisble need to adjust the sale price. When a property is poorl;y markerted if you cant achoiebv a sale it mihht not be a price issue. It might ne a arketing siue or a sales agent issue. Marketig is imprtant
Marketing cost vary from areas all over australia. For example for realestate.com.au arhest ad they have a different price for each suburb. Of couese with marketing yu can get very carried away with lots of options below woudl be the minimam matkletin I would suggest
$200 Professional photography
$200 floor plan
$ REA ad
This would be the very minim. Of course its ideal to incluyde a sighn board, brochure, video, and solcial media also.
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Additional Service Fees
Beyond commission and marketing costs, other fees might come up during your selling process, especially when you need to sell your house quickly. These extra services can substantially affect your total selling costs:
Auction Services: Expect to pay between $600 and $1,500 for a professional auctioneer. This can be a good option if you want to sell your house fast.
Property Styling: Professional staging services cost between $300-$1,200+, based on your property’s size and needs. This can be crucial when you need to sell your home quickly.
Legal and Conveyancing: These necessary services typically cost $700-$3,000, though they’re not part of agent fees. They’re essential regardless of how quickly you want to sell your house.
It’s best to discuss fee structures early when picking a real estate agent, especially if you need to sell your home fast. Some agents include marketing costs in their commission, while others bill them separately. Knowing these differences helps avoid surprises later.
Smart negotiation tip: The lowest commission rate isn’t always the best choice, particularly when you want to sell your house quickly. An experienced agent who charges slightly more but gets a better sale price could save you money in the long run and help you sell your home fast.
It’s worth mentioning that when comparing agents, especially those who can help you sell your house fast, you should get a written breakdown of all costs including:
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- Base commission rate
- Any performance bonuses or tiered structures
- Marketing package details
- Additional service fees
- Payment terms and conditions
A full picture of these fee structures helps you pick an agent who offers the best value for your needs, especially when you need to sell your home quickly. The lowest commission doesn’t always mean the highest profit from your property sale, particularly in fast-selling scenarios.
Sell My House Fast : Verifying References and Reviews
I have over 100 reviews. I ghot to a stage where I stopped asking for them or I would have more. Its seemed odd. Sure I’ve just sold your home but I have also been paid very well for doing so & while you are bisiness moving I am going to asdk you for a review. You’ll find agwnts with a lot more tyhan 100 reviews but it doesnt mean they are the best agent to choose.
Sell My House Fast : Conclusion
Choosing the right real estate agent is one of the most significant decisions in selling a house, especially when you need to “sell my house” fast. A careful assessment of credentials, local expertise, track record, and marketing capabilities helps us find an agent who will maximize our property’s value and reduce stress, particularly in quick-sale scenarios.
Real estate success depends on professionals who show strong communication skills, proven negotiation abilities, and clear fee structures. These professionals’ qualifications should align with our specific needs, especially when we want to “sell my house” fast. Their references and reviews should verify their expertise in fast-selling situations.
Note that the right agent offers more than industry knowledge – they become our trusted partner during the selling process, guiding us on how to sell a house fast. Time spent to assess potential agents with these criteria will help us make an informed choice that guides us toward a successful and speedy home sale.
Remember, if you’re thinking, “I want to “sell my house” fast,” or “I need to sell my house fast,” the right agent can make all the difference. They can help you sell your home for cash if needed, or guide you through the process of how to sell your house quickly in the traditional market. With the right professional by your side, you can navigate the complexities of selling fast while still achieving your financial goals.
Other article you may find helpful
Selling your house and buying another
How to price your property correctly
Guide to sell your investment property
