Selling your house can feel like a huge undertaking, especially if you take the traditional route of hiring an agent. While agents can be helpful in some cases, their process often takes longer than you expect—and the extra time can also mean extra expenses. In contrast, selling directly can be significantly faster, with fewer surprises and more control over your timeline.
In this post, we’ll walk through what affects how long your sale will take, the common delays you might encounter, and how a direct sale can help you avoid them.
If You List Your Home Through an Agent…
Step 1: Prepping the Property for the Market
If you decide to list your Portland Oregon home, you’ll likely spend time preparing it for potential buyers. This means cleaning thoroughly, decluttering, removing personal items, making repairs, and possibly hiring a professional stager. These tasks can add days—or even weeks—before your home is ready to be photographed and listed.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Agent
Finding an agent you trust is another time-consuming step. You probably won’t want to hire the first person you meet. Instead, you’ll research online, ask friends or relatives for recommendations, and interview multiple candidates before making your decision.
Step 3: Waiting for the Right Buyer
Once your property is live on the MLS, the waiting game begins. The timeline here depends on the market. In a hot market, you may get offers quickly; in a slower one, your home could sit for weeks—or even months—before attracting serious buyers. And even then, offers might come in lower than you’d hoped.
Step 4: Navigating Inspections and Appraisals
When a buyer makes an offer, their lender will almost always require an inspection and an appraisal. If the property doesn’t appraise for the full loan amount, the deal may stall or fall apart. If the inspection reveals issues, you may need to make repairs or negotiate a lower sale price. Some sellers choose to order a pre-listing inspection to avoid last-minute surprises.
Step 5: Escrow Delays
Escrow typically takes 2–4 weeks, but it can run longer if there are repair requests, financing issues, or delays with the lender. The buyer may also ask for additional time to satisfy contingencies before moving forward.
Step 6: Closing the Sale
Once escrow is complete, you and the buyer will agree on a date to meet at the title company. You’ll review and sign the paperwork, finalize the transaction, and hand over the keys.
If You Sell Your House Directly…
Step 1: Receive a Fair Offer Quickly
When you sell to Better Off Home Buyers, you won’t have to wait for showings, open houses, or endless negotiations. We can make you a fair cash offer almost immediately. You can take your time reviewing it without any pressure to commit.
Step 2: Close on Your Timeline
If you accept our offer, we can close in a matter of days—not weeks or months. You’ll skip repairs, staging, commissions, and closing costs. With a set closing date, you can plan your move with certainty and avoid the stress of not knowing when your home will sell.
Why Many Portland Sellers Choose the Direct Route
For homeowners who need to move quickly—or simply want to avoid the unpredictability of the traditional process—a direct sale can be the smarter choice. You won’t need to invest in repairs, hire an agent, or gamble on how long it will take to find a buyer. Instead, you’ll have a straightforward path from offer to closing.
If you’re ready to see how fast and simple selling your Portland home can be, contact Better Off Home Buyers today at (888) 827-0889 . We’ll give you a fair, no-obligation offer and let you decide if it’s right for you.