Tips For Selling Your Home in 2025 — Advice from Experts

Agent-assisted vs for sale by owner (FSBO) home sale

Some sellers choose not to work with a real estate agent to avoid paying agent commissions. Traditionally, these commissions have been around 5% to 6% of the home’s sale price, split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent, with the seller typically covering the cost.

However, recent changes following the National Association of Realtors® (NAR)’s landmark settlement are expected to lower agent commissions. Sellers are no longer required to pay the buyer’s agent fee, as buyers are now encouraged to negotiate directly with their agents.

Still, many sellers opt to cover the buyer’s agent fee to attract more buyers and facilitate a quicker sale. When combined with the listing agent’s fee, this can total around 6% of the home’s sale price. To avoid these costs, some sellers turn to the for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) approach, managing the sale themselves.

While the FSBO route seems to be more cost-effective, you could actually lose more money in the process. The thing is, with their expertise and wealth of experience, top agents can help you get more money for your home sale — negating the supposed savings of selling on your own. NAR reports that FSBO homes sold for a median of $380,000, far lower than the median selling price of agent-assisted homes, which was $435,000.

What a top selling agent offers

Whether your goal is to sell your home fast or for the most amount of money possible, a top agent has the resources and skills necessary to help you achieve it. They know what buyers are interested in, and how to find those buyers.

Agents also handle all of the marketing, showings, and open houses. Then, when offers start coming in, they help you analyze each one and decide which is the best offer for you. In addition to price, you also have to take contingencies into account and be ready to negotiate with the buyer’s agent.

“Sellers need to work with someone who has the negotiating skills to negotiate the best offer on their terms. And those negotiating skills are going to be different than they were three to six months ago,” says Ricky O’Neal, a top real estate agent in Folsom, California, referring to the ever-changing housing market.

Clean, repair, and upgrade

Before you list your house, you’ll want to make sure that it’s in the condition that buyers are expecting, which will depend on your local market.

For example, in seller’s markets with low inventories, buyers are more likely to look the other way when it comes to certain fixes. But if inventory is higher, buyers will have more choosing power and might expect a house that’s more up to snuff.

“Staging, new paint, and decluttering offer more than an increase in price,” says Stacy Stanley, a top real estate agent in Grass Valley, California. “It determines how desirable the home is to the market, how many offers it gets, and how fast it sells.”

Deep cleaning

Regardless of what kind of market you’re in, buyers want a clean home. Make sure your house is spotless before you put it on the market or take any photos. If you’re not confident in your cleaning ability, hire a professional cleaner to come in and do a move-out deep clean.

Repairs

Your real estate agent can help you determine what repairs are necessary before the sale. For example, in a market with a healthy amount of inventory, buyers will likely expect some basic necessities, like a roof that doesn’t leak and an HVAC system that is up-to-date and runs smoothly.

You may also consider getting a pre-listing inspection. During a pre-listing inspection, an inspector comes through your home and determines any problem points. If you don’t fix these problems, you could risk a low appraisal or not passing the buyer’s inspection, two things that can tank your sale.

Easy upgrades

Your agent might also suggest some light upgrades you can make around the house, such as a fresh coat of paint inside or outside, or ripping up tired carpeting. These easy projects usually have a good return on investment in the home sale.

Larger projects, such as remodeling a bathroom or kitchen, will usually not get you as much money back in your final sale. If you’re in a seller’s market, many buyers won’t expect every room to be perfect — just clean and generally up-to-date.

Boost curb appeal

Curb appeal will always be a driving factor in home sales. You want to make a good first impression on your buyers when they drive up to see your home.

“The first few seconds of visualization of the house sets the tone for the buyer,” says Steve Bacardi, top real estate agent in Naples, Florida. “Poor landscaping and dead grass sets connotation for viewing of the home. Inside the home could be spectacular, but if curb appeal isn’t good, it won’t matter.”

Powerwash or repaint as necessary

In addition to giving the exterior of your home a fresh coat of paint, you might want to powerwash it. Dirt can build up on your window panes and in the grooves of your siding, and while you may be used to it, buyers with fresh eyes will notice. If you’re not comfortable with power washers and ladders, you can hire a professional.

Landscaping

Landscaping might seem like nothing but heavy-lift projects, but there are plenty of quick fixes you can make. If your plants or shrubbery have overgrown, make sure to cut them back for a neater look.

You can also re-mulch your flower beds or gardens to make everything look fresh. Plant seasonal flowers and greenery that will give a pop of color to your home without adding too much maintenance for new buyers.

Feature or create a useable outdoor space

If you have a patio or a deck, make sure it’s clean and staged with the proper outdoor furniture. If you don’t have a patio or deck, you can put the furniture right in your yard and even put up a pergola if you don’t want to commit to building an outdoor feature.

Prepare for marketing

Before you list your home, you’ll want to make sure it’s ready for its close-up. You’ve already cleaned and upgraded your home, so now comes the final touches.

Depersonalize

Make sure to take down any personal items, such as family photos, trophies, or memorabilia. Buyers want to imagine themselves in the home, and it will be hard to do so when they see your stuff everywhere.

Stage

Your agent should know a stager who can make your house shine. Often, they’ll be able to use some of your furniture, but be prepared to put a lot of stuff in storage for the remainder of the home sale.

Photos

Professional listing photos are a must. Work with an agent-recommended photographer once your home is staged. Or, if you don’t have time to stage the home, work with a photographer who can use virtual staging.

Sell at the right time

When you decide to sell can make a big difference in the result of your home sale. Of course, if you’re in a rush, you might not have any say in the matter.

“Most buying and selling decisions have to do with something going on in your life,” says Tom Schieber, an agent in Brentwood, California. “A new job, a loss of job, a job transfer, a growing family, an empty-nester.”

However, when you choose to sell can make a difference depending on where you live. For areas that get lots of snow in the winter, the warmer months are typically a better time to sell. But for warmer areas, the fall is often better. And no matter what, summer will bring out families looking to move while their kids are out of school.

Find the best time of year for you to sell using HomeLight’s Best Time to Sell calculator.

Price correctly

Pricing your home is a complicated process, and an incredibly important one. Pricing wrong could mean leaving money on the table, or a longer home sale. A great place to start is with an estimate of your home’s value from HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator tool.

A top real estate agent will know how to price your home properly by using a comparative market analysis (CMA). In a CMA, an agent finds homes similar to yours in your area that have recently sold. They use the sales prices to determine the best sales price for you.

In a seller’s market, when inventory is low, and buyers have fewer choices, you can typically price your home higher. But in a buyer’s market, when inventory is high, and buyers have more power, you’ll want to price your home more competitively.

This is especially important to limit the number of days your house spends on the market. Houses that have been sitting for sale for a while can turn off buyers, who may suspect the home is either overpriced or in need of significant work.

Know your options

If working with an agent doesn’t work for your plans, consider getting an all-cash offer from an investor. Use HomeLight’s Simple Sale to see what an all-cash offer could look like without any commitments.

But if you’re willing to take the time, make sure to work with a top real estate agent who understands the nuances of your local market. HomeLight can connect you with an experienced agent in your market who’s the best fit for your selling needs.