How to Sell a House in 2026

Key Takeaways

• Selling a house in 2026 requires flexibility, patience, and a great first impression.
• Buyers today have leverage in most markets, making pricing, presentation, and negotiation more important than ever.
• Homes are taking nearly twice as long to go under contract as they did during the pandemic (49 days vs. 27 days in 2022). 
• Sellers today have more options than ever, including listing privately, on the MLS, as-is, for-sale-by-owner, or selling to a cash buyer or iBuyer. 

Selling your home is a major milestone, whether you’re relocating, downsizing, or just ready for something new. The process can feel overwhelming, especially in today’s buyer-friendly market—but it doesn’t have to be. With the right strategy, know-how, and guidance, you can sell with more confidence and for a better price.

This expert-backed step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know about selling your house—from prepping and pricing, to marketing and negotiating. 

From Redfin’s Chief Economist

“If you want to sell your house in 2026, you need a clear strategy. The housing market has been stuck in a freeze since the pandemic, with buyers and sellers scared off by high prices, high mortgage rates, and a volatile economy. That’s led to sluggish sales and an unusually slow start to recent buying seasons. It has recently started showing signs of life, but most cities are still firmly in buyer’s market territory, giving house hunters leverage. Home sellers looking to succeed today need to price accurately, be flexible, and do their best to make their home stand out.” – Daryl Fairweather, Redfin Chief Economist. 

How to sell a house: Step-by-step guide

1. Hire a home inspector

Before you get started selling your house, you need to know what condition it’s in. Typically, it’s the buyer’s responsibility to pay for a home inspection. But in today’s market, there are key reasons sellers might want to take the initiative and get a pre-listing home inspection: 

• It helps you identify and fix issues before buyers ever see your home.
• It strengthens your position in negotiations, which is key in today’s buyer’s market. 

Homebuyers often use inspection findings to request concessions, like price reductions—over 35% of sellers cut their price in early 2026. But if you’ve already handled repairs, there’s less for them to negotiate, giving you more control over the deal.

2. Make repairs and small upgrades to your house

Before listing your home, address any necessary repairs and consider small upgrades that add value. This is especially important when prepping for the spring selling season, when buyers typically come out in droves. If you opted for a home inspection, that will likely uncover some key issues you can tackle. 

Here are some common pre-listing updates experts typically recommend:

• Fix what stands out: Address noticeable issues like leaky faucets, chipped paint, or squeaky doors.
• Boost curb appeal: A well-maintained lawn, trimmed hedges, and fresh mulch create a great first impression.
• Brighten and refresh: Upgrade lighting, repaint walls in neutral tones, and open up spaces with natural light.

Minor, strategic updates can make your home feel more inviting and move-in ready, helping it sell faster. If you need some extra money for renovations, Redfin partnered with Notable to offer homeowners up to $50,000 to use for upgrades and staging.

>> Read: How to Sell Your House Fast—and for More

3. Hire a real estate agent

There are multiple ways to sell a house today: you can sell with an agent, sell on your own (known as “for sale by owner,” or FSBO), sell to an iBuyer, or sell to a cash-homebuyer company. 

While some options offer quick solutions, experts say that selling with a real estate agent generally leads to better offers and more seamless sales. There’s a reason 91% of sellers chose to work with an agent in 2025.

“Selling a home without an agent may sound like an appealing lower-cost option, but it can do you a disservice,” added Fairweather. Agents work for you and know how to attract and negotiate with today’s picky buyers, and point out the features that buyers will notice when touring. They understand local market dynamics, helping you price your home realistically, set clear expectations, and ultimately get more for your sale. They can also suggest different marketing strategies—like listing privately—to fit your specific needs. Online tools and AI cannot replace these benefits.”

Finding a great real estate agent can be a challenge, but getting referrals and reading online reviews is a great way to narrow down your options. Here are some questions to consider asking any potential candidate:

• How many clients have you served in the last 12 months?
• What is your fee/commission?
• Has a client ever filed a complaint against you?
• What services do you offer beyond negotiations and escrow?

After you decide on a real estate agent, they will help devise a plan of action for how to sell your house.

4. Stage your house to sell

A well-staged home helps buyers envision themselves living there and can lead to more, higher offers. Whether you hire help or go the DIY route, here are key areas to focus on:

• Declutter and depersonalize: Remove excess items and personal belongings to create a clean, neutral space.
• Deep clean everything: Wash your windows, dust the baseboards, and scrub your bathroom(s) until it shines.
• Rearrange furniture: Keep rooms open and inviting, ensuring they feel spacious and flow well.
• Maximize natural light: Remove or pull back heavy curtains to let in more light.
• Show off flooring: Buyers love natural hardwood—reorient any rugs and give the wood a thorough cleaning to make it stand out.

Small changes can make a big impact. The goal is to help buyers picture themselves at home from the moment they walk in.

5. Get professional photos taken of your home

Professional photos are key to showing off your home at its best and drawing more attention online—where most buyers start their search today. Listings that have been photographed professionally tend to sell for more money and get more eyes than those that haven’t.

Many brokerages, including Redfin, also offer aerial photography and 3D walkthroughs, which can further boost online traction. 

6. Price your house competitively

Listing your home at the right price is one of the most important ways to attract buyers and secure competitive offers. While online tools provide helpful estimates, they can’t account for market shifts, neighborhood dynamics, or unique property features. This is where a real estate agent comes in.

An agent can conduct a thorough comparative market analysis (CMA), using recent sales of similar homes (known as comps) to set a competitive price. They also understand local trends, helping you avoid overpricing or underpricing.

If you’re selling your house on your own, pricing will be up to you, so it’s critical to do your research and understand your local market. You won’t have access to private listing databases, but real estate websites like Redfin offer nearly all of the same data: comprehensive housing market data at the national, state, and local levels; all nearby current listings and recent sales, including thousands of exclusive private listings; and insights into pricing trends, supply, and demand. 

You can also go a step further and get a pre-listing appraisal, where an appraiser assesses your home’s condition, renovations, and market value. This is more common for buyers, but it can be useful for sellers seeking an unbiased valuation.

7. List your home to sell

Once you’ve finalized your home’s price, photography, and staging, it’s time to go live. Depending on your marketing strategy and where you live, your agent will either list your home to a smaller audience first or put it directly on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), where it will appear on real estate websites for potential buyers. 

Listing to a smaller audience initially—known as “phased marketing” or “pre-marketing”—can be a great way to gauge competition, test pricing, and help you decide if you want to relist, adjust pricing, or shift strategies. No matter what you choose, listing at the right time can give you an edge. In most places, the best time to sell a house is in late April and on a Thursday. 

Once your home is listed, you’ll begin hosting showings and open houses, reviewing buyer feedback, and waiting for offers to come in.

>> Read: Should I Sell My House Now?

8. Have a plan in case your home doesn’t sell quickly enough

Most homes today don’t sell nearly as quickly as they did during the pandemic, when the typical listing went under contract in under a week. Mortgage rates are higher and house prices are unaffordable for many, putting a lid on demand, creating a sluggish housing market, and pushing more home searchers into renting.

Today, the typical home spends 47 days on the market, or even longer in Sun Belt cities like Austin, where prices are adjusting, so it’s important to plan for a slower sale.

“Many home sellers are still pricing high and expecting to close in a week like they saw in 2022, but in most cases, this just isn’t happening,” continued Fairweather. “Unless your home is recently remodeled, in a desirable school district, or in one of the few hot markets, you should be realistic about your timeline and plan for a slower sale. No matter where you live, though, if you price your home competitively, present it in a great light, and stay flexible with buyers, you give yourself the best chance to sell faster and for more.” 

If your house just won’t sell, talk with your agent about other strategies, including renting it out or relisting at a different price. 

9. Negotiate the sale price of your home

Both buyers and sellers want the best possible price and a smooth, fair transaction. When offers roll in, negotiation becomes key—especially in today’s pricey market. Buyers will likely have the upper hand and expect a fair price, unless you live near the Great Lakes or in the Northeast, where sellers are in charge.

This is where a real estate agent can really demonstrate their value. They will help guide you through every stage of negotiation—from counteroffers to concessions—and advise you on how to respond as offers come in. Your agent also works directly with the buyer’s agent to help finalize terms and advocate for your best interests throughout the process. 

If an all-cash offer comes in, which was the case for nearly a third of home sales in mid-2026, your agent can help you weigh the benefits of a faster, more certain closing against potentially higher financed offers.

As of August 2024, all commissions are now agreed upon beforehand separately by the buyer and seller, and listing agents cannot advertise commissions on the MLS. Redfin has not seen meaningful changes to buyer’s agent commissions since this change.

10. Sign and close

Once you’ve agreed on a price with the buyer(s) and all inspections and appraisals of your home have been completed, you are now ready to sign the papers and close the transaction. 

At closing, you’ll review the final documents, including the settlement statement and deed, to ensure everything is accurate. The buyer’s funds will be transferred and ownership of the home will officially change hands. After you sign all of the paperwork and pay required seller closing costs, congratulations—you sold your house!

How long does it take to sell a house?

On average in 2025, the typical home took 79 days to go from list to close. To get more recent data, we have to look at it a different way: as of April 2026, the typical home spends 49 days on the market until going under contract. 

Selling a house takes far longer than it did during the pandemic, but historically, the housing market is actually relatively fast. In early 2017, for example, the typical home took 59 days to go under contract.

What makes selling a house difficult?

Even the most prepared and knowledgeable homeowners will likely encounter unexpected obstacles during the selling process. From offers not coming in, to unfortunate inspection findings, to buyer financing falling through, selling a home usually requires flexibility, patience, and quick thinking. 

Here is a short breakdown of issues sellers might encounter:

• Overpricing: Emotional attachment can make it difficult to price your home objectively, causing it to sit on the market longer.
• Inspection issues: Buyers may request repairs, credits, or lower prices after inspections uncover problems.
• Low appraisals: If a home appraises below the sale price, buyers may renegotiate or back out.
• Financing falling through: Even preapproved buyers can lose financing late in the process.
• Timing pressure: Most home sellers are also buyers, and buying and selling simultaneously can create logistical and financial pressure. 
• Complicated negotiations: Concessions, contingencies, and repair requests can make deals harder to finalize.

Preparation is key to helping avoid some of these problems, but some challenges may still be unavoidable. Working with an experienced agent, pricing competitively, and staying flexible gives you the best chance of a smoother and more successful selling process.

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