How I Sold My House in 48 Hours

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Selling your home can be a huge undertaking, and one that I was putting off for quite a while. Did I really want to sell my home? What if I didn't get my full asking price? I know I am not the only homeowner to worry about these issues right before they list their home for sale.

You can imagine my surprise when my home had six viewings and three offers in less than 48 hours, even one offer at $2,000 over asking price without any cash back. It was easy to accept this offer, allowing me to sell my home in just two days.

I didn't become a home-selling expert over the weekend, but there were five clear strategies I used that helped me sell my house faster.

Timing Is Important

My neighbor had a nicer and bigger floor plan than ours, but it took him several months to sell his house. Why did his house take so long to sell, even though we lived in the same desirable location and his house was equally as nice? He listed his house for sale right before Thanksgiving.

Even if there are individuals who want to buy a home in the winter, their schedules (and agent's schedules) are most likely full due to all of the holiday busyness. At the end of the year, finances are tight and stress levels are already high.

I listed my house in the middle of February, so still technically winter, but in my area, it already felt like spring. Also, many people had already filed their taxes and knew what their estimated refund was going to be. If you can list your home in spring, during or after of tax season, I think you will have a higher success rate of views and offers than any other season. Realtor.com agrees: "Spring marks the beginning of the busiest home-selling and home-buying season in most areas...with home buying peaking in June." (See also: 7 Reasons Your Home Isn't Selling)

Cut the Clutter

Since I have two young girls, I knew that I was going to have a hard time keeping the house ultra clean for showings. Since I was moving anyway, I decided to use the decluttering as preliminary packing. I ended up packing 10 boxes of items that I knew I would not need in the next month. As a result, I was able to keep the house tidy — even my biggest problem area, the office — and I had a jump start on packing when my house did sell.

Potential homebuyers do not want to feel claustrophobic when they enter your home. They want to be able to envision the space as their own. So cut out all of the clutter in your office, on your kitchen and bathroom counters, and on the floor. Take down all of your personal photos and remove a piece of furniture from each room to make the space appear larger if you need to.

Neutralize the Decor

You might love the Italian decor in your kitchen, but a lot of buyers do not. When in doubt, go neutral. A brightly colored or odd-colored wall or set of cabinets is a quick turnoff to potential buyers. When I was looking for my new home, I can't tell you how many houses I quickly said no to because of a bright green wall or a full-sized mural. Considering that these houses sat on the market for several months, I know I am not the only buyer who felt that way.

Yes, a wall color or cabinet color is a simple fix for potential buyers, but it would be even more beneficial for you to just fix the color. If one of your rooms is heavily themed, consider packing those items away before you list. It is not that your beach-themed bathroom is horrible, but it is hard to imagine a different decor style once a certain spot is heavily decorated in a certain theme.

Don't Forget to Use Your Nose

Have you ever walked into someone's home right after they made a smelly meal or maybe even got a good whiff of your own house when the garbage can was overflowing? The wrong smell can be overwhelming and leave a negative imprint on potential buyers. On the other hand, good smells can leave home shoppers with a positive outlook.

I picked up three of the same vanilla candle and burned one in the kitchen and one in each bathroom. The smell was nice but not overwhelming. I suggest sticking with a warm vanilla scent or to bake a dessert before a showing. I know this might sound weird, but one house we looked at baked banana bread before we came. When we left the house, I think my husband, myself, and our agent thought even more highly of the house just because it smelled so good.

You want appeal to as many senses as possible when showing your house. People might not credit the home's smell when they consider its positives, but the house will stick with them positively on a subconscious level because it appealed to their nose and eyes.

Light It Up

Finally, before taking photos or showing your home, open up all of the blinds and turn on all of the lights. Again, this appeals to potential buyers' senses. Looking at a dark house makes the space feel gloomier, dirtier, and just leaves a negative impression.

Selling your house can be a lengthy process, but hopefully these five tricks will boost your showings and offers. Remember, exposure is extremely important too, so be sure your agent is listing your home on all of the popular realtor websites, their social media accounts, and even posting a virtual tour on YouTube. (See also: 6 Important Things You Need to Know About the Housing Market in 2016)

Have you had success with selling your home fast? What do you think was the driving factor for the fast sale?