3 Proven Strategies to Sell My House Fast in Houston

If you have a home you need to sell quickly in Houston, you have a few options:

• Sell your home with an agent who understands your need for speed.
• Sell to an iBuyer if you have a home in good shape.
• Sell to a We Buy Houses company if your home needs repairs.

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. If you're prioritizing speed above all else, you'll likely need to sacrifice some money to price the home to sell. However, if you need to sell fast because you need to move for a new job or sell an inherited home you can't afford to take care of, giving up some money for speed can be worth it.

Below, we've laid out the best options for selling your Houston home quickly. Keep reading to see which choice fits your situation.

To get cash offers right now, sign up for Clever Offers. A local agent will gather and compare offers for you from leading iBuyers and We Buy Houses companies. Your agent will help you negotiate to get the best price and provide you with a free home valuation so you know what your home is worth on the open market.

Start comparing offers now!

What to expect when selling a home in Houston

In Texas, homes usually sell the fastest during June and slowest during January.

To set expectations for your selling timeline in Texas, look at two factors:

• Median days on market: Number of days before a seller accepts an offer
• Average time to sell: Number of days on market until offer, plus the average number of days to close

Average time to sell a house in Texas

In Texas, the current average time to sell is 7.2% faster than than the national average.

» LEARN MORE: Average Time to Sell a House in Texas

How to sell my house fast in Houston

Best option: Sell your house quickly with an agent

Selling with an agent is almost always the best way to sell for the most money, even if you need to sell quickly. If you want to sell your home faster than the average 77 days in Texas, a good agent can work with you to speed up the sale, but you might need to reduce the price to attract more buyers.

Other costs that'll cut into your profit when selling with an agent include your agent's commission, the buyer's agent's commission, and closing costs. You can learn more about the costs involved in selling a house in Texas here.

While an agent can get the most money for your home, using one isn't necessarily the fastest way to sell. Selling to an iBuyer or a We Buy Houses for Cash company might only take a few weeks since these companies pay cash. You won't need to wait around for financing to be approved like you would with a traditional sale.

Selling with an agent is best for…

• People with homes in good condition
• People with at least 30 days to sell
• People who want to sell fast while making the most money

Tips to sell fast with an agent

One benefit of using an agent is their knowledge of the local market, which is very valuable when seeking a quick home sale. Along with your own agent's advice, here are some other tips to sell your home quickly from Rylie Schroeder of Coldwell Banker and Lone Wolf Realty Group in Texas.

Make sure your agent has a complete marketing plan. "It's vital that your agent has a solid marketing plan for your home," says Schroeder. "Professional photographs are a must—they will capture the attention of any potential buyers as soon as it hits the market."

Price your home competitively. Schroeder says "To say there is a magic number would be doing the client a disservice. Generally speaking, clients are searching in increments of $25,000, so listing $25k under the most reasonable comp could be a good start to ensure it captures the largest audience."

Tell your agent if you're open to cash offers from investors. Schroeder says to "Find yourself a savvy realtor, like myself, who has partnerships with trusted companies who can turn any buyer into a cash buyer, creating a quick closing for sellers."

Keep the home in great condition to avoid delays during the closing process. "Have any repairs negotiated done well ahead of time and provide receipts early on so that the buyer isn't left second guessing," advises Schroeder. "Additionally, leaving the home in great condition during the final walk through will ensure the buyers feel confident heading to the closing table. Ensuring the appraiser can access the home as soon as it's requested can help avoid delays as well."

Better option: Sell to an iBuyer

iBuyers make near-instant, all-cash offers on your home. Typically, iBuyers only purchase homes in good condition, so if you have major problems with your home, you likely won't qualify.

Typical iBuyer purchase criteria include:

• 🏠 Built after 1930
• 💰 Valued at $100,000–600,000
• 🌲 Located on 1.5 acres or less
• 👤 Owner-occupied

iBuyers are still a relatively new way to sell a house — only 27% of homeowners fully understand what they are. Before you consider using one, research how iBuyers work and familiarize yourself with the top iBuyers across the U.S.

Selling to an iBuyer is best for…

• People with homes in good condition and meet iBuyer criteria
• People who are willing to sacrifice about 10% of the sale price for a guaranteed fast sale
• People who don't want to show their homes or conduct open houses

Sell to Opendoor in Houston

You'll pay additional fees of about 1–3% in closing costs and another 1–2% in deductions for repairs requested by Opendoor. When we reviewed Opendoor, we noticed some customers complained about expensive repair costs, but others gave high marks for its fast, seamless transactions.

Sell to Offerpad in Houston

Count on paying about 1–3% in closing costs along with Offerpad's 5% service fee. When we looked into customer reviews for our Offerpad review, we found many customers who appreciated the company for its excellent communication and customer service. But some customers were disappointed with reductions in their offer price after the home inspection.

Beware of the 1% cancellation fee if you back out of the deal beyond four days after the inspection.

Good option: Sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company

The fastest way to sell your home in Houston is to sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company, which can close in about a week or two. These companies are made up of investors who buy homes in any condition. They pay cash, so they can quickly close without waiting for financing to be approved.

The downside to using a We Buy Houses company is that they only pay up to 70% of the home's value, as they work the cost of repairs into the offer price.

Just about all We Buy Houses companies in Houston have the same buying process. After you reach out to the company, it'll send a representative to tour your home. After the walkthrough — sometimes the same day — the company will present you with an offer.

You're not obligated to accept the offer, so get quotes from several companies to compare.

We Buy Houses companies are best for…

• People who want to sell their homes in as-is condition
• Sellers with no iBuyer option in the region
• People with inherited homes (for more info, see our Stress-Free Guide to Selling an Inherited House)

How to choose a We Buy Houses for Cash company in Houston

Houston has many We Buy Houses companies to choose from. You can get started by reading our top We Buy Houses for Cash companies in Houston.

When you're looking for a We Buy Houses company, pay attention to two things: its customer reviews and how quickly it can close on your home. Some cash-for-homes companies can close on your home in just a week, while others take up to a month.

People who have been disappointed with a low offer from a cash buyer company might wonder if We Buy Houses companies are a ripoff. While their prices might seem like lowball offers, cash buyer companies are focused on making a profit, so they have to leave room for renovation expenses in the offer. If the price seems too low for you, there's no obligation to accept it — you can just walk away.

Why trust us

Jon Stubbs has spent hundreds of hours researching ways to sell homes quickly. This research includes interviewing real estate agents and representatives from iBuyers and cash buyer companies. The author has written dozens of articles on selling homes with a listing agent as well as non-traditional selling methods.

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