I Need to Sell My House Fast in Phoenix: What Are My Options?

Who else will buy your Phoenix house for cash?

There are other ways to secure a cash offer for your Phoenix home. Here are a few options to consider:

iBuyers are real estate companies that buy and resell homes quickly by leveraging algorithms and technology to boost their profits. They will let you choose your move-out date if you’re living in the house or need some time to empty it, and typically close as quickly as 10-14 days after a seller accepts an offer. iBuyers make their money on a slim margin across numerous home sales, so their offers tend to be the closest to the market rate (typically 90% of a home’s value).

Property investors are in it for the long haul. They don’t aim for quick profits but instead rely on rental income in the short term and property value appreciation in the long term. Property investors look for homes that require minimal repairs before being rental-ready.

Flippers are basically short-term investors who specialize in buying homes that require a bit of TLC. They purchase these fixer-upper houses, make updates to improve them, and then sell them for a profit. Since their strategy hinges on boosting a property’s value through renovations, they usually target homes in need of substantial repairs.

Cash buyers in Phoenix

AZ Home Buyer has an A+ BBB Accreditation, has purchased over 800 homes in the Phoenix area, and offers a $30,000 earnest deposit for home purchases. The company has been in business for 15 years and its founder, Landon Luchtel, works directly with many of the home sellers.

We Buy Ugly Houses has an A+ BBB Accreditation. Operating nationwide, they have worked with over 140,000 homeowners and make cash offers immediately after viewing. Closing takes as little as three weeks (or later if you prefer).

Express Home Buyers has an A- BBB Accreditation. Sellers in a hurry can close as quickly as a week from first contact. The company will provide up to a $10,000 cash advance to help with moving expenses.

Doug Hopkins is a local real estate agent who is considered one of the top buyers of foreclosure properties in Arizona. He has a 4.6-star rating on Google and can get you a no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours.

The Trusted Home Buyer is an Arizona-based cash buyer with an A+ BBB Accreditation. The company will make a cash offer on the spot or within 24 hours of inspecting the property. You also get to close on your chosen date.

Valley Home Buyer has an A+ BBB Accreditation. The company specializes in helping people facing foreclosure or selling inherited property. Its founder has been an active house buyer since 1996. Valley Home Buyer can typically get you an offer in 24-48 hours and close a sale in one to two weeks.

Pros and cons of selling your Phoenix home for cash

As with anything, there are pros and cons to selling your home quickly for cash.

Option 2: Work with a top agent to sell fast in Phoenix

Working with a top agent in Phoenix can be a good option for sellers who would like to sell faster than average, but who have some time to devote to a traditional sale vs. an instant cash offer.

HomeLight data shows that top agents sell their clients’ homes 10%-50% faster than average agents, and get 4.8% more on the sales prices.

As Phoenix-based real estate agent Kelly Cook, who has nearly 20 years of experience, explains, working with an agent who really understands your area is key. “Real estate is very localized; one neighborhood can be very different from one right across the street.”

If you still want to sell quickly but have a little more time than the cash offer route, this can be a great strategy to both sell quickly and maximize your home sale to help pay down debt, decrease the sting of divorce, or increase a loved one’s estate after their passing.

How fast are homes selling in Phoenix?

Phoenix agent Jennifer Wehner, who has nearly 3,000 real estate transactions, explains that “because of the population growth, we still have higher demand than in other areas. Low supply has been a nationwide problem for the last 10 years. We’ve underbuilt for the last 15, and we would need to build two million homes per year at the national level to just come up to today’s demand. And by the time we were able to build those homes, we’d have more people.”

In addition, Phoenix is a special city with multiple reasons people are looking to move to — and buy in — the area. Wehner shares, “We have the most adult colleges here. We have Amazon. We’ve got Intel. We’ve got the Taiwan microchip industry. We are still close to California, and because we’re more business-friendly, a lot of headquarters and big businesses are coming here.”

All of this impacts housing demand and prices. Take a look at the chart below to find out how fast homes in Phoenix are selling and how long it typically takes to go under contract.

*Does not include time for buyer to close the loan 

Data source(s): FRED®, ARMLS

8 expert tips to sell a home fast in Phoenix

Selling a home fast while still earning as much money as possible is a delicate dance. Here are some expert tips to speed up the timeline for your Phoenix home sale:

1. Set your price competitively

In any market, pricing correctly is key to generating interest in a property and bringing in competitive offers. It’s even more important when you’re trying to sell quickly but want to balance proceeds with speed.

“Many buyers out there were affected by paying over list price in the past,” says Tina Tamboer, a senior housing analyst with the Cromford Report, which tracks the local Phoenix residential real estate market. “Appraisals have become much more important to buyers. But if you’re not grossly overpriced, you’re going to sell your house quickly.”

Phoenix’s sale-to-list price ratio is nearing 99%, indicating a balanced market. If you want to get the maximum amount of money for your house and shorten your selling timeline, working with a top agent is the way to go. An experienced agent will perform a comparative market analysis (CMA) to help you figure out the right price for selling your house quickly in your area.

If you’re curious about your home’s current value, check out HomeLight’s free Home Value Estimator. While it shouldn’t dictate your final pricing strategy, an online home value estimate can give you a ballpark price range. It takes less than two minutes to get a preliminary estimate, all you need to do is answer seven simple questions.

2. Hire a professional photographer and videographer

According to the National Association of Realtors®’ 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 100% of homebuyers used the internet to search for a home last year. Survey respondents considered photos, listing descriptions, and floorplans to be the most valuable content on real estate websites.

Potential buyers will most likely come across your listing online, making professional photos and videos the key to capturing their attention. The first six photos of your listing are critical, according to Wehner, so she has her clients prioritize the most important features of the house, whether it’s a gorgeous kitchen, a three-car garage, or a yard that backs up to a green space.

3. Make the home stand out

It’s important to make your home seem “special” before you list it. Add fresh paint where needed, update any outdated trends in the home, and do a deep clean to make sure the home is in top condition.

Wehner offers her clients multiple resources and benefits to help a home stand out to buyers, including photography, social media marketing, staging recommendations, and even help to prioritize which repairs and upgrades will get noticed and give sellers the most bang for their buck.

4. Showcase your outdoor space

According to Deckorators’ 2024 outdoor trends report, homeowners are looking for multi-use outdoor spaces, and features like bar rails, privacy walls, heated elements, and outdoor kitchens. To entice buyers, consider staging your backyard or patio with a lounge area or including your gas fire pit in the sale of the home.

5. Market additional garage and storage space

Three-car garages are surprisingly popular with out-of-towners moving to Phoenix. People from the East Coast and Midwest are used to having basements and ample closet storage space, which is less common in Phoenix. So the extra garage space can provide additional storage or even just indoor space for guests’ cars.

6. Advertise proximity and walkability

Walkability is important for many buyers. Be sure to mention any parks, coffee shops, restaurants, or other attractions that are within walking distance of your property.

Proximity to other services can also play a role in selling your home. Highlight if you’re near the airport for frequent travelers or close to major office complexes for those who are commuting to work. If you’re in a great school district, point that out for families.

However, Wehner also advises that if your house backs up on a busy street or is in an undesirable neighborhood, own that right up front in the listing. This way, you aren’t wasting your time with viewings that will never result in an offer, and know your selling price will be lower.

Proximity to highways can be a good thing for commuters or a negative for those with small children, so make sure to reference that, whether you’re close or far away.

7. Promote space for extra lodging or a home office

If your property has an auxiliary dwelling unit (ADU), such as a mother-in-law suite, emphasize that in your listing. Tell buyers if you have a home office or simply stage that extra room as an office. If you are selling a home with large square footage, leverage this.

8. Take advantage of market timing

Along with the recommendations above, it can be helpful to know the level of market activity in your area during different times of the year. HomeLight’s Best Time to Sell Calculator uses housing market data for your area to show you the best and worst months to sell your home. Find out the best time to sell your home and profit the most money, or the best month for selling your home fast.

Whatever features your house has (or doesn’t have), a good real estate agent will be able to connect you with a buyer. Home sales have been down recently, but Phoenix remains a seller’s market due to lower-than-normal inventory.

Ready to sell your Phoenix home?

A top real estate agent in Phoenix can help you navigate the many nuances that you might not otherwise discover until you’re swamped in the process. Their organization efficiencies and marketing expertise can help you sell your Phoenix house fast.

If you need an even quicker sale, HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform provides cash offers for homes in almost any condition in Phoenix. If you don’t have the time or the means to prepare your home or move through the traditional listing process, you can skip the repairs and showings and close in as few as 10 days. Complete a short questionnaire and receive a no-obligation cash offer in 24 hours.

Writer Emma Woodward contributed to this story.

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