I read an article about how some houses sell quickly even in a slow market.  The analysis was of home in the Baltimore area during November.  The average time on the market was 105 days, 13 percent of the 1,892 homes that sold in Baltimore and five surrounding counties had contracts in two weeks or less, according to data from Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc.

Those 251 homes went from listing to selling in an average of 7 days. They were typically older, three-bedroom, two-bath houses that sold at an average of $304,355 — about $4,000 under the overall average sale price.

An analysis shows that fast sellers in a slow market have three common denominators:

  • They’re priced better than comparable listings.
  • They show like model homes.
  • They have a full force of marketing, including enticing Internet photos, behind them

What does this mean for you as a seller?  For a few hundred dollars, get a home inspector to inspect your home as a buyer would do and then make those repairs.  Clean, perhaps paint your home or certainly paint the areas that are worn.  Make sure the house is well lit and bright.  Empty it of personalized things and clutter.  The more spacious your home looks, the easier it is for a buyer to visualize their furniture in your home.  Don’t forget to price it right!