Selling a House in Indiana? Expert Tips to Sell Faster

8 hours ago 2

If you’re selling a house in Indiana this year, you may be feeling a bit anxious. With high interest rates and affordability concerns, it’s taking longer to find a buyer, and sellers are making concessions to get a purchase agreement.

To help you compete and sell more quickly, we spoke with Kyle Williams, a top-rated agent in the Indianapolis market who sells homes 44% faster than average agents. He shares key strategies on pricing, preparation, and seller incentives that can help attract serious buyers and reduce days on market.

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Understanding the Indiana housing market

Indiana has seen a 10% increase in home listings compared to last year. As buyers have additional options, this creates a more competitive landscape.

“Like other regions, inventory is growing, and buyers are able to view several homes before making a decision,” Williams says. “But the current housing market in Indiana is stable and healthy.”

According to a recent HomeLight survey of top agents, even with more homes for sale, sellers in Indiana and the Midwest still have more bargaining power than sellers in most other parts of the country.

Just how long it will take to sell your Indiana home depends on several key factors, including:

How you price your home
Property condition and curb appeal
The time of the year you list
Location and nearby amenities
Concessions or incentives you’re offering
The expertise of your agent

In Indiana, the current Days on Market (DOM) — the time from listing to signed contract — ranges from 40 to 70 days, depending on when you put your home up for sale. Homes tend to sell quicker in the spring and summer months of May and June when more families are making moves.

The median home price in Indiana is around $260,000, up nearly 8% from last year.

Learn more: The Fastest Way to Sell a House

Pricing your Indiana home to compete

With more homes on the market in the Hoosier State, pricing strategy is more important than ever. Williams, who works with nearly 70% more single-family homes than average Indianapolis agents, advises sellers to be realistic about their property’s market value.

“Sellers need to be careful and not list at an ‘aspirational price,’” he explains. “Look at the data and comps closely, and decide with your agent the best and most competitive price possible. Do not price high and ‘see what happens.’ If you do, the house will sit.”

“Comps” stands for comparable recently sold or listed nearby homes. Top agents like Williams provide their seller clients with a comparative market analysis (CMA), a comprehensive list-price planning report that includes the following:

Comparable properties: Agents typically look at at least three homes that are similar in size and features, and have sold within the last 90 days.
Property details: The home’s age, condition, style, square footage, lot size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and any significant improvements.
Market trends: The report will consider how long homes are on the local market, the number of available houses in the area, and sales and pricing history.

Williams says the two biggest mistakes Indiana sellers make are: “Pricing high and ‘hoping someone will bite,’ and not listening to their agent who has an unbiased opinion of the home.”

Learn more: When Pricing Your Home to Sell, Let Market Trends Guide You

How are homes priced in your city? You can view recently sold Indiana homes at this link, and current Indiana homes for sale at this link. If you’re curious about what your home might be worth, try HomeLight’s Home Value Estmator for a ballpark price.

Home preparations that pay off in Indiana

What it takes to prepare your home for sale in Indiana can vary depending on where you live and how well it has been maintained. Indiana has many different types of landscapes, including dunes, forests, prairies, and wetlands, each of which can affect your house differently.

Williams and other top agents in the state agree that you need to put your home’s best foot forward in a market with hesitant buyers and higher inventory. Here is a list of preparations and incentives to consider to help you attract buyers and sell your Indiana home faster:

Take down your personal photos: Create a space where potential buyers can visualize themselves living in the home.
Make targeted curb appeal improvements: Paint the front door, mow the lawn, plant brightly-colored flowers, or consider hiring a professional landscaper.
Focus on the right repairs: Fix broken screens, fill holes and cracks in walls, repair leaky faucets, replace broken fixtures, and straighten sagging gutters.
Paint with neutral colors: Select neutral colors and decor to make the house more versatile and appealing to a wider range of homebuyers.
Highlight what buyers want: Focus on showcasing the home’s unique selling points, such as updated kitchens and bathrooms.
Consider purchasing a pre-listing inspection. By addressing any issues identified early on, you can show buyers that you have maintained the home well.
Hire an expert photographer: High-quality photos are a must to attract buyers, especially considering nearly all home searches start online.
Write a potent listing description: Highlight key features and create an engaging picture of the lifestyle that the property offers.
Post your listing online: In addition to the multiple listing services (MLS), post your home sale information on social media platforms like Facebook, X, and Nextdoor.
Leverage offline marketing: Consider timeless methods like distributing color flyers or postcards in key local areas.
Include video or 3D tours: Providing additional ways for buyers to view the home online can significantly increase your chances of showings.
Be flexible with showings: Allow showings on weekends and evenings to accommodate home shoppers who may be working during the day.
Highlight attractions, amenities, and lifestyle: If you are marketing to out-of-state buyers, promote the unique benefits of where your home is located.
Offer buyer incentives: To accelerate the sale, offer incentives such as paying the buyer’s agent’s commission, providing a home warranty, or funding an interest rate buydown.

As you go through your house and build a pre-listing prep plan, Williams says it’s helpful to think like a buyer. Consider what upgrades would tilt the scales in your favor. “Indian buyers look for updated kitchens and baths, new flooring, fun and creative outdoor living spaces, and nice big garages and basements.”

Today’s buyers expect more, and Indiana home sellers who meet those expectations are more likely to sell faster and closer to asking price.

Learn more: The top Must-Haves Buyers Want in a Home

Connect With a Top Agent to Sell Your Indiana Home

It takes just two minutes to match clients with the best real estate agents, who will contact you and guide you through the process. To connect with an agent, simply tell us a little bit about your property and how soon you’re looking to sell.

Our data shows the top 5% of agents across the U.S. help clients sell their home for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent.

How to buy a house before you sell in Indiana

Top agents like Williams also have modern tools that can help homeowners buy before they sell, so you can sell your Indiana house vacant and potentially staged for higher proceeds.

HomeLight’s innovative Buy Before You Sell program unlocks your existing equity to streamline the entire buy-sell process. You can make a strong, non-contingent offer on your next house and only move once. Watch the 80-second video below to learn more:

Selling a house in Indiana? Partner with an expert

If you’re preparing to sell your Indiana home, your best first step is finding the right real estate agent. An experienced local agent can help you avoid costly missteps, identify the best pricing strategy, and make your home stand out.

“We are in a shifting market where there are more homes available and the days on the market are getting longer,” Williams says. “Be patient and trust your agent for pricing and marketing strategies before and during the listing.”

HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform analyzes millions of transactions and thousands of reviews to connect you with top-performing agents in your Indiana city who have a proven record of fast, high-quality sales.

Learn more: Find more helpful guides in HomeLight’s Seller Resource Center

Here are search links to some of the top agents in 10 Indiana markets: