Osborne Blog

There are any number of forces that might be pushing you to sell your California home fast. The constant increase in the cost of living, rising medical and health care bills that are difficult to pay, the need to be closer to family—all can make the importance of selling quickly important and worrying. It can be especially stressful if you aren’t sure you can get a fair price for your property when you also want to sell it fast. You have more than one option, however, if you are looking for advice on how to sell your house in California quickly and for a price that feels fair. Our goal is to help you explore those options here.

Moving from Visalia to Fresno to be closer to family can be just as stressful as moving across the country to start a new career. Unfortunately, there is just no way around all the things you have to do to create a smooth transition. You have to inform your friends and neighbors and take the time to say goodbye. You have to change your contact information on all important documents as well as forward all your mail. You have to pack and plan for movers, then cross your fingers that everything arrives intact. You also have to sell your home. And that is probably one of the bigger stressors you will face—especially if time is of the essence and you have no idea how to get your house sold quickly. These fundamental steps, however, can help you move things along while keeping an eye toward the bigger picture. After all, the faster you can sell your house, the smoother everything else can be.

Most likely, this is the first time you have inherited a house, and the experience may be somewhat disorienting. First, there was the death of a loved one, then perhaps the long, complicated probate process, and suddenly: you have a house. So the question arises of what to do with it. If the property is habitable and in good condition, you might consider renting it out. Whether it is or not, you may also consider selling it through a real estate agent or putting it up ‘for sale by owner.’ But depending on the condition of the house and the amount of time or money you have to spare, this may prove challenging. Let’s take a look at all your choices, including one you may not have considered yet.

Every first-time home seller wonders who is responsible for paying the real estate agent fees in California. If you are thinking about selling your old house in Walnut Creek or downsizing your current one in Tulare and have been asking yourself the same question, you are in very good company. The real estate commissions rates in California are some of the highest in the nation, averaging around six percent for a full-service real estate agent, so these fees can really add up. And, depending on your reason for selling in the first place, the prospect of paying high fees just to get your home sold may not sit well with you—or your pocketbook. It is possible to reduce what you are responsible for, however, and even avoid paying any fees at all. Let us explain.