How to Sell Your House in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’ve evaluated your finances, thought about your lifestyle, and made the big decision to sell your home. Maybe you’ve decided to downsize, or you’re moving to a new city for a new job, or perhaps you just want to relocate somewhere warmer like Austin, TX, or Miami, FL. Whatever the reason, you’re ready to sell, and with home sales expected to rise in 2025, now might be the time to do it. With so many things to consider, from home inspections to staging, selling a house can be an overwhelming process. Luckily for you, we put together a comprehensive guide on how to sell your house in 2025. 

What home sellers can expect this year

As we enter the new year, Redfin’s economists made some predictions about the 2025 housing market. One of those predictions is that home prices will rise by 4%, which is good news if you’re looking to maximize your return on a home sale. Total home sales are also expected to increase from the previous year. With looser construction regulations expected, our economists are anticipating more houses being built, resulting in greater housing supply. If you’re selling a home in a flood-prone area or a region that is susceptible to other natural disasters, there’s a chance that the risk may impact your home’s value.

How to sell your house in 2025

Here are the key steps to follow if you want to sell your house:

• Hire a home inspector

• Make repairs and small upgrades

• Declutter and prep your house to sell

• Find a real estate agent

• Price your home

• Stage your home to sell

• Get professional photos

• List your home to sell

• Have a plan in case your home doesn’t sell quickly

• Negotiate the sale price

• Sign and close

It may seem like a lot to take in at a glance but don’t worry, we’ll break it down step-by-step.

1) Hire a home inspector

You might be thinking, isn’t that the buyer’s responsibility? You’re not wrong—buyers typically request their own home inspection. So why get one yourself?

A pre-listing home inspection helps you identify and fix issues before negotiations even start. If major repairs take weeks, you risk losing buyers. By addressing problems early, you avoid last-minute surprises and keep the sale moving smoothly.

It also strengthens your position in negotiations. Buyers often use inspection findings to request concessions, like price reductions. 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, take care of necessary repairs and consider small upgrades that add value. Whether you handle them yourself or hire a professional, focus on improvements that make the biggest impact:

• Fix what stands out: Address noticeable issues like leaky faucets, chipped paint, or squeaky doors.
• Appeal to modern buyers: Highlight functional spaces, such as a home office or flexible living areas.
• 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.

Small, strategic updates can make your home feel more inviting and move-in ready, helping it sell faster.

3) Declutter and prep your house to sell

When determining how to sell your house, be sure to make decluttering and prepping your home a priority. Renting storage units is becoming an increasingly popular method of decluttering one’s house before selling it. The idea is to limit the amount of stuff in your space so that potential future owners can envision themselves (and their stuff) in it. If you’re looking for a quick turnaround, bring in a professional organizer, or schedule a virtual consultation.

4) Find a real estate agent

Finding a real estate agent is easy, but finding a great real estate agent can be a challenge. Getting referrals and reading online reviews is a great way to narrow down your options. You’ll want to understand what you’re looking for when hiring a real estate agent to represent your best interests. Here are some questions to consider asking any potential candidate:

• How many clients have you served this year?
• Has a client ever filed a complaint against you?
• What is your fee? 
• What services do you offer beyond negotiations and escrow?
• What tools and resources are available to you?

After you decide on a real estate agent, you and your agent should devise a plan of action for how to sell your house. It should include a timeline, from the pricing of your house and getting it listed on the MLS to personal showings.

5) How to price your house to sell

Setting the right price is key to attracting buyers and securing a strong offer. While online tools provide rough estimates, they don’t account for market shifts or unique property features.

A real estate agent can conduct a comparative market analysis (CMA), using recent sales of similar homes (comps) to set a competitive price. Agents also understand local trends, helping you avoid overpricing or underpricing.

You can also get a professional appraisal, where an appraiser assesses your home’s condition, upgrades, and market value. While more common for buyers, it can be useful for sellers seeking an unbiased valuation. Pricing your home correctly from the start increases your chances of a faster, smoother sale.

6) Stage your home to sell 

A well-staged home helps buyers envision themselves living there, leading to faster and higher offers. If interior design isn’t your strength, a professional home stager can offer in-person or virtual consultations to guide you. Whether you hire help or go the DIY route, focus on these key areas:

• Declutter and depersonalize: Remove excess items and personal belongings to create a clean, neutral space.
• Deep clean everything: Wash windows, dust baseboards, and scrub bathrooms until they shine.
• Add simple accents: Fresh flowers, neutral bedding, and white towels make spaces feel inviting without adding clutter.
• Rearrange furniture: Keep rooms open and inviting, ensuring they feel spacious and flow well.
• Maximize natural light: Remove or pull back heavy curtains to brighten rooms.
• Show off flooring: Buyers love hardwood—remove rugs and polish floors to make them stand out.
• Organize closets and drawers: Storage space matters, so keep them tidy.

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

7) Get professional photos taken of your home

Nothing sells a house faster than professional photos. This is especially true now, as many prospective buyers start their journey online. Poorly photographed listings will likely see very little traffic, and houses with professionally shot photos, on average, sell for more money than other listings. Aerial photography, which shows a bird’s-eye view of a home and its surrounding area, has become increasingly popular with buyers looking online.

When planning how to sell your house, you should also strongly consider having your home digitally scanned for an online 3D tour. Some companies, like Redfin, already include these services for their clients. These 3D walkthroughs, where you point and click through a home from your computer, are more than 5 times as popular even to this day.

8) List your home to sell

Your real estate agent will list your home online on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) for it to start showing up on real estate websites for potential buyers. Also, don’t limit the marketing of your house to your real estate agent and online search. Market the house yourself with social media. Also, ensure you know when it’s the best time to sell a house to give yourself the best advantage.

9) Have a plan in case your home doesn’t sell quick enough

Not every house sells quickly, so it’s important for you and your agent to be prepared if your listing takes longer than expected. Many factors are at play, and depending on the condition of the housing market in your area, your real estate agent may have to use other strategies in their arsenal to sell your house like lowering the price or holding more tours and open houses.

10) Negotiate the sale price of your home

One thing to consider is that both you and the buyer are trying to get the best possible price for your home. There will be multiple factors to consider, as each home sold and purchased differs. For example, if it’s a buyer’s market, that means the buyer has the upper hand because there are multiple listings with fewer offers being made. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to make huge concessions to sell your house.

This is where your agent really steps up. They will help you navigate every step of the negotiation process and will offer advice on how to proceed when offers are being made. Luckily, you interviewed and hired the right agent, so you know they have your best interests in mind.

11) Sign and close

You and your agent have been working towards this moment. You’ve agreed on a price with the buyers, all inspections and appraisals of your home have been completed, and you are now ready to sign the papers and close.  At closing, you’ll review the final documents, including the settlement statement and deed, to ensure everything is accurate. Once you’ve signed all of the paperwork – congratulations, you’ve sold your house!

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