How Long Does It Take to Sell a House? Comparing Traditional Sales vs. Cash Offers from Offerly

Selling a house is one of the biggest financial decisions a homeowner can make — but it’s also one of the most time-consuming. From listings to inspections, negotiations, and final closing, the average home sale in the U.S. can take 60 to 120 days to complete.

That’s where Offerly changes the game. By eliminating agents, financing delays, and unnecessary steps, we help homeowners sell their properties in as little as 7 to 10 days.

In this guide, we’ll compare the traditional home-selling timeline to the Offerly cash offer process, so you can understand what really affects your sale speed — and how to take control of it.

Traditional Home Sale Timeline: Step by Step

A traditional real estate sale involves multiple stakeholders — real estate agents, buyers, inspectors, appraisers, title companies, and lenders. Each adds time, paperwork, and potential delays. Here’s a breakdown of what most sellers experience:

1. Listing Preparation (2–3 Weeks)

Before a home even hits the market, sellers spend weeks preparing it. This often includes:

Minor repairs and upgrades
Deep cleaning and staging
Professional photography
Writing and publishing the listing

Most homeowners underestimate this stage, but it can delay your sale before you even get your first showing.

2. Marketing and Showings (30–60 Days)

Once the home is listed, your real estate agent begins scheduling showings, open houses, and marketing across platforms. Depending on your market and price point, this phase can take one month or several.

If your listing doesn’t attract offers quickly, your agent may suggest a price reduction, further extending the timeline.

3. Offer Negotiations (5–10 Days)

When an interested buyer makes an offer, you’ll enter negotiations over price, contingencies, and closing terms. Multiple back-and-forth counteroffers are common, adding another week or two.

4. Inspection and Appraisal (2–3 Weeks)

Once under contract, the buyer will order an inspection and appraisal.

Inspection issues often lead to repair requests or price renegotiations.
Appraisal shortfalls can cause financing complications or deal cancellations.

Together, these two steps are among the most frequent causes of closing delays in traditional real estate.

5. Financing and Escrow (3–6 Weeks)

After inspections and appraisals, buyers must finalize their mortgage approval. Lenders review income, employment, and credit history — a process that can take up to 45 days.

During this time, the transaction sits in escrow while all contingencies must be cleared before closing.

6. Closing (1–2 Weeks)

Once the lender issues final approval, the title company prepares documents and schedules closing. Even this last step can stretch out due to title issues or scheduling conflicts.

Total Traditional Sale Time: 60–120 days (and sometimes more).

Offerly’s Fast-Track Cash Sale Timeline

With Offerly, the average closing timeline is 7–10 days, because there are no lenders, no contingencies, and no wasted time. Every step is designed to prioritize your convenience and financial security.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Request Your Cash Offer (Day 1)

Fill out Offerly’s quick online form with your address and property details. No inspections, staging, or appraisals are required to start.

Step 2: Receive a Fair Cash Offer (Within 24 Hours)

Within one business day, Offerly provides a transparent, no-obligation cash offer based on local market data and your home’s condition.

Step 3: Choose Your Closing Date (Days 3–7)

You decide when to close. Need to move fast? We can close in as little as seven days. Prefer more time? We’ll adapt to your schedule.

Step 4: Close and Get Paid (Day 7–10)

Offerly works directly with trusted title partners to finalize your sale and send your funds by wire transfer or check — no banks, no waiting.

The Math: Time Saved with Offerly

Sale Type	Average Time to Close	Common Delays	Time Savings
Traditional Sale	90 days	Appraisal, financing, inspection	—
Offerly Cash Sale	7–10 days	None	80+ days faster

That’s nearly three months of waiting eliminated, meaning you can relocate, reinvest, or move forward financially much sooner.

What Slows Down Traditional Home Sales?

If you’ve ever sold a home the conventional way, you’ve likely experienced one or more of these frustrating delays:

1. Buyer Financing Issues

Over 30% of traditional home sales are delayed or canceled due to financing problems. Cash sales completely bypass this issue.

2. Inspection Repairs

When an inspector finds issues, buyers often demand costly repairs or concessions — adding weeks to the closing process.

3. Appraisal Gaps

If the appraisal comes in lower than the purchase price, lenders can deny financing or require renegotiation.

4. Title Complications

Unresolved liens, unpaid taxes, or old ownership records can stall title clearance and delay closing indefinitely.

5. Market Conditions

During slow market cycles, listings can sit unsold for months, forcing sellers to accept lower prices just to move forward.

Offerly eliminates these variables by paying cash upfront — removing uncertainty and protecting your timeline.

Why Offerly’s Speed Doesn’t Mean Sacrifice

You might wonder if selling fast means accepting a low offer. The truth is, Offerly uses real-time market data to calculate your home’s fair cash value, often matching what you’d net after agent fees and closing costs in a traditional sale — but without the wait.

With Offerly, You Skip:

6% Realtor commissions
2–3% closing fees
Weeks of showings and negotiations
Stressful inspections and repairs

And You Gain:

Cash in your account within days
Control over your move-out date
Peace of mind and guaranteed closing

This is why so many homeowners — especially those relocating, facing deadlines, or managing inherited properties — choose Offerly as the smartest exit strategy.

Real-Life Example: Traditional vs. Offerly

Let’s take a real-world scenario.

Home A: Sold traditionally in Phoenix for $400,000

90 days on market
$24,000 lost to agent commissions
$6,000 in closing costs
$4,000 spent on repairs
Net: $366,000 after 3 months

Home B: Sold to Offerly for $375,000

Closed in 8 days
$0 fees or commissions
No repairs required
Net: $375,000 in just over a week

That’s $9,000 more in pocket and nearly three months faster — proof that fast doesn’t mean less when it’s done right.

The Offerly Advantage: Time Is Money

Every day your house sits on the market costs you — in mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, and maintenance. For many homeowners, those carrying costs add up to $100–$200 per day.

With Offerly, you avoid:

Unnecessary holding costs
Extended double mortgage payments
The uncertainty of waiting for buyers

Our process gives you freedom — to move forward without delays, drama, or doubt.

Final Thoughts: Selling Smart, Selling Fast

Selling your home shouldn’t take months or drain your profits. Offerly’s direct cash offer model streamlines the process, removing the common roadblocks that plague traditional sales.

When you’re ready to move on, don’t let the calendar hold you back.
Choose Offerly — the fastest, most reliable way to sell your home for cash, close in days, and start your next chapter sooner.

👉 Get Your Cash Offer Today

Offerly — fast, fair, and built around your timeline.

How Long Does It Take to Sell a House? Comparing Traditional Sales vs. Cash Offers from Offerly