How can I sell my house fast?

Written by Michael FrankeLast reviewed: November 2, 2026

The fastest ways to sell a house are to price it below competing listings, to sell to a local cash buyer, to sell to an iBuyer such as Opendoor or Offerpad, or to take it to auction. A cash buyer or iBuyer removes showings and the buyer's mortgage, which are the two slowest parts of a sale. The trade-off is price: speed and certainty usually cost you some of what the house could bring on the open market.

Selling in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Tennessee or Georgia? Get a written cash offer in 24 hours, no obligation.

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The four options side by side

Option	How it works and what it costs
Price to sell	List slightly under comparable homes. Still needs showings and a financed buyer, with about 37 days for the loan to close (ICE).
Local cash buyer	One visit, a written offer, and a closing date you pick. No showings, repairs or financing. The offer reflects the house as it is.
iBuyer	Opendoor charges a 5% service fee plus a condition adjustment and advertises closing in 21 to 60+ days (10-K); Offerpad advertises 5% plus about 1% closing costs and 8 to 60 days (Offerpad). Both favor newer homes in good shape.
Auction	A fixed sale date, but no reliable public data on prices, and you may still need a buyer who can close.

What to watch for with any fast sale

Compare the net amount you keep, not the headline offer. In 2022 the FTC alleged that Opendoor's offers were often below market value and that its costs were higher than it told sellers; Opendoor agreed to pay $62 million to settle (FTC).

A UC San Diego study of about two million sales found all-cash buyers in general paid about 10% less than mortgage buyers, with the gap ranging from about 6% to 17% by market (UC San Diego). That covers every kind of cash buyer, not only companies that buy houses, but it is the best independent measure of the price of speed.

Before you sign with any buyer, read are cash home buyers legit? for the warning signs.

Get ready to sell in days, not months

Request your mortgage payoff statement; the servicer must send it within seven business days of a written request (12 CFR 1026.36).
Find your deed and latest property tax bill.
List any liens, unpaid taxes or code violations so the title company can plan for them.
If the owner has died or is in foreclosure, read the rules for your state in our state guides.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to sell a house?

A sale to a cash buyer who buys as-is, because there are no showings, no repairs and no mortgage approval. The closing date depends mainly on title work.

Do iBuyers buy houses in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Georgia?

Opendoor says it buys across the contiguous U.S. and has city pages for Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta and Indianapolis. Offerpad lists Atlanta, Columbus and Indianapolis. Both tend to pass on older homes that need major work.

Will I get less if I sell fast?

Usually some, in exchange for certainty and no repair or holding costs. Compare your net after commissions, repairs and months of carrying costs against the cash offer.

Sources

Checked against each source on November 2, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.

May 2026 Mortgage Monitor (ICE)
Opendoor Technologies Form 10-K, fiscal year 2025 (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR))
How it works (Offerpad)
FTC takes action to stop online home buying firm Opendoor Labs Inc. from cheating potential sellers (Federal Trade Commission)
All-cash home buyers pay 10% less than mortgage buyers (UC San Diego Today)
12 CFR 1026.36(c)(3) (payoff statements) (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)