6 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Sell Fast (& Above Asking Price)

Before overhauling your entire kitchen, consider simply painting the existing cabinets. A fresh coat cost about $1,319 on average, and homes that did so typically sold ten days faster than ones that didn’t, according to data provided by Knock, a homebuying site.

This is especially beneficial if your kitchen’s painted an, ahem, polarizing color. In 2021, Zillow found that homes with red kitchens tended to sell for $5,000 less than others. If you’re thinking of repainting with ROI in mind, stick to a crisp white or another neutral.)

2. Play Up the Size of Your Backyard

Since the pandemic started, backyards have been more popular than ever. A December 2021 survey of 1,000+ new homeowners found that more than half—nearly 53 percent—bought a house with a spacious front or backyard. If you have one, play it up in your listing photos: Stage a hangout space, perhaps with a cozy throw strewn across the patio furniture and two glasses of wine on the bistro table, and snap a few pics at golden hour.

It’s time to take curb appeal quite literally. A home stager once told us people make up their mind on a house in the first seven seconds of arriving—the details from seeing the exterior and the initial vibe they get will only confirm their decision or chip away at it. So, it makes sense that Knock’s data also found a good power washing can set you back $480, but it can also help a home sell six days faster than average. (That number will be much lower if you already own a pressure washer.) That clean, pristine look goes a long way.

4. Get Your Shrubs in Order

A tidy row of shrubs along the foundation of the house, a well-trimmed statement tree and a colorful pop of flowers can have a huge impact on how people perceive your home. Seriously—a Virginia Tech study found that upgrading from a patchy field of grass to a more layered, colorful landscape can increase your home’s perceived value by ten to 12 percent.

Across the board, every Realtor and home stager we’ve spoken to has confirmed: Your clutter can kill a sale. Even if that means asking a friend or relative—or paying for a storage unit—to take a few bins of your stuff, the more you can do to present a streamlined, easy to navigate space, the more enjoyable the home tour will be. And the more favorably potential buyers will remember your space.

6. Include These Words in Your Listing

Yes, you want plenty of pictures, but words matter too: Roughly 85 percent of buyers found detailed descriptions of a property very useful in their home search. That means zeroing in on the target market for your home—a single owner? A new family? A growing family? Downsizing retirees?—and working with your real estate agent to cater the language you use to appeal to them. Beyond that, there are some buzzwords that resonate across the board: new, updated/upgraded, open floor plan, energy-efficient, granite countertops, hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings and views. That last one, in particular, can be powerful. Realtor.com reported a surge in searches for “views”—of every kind—so even if your home isn’t waterfront, if there’s some kind of view you can mention (such as a charming glimpse of the garden as you do the dishes from the kitchen), call it out. It’ll help the buyer envision themselves living in your place, which is step one for getting them to make an offer.