11 Options for Selling Your House Fast in San Antonio

If you are thinking “I need to sell my home fast!”, you are not alone.

In San Antonio's ever-evolving real estate market, selling your house fast can seem daunting. Whether due to financial necessity, relocation, or inheritance situations, homeowners often find themselves seeking ways to sell quickly.

Fortunately, multiple strategies can make a fast sale, not only possible, but simple.

For each option, we give a 'Fast Sale Confidence Score' which uses a score out of 10. 10/10 mean we are confident the option will give you a fast sale for your house.

The confidence score does not rate how much you will make when selling your house, just the speed to sale.

Option 1: List Your House with a Realtor

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 7/10

Listing your home with a realtor is a conventional path many homeowners choose. Realtors handle the nuances of selling, from listing to closing. However, this service comes at a cost, typically a 6% commission.

For instance, selling a $300,000 house means $18,000 goes to the agents.

While this option offers professional guidance, it may not guarantee a fast sale; properties can linger on the market for months, contingent on market dynamics and pricing strategies.

San Antonio Listing Days on Market

As of March 2024, the average days on market in San Antonio, TX is 54 days. This is according to Redfin. You can see the current average days on market here.

This is great news because that means a relatively quick home sale is still possible, even with rising interest rates.

You’ll have a couple of options when listing with an agent.

One, you can increase the overall price of your house, as long as you don’t go over its appraised value.

Asking top of the market for your house will not allow you sell very fast as other, lower-priced homes will sell before yours does.

Or secondly, you can reduce the amount you get in the deal to try to sell it fast. Putting your house on the market at less than what other houses in the area are for sale for will help you to get a faster sale.

Be Careful

Your house could sit on the market for longer.

Mark, a homeowner in San Antonio, listed his home at a competitive market price. Despite his Realtor's efforts, the house sat unsold for four months, illustrating the unpredictability of this option.

If you need a more certain option, read on.

Option 2: Utilize Craigslist

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 4/10

Craigslist offers a platform for homeowners to list their properties directly. This method provides immediate listing capabilities but comes with risks, such as dealing with unqualified or fraudulent buyers.

You will be the one scheduling and showing your house to people that reach out to you on Craigslist. The personal management of showings and negotiations can be time-consuming and potentially unsafe.

Fixer Uppers Sell Better On Craigslist

We listed a historic home that needed repairs in San Antonio. Bo and Pat, relocating from California saw the ad and contacted us. They were very interested in a house they could fix up themselves to their liking. It turned out to be an easy and fast transaction. This is not always the case, but it does happen.

Option 3: Put an ad on Zillow.com

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 5/10

Zillow.com is a popular real estate site. All you need is to set up a free account and you can list your home. You can post it on the site as “for sale by owner” or “sale by agent.” This helps avoid any confusion but gets your San Antonio home out where potential buyers can see it.

Zillow.com enables homeowners to list their properties for a wide audience. The "for sale by owner" option avoids agent commissions, yet still demands significant effort from the seller in terms of managing listings, appointments, and showings.

While it broadens visibility, the owner must navigate the sale process independently, which can be daunting for those inexperienced in real estate transactions.

We find that renting houses on Zillow works very well. We have not had as much success selling houses on Zillow as listing with a Realtor.

Option 4: Get a “For Sale By Owner” Sign and Run a Newspaper Ad

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 2/10

Taking the FSBO route allows homeowners to control the sale process, from advertising in local newspapers to placing a sign in the yard. This method reduces costs associated with agents but limits exposure to potential buyers. The effectiveness of newspaper ads has diminished in the digital age, and yard signs only reach a small, local audience.

Putting a “For Sale by Owner” sign out front is also risky as someone has to drive directly by your house to see that it is for sale. The vast majority of available buyers will not know your house is even for sale.

Many Try, Many Fail

Linda tried selling her house using a FSBO sign and a newspaper ad. After six months without interest, she turned to Danny Buys Houses, underscoring the limited reach of traditional FSBO methods.

Option 5: Sell Your House to a Cash Home Buyer

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 10/10

In many instances, selling your house to a cash home buyer is the best option.

Selling to a cash home buyer offers a quick and hassle-free sale. Investors typically buy houses "as-is," eliminating the need for repairs or staging. The process can close in days, providing immediate financial relief. However, offers from cash buyers may be below market value, reflecting the convenience and speed of the sale.

Click here to see the simple 3 step process of selling a house to a cash house buyer.

John Sold Fast to a Cash House Buyer

John, facing financial hardship, sold his house to a cash buyer within a week. The fast transaction allowed him to avoid foreclosure. Despite receiving less than market value for his home, he was happy to be able to walk away with most of his equity.

Option 6: Auction

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 8/10

Selling your house at an auction can significantly speed up the process.

Auctions attract ready buyers looking for opportunities, potentially leading to a quick sale. However, the final sale price can be unpredictable and sometimes lower than market value due to the competitive bidding environment.

Additionally, auction fees can reduce the net proceeds from the sale. In the US, auctioneers typically charge between 10% and 20%. This can be a huge fee when selling real estate!

Auctions Work in Hot Markets

Steve Cook used to sell houses to other real estate investors with auctions. This was during peak markets where inventory was very low. This makes sense because you want an environment where people will bid up the price above and beyond what it might go for with a normal listing.

If only 1 person shows up to bid on your house, you might be selling for a very low amount.

Option 7: Host an Open House

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 3/10

An open house can create a sense of urgency among buyers, potentially leading to quick offers.

This strategy works well in seller's markets or for homes in high-demand areas. However, it requires the house to be in good condition and well-staged, which can entail additional costs.

There's also no guarantee of receiving an offer, as the success heavily depends on market conditions and buyer interest on that particular day.

The Thompsons Try an Open House

After two weeks of silence on their listing, the Thompson family hosted an open house that attracted multiple interested parties, resulting in a sale above asking price within 24 hours. Being that they included the open house with a listing with an agent helped them bring in more people to the open house.

Option 8: Social Media Marketing

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 3/10

Leveraging social media platforms can increase exposure and attract buyers quickly. Creating engaging posts and utilizing local real estate groups can help reach a wide audience.

The key downside is that success heavily relies on your network's reach and the virality of your posts, which can be unpredictable.

Option 9: Offer Seller Financing

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 8/10

Seller financing can appeal to buyers who may not qualify for traditional bank loans, expanding your potential buyer pool.

This option can facilitate a faster sale but involves taking on the risk of the buyer defaulting. It's crucial to consult with a real estate attorney to structure the deal properly.

If you go this route, learning how to properly qualify the buyer is paramount.

Lisa provided seller financing to a young couple unable to secure a mortgage. The arrangement allowed her to sell quickly while earning interest, but she prepared for the risk with legal safeguards.

Option 10: Lease with Option to Buy

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 8/10

Leasing your property with an option to buy presents a unique way for you to sell your house quickly while also providing the opportunity for rental income.

This method appeals to buyers who may not initially qualify for a mortgage but are working towards it. While this can ensure immediate occupancy and potential future sale, it comes with the complexities of being a landlord, including managing the property and tenants.

Moreover, there's no guarantee the tenant will eventually purchase the home, possibly leading you back to square one.

The main difference between this option and option 9 is that you can typically take the house back much faster with this option as you will be evicting the tenant. With option 9, you would need to foreclose.

Amanda's Lease To Buy Experience

Amanda in San Antonio opted for this method when she struggled to sell her home traditionally. She found a tenant wanting to buy within two years. While she benefited from regular rental income, the tenant ultimately chose not to purchase, necessitating a new strategy for Amanda. She ended up selling to a cash house buyer so that she could be completely done with the house.

Option 11: Trade or Swap Homes

Fast Sale Confidence Score: 4/10

Trading or swapping homes is a less conventional, yet viable option for those looking for a quick change without the traditional selling process. This method requires finding another homeowner with a property that matches your needs and is open to swapping. While this can be an efficient and mutually beneficial solution, finding a compatible match can be challenging and may require flexibility regarding location and property features.

Conclusion

Once you take some time to consider each of these options, you can find the one which is going to work best for your situation.

Selling a house quickly in San Antonio is possible in each of the options, but each comes with unique benefits and considerations.

Whether opting for a traditional sale through a realtor, utilizing online platforms, engaging in creative financing options like lease-to-own, or exploring novel solutions such as home swapping, understanding the full range of options allows for strategic decision-making tailored to your circumstances.

Assessing each method's potential impact on your financial and personal situation is crucial in choosing the most suitable approach for a fast and effective sale. Remember, while speed is often essential, ensuring the chosen method aligns with your long-term goals is equally important.

We can help. We buy houses in San Antonio.