If you’re planning on selling a house in Alabama, you’ve likely noticed that for-sale signs are lingering longer. As buyers wrestle with high interest rates, homes are spending an average of 60 days on the market before getting a signed purchase contract — and even longer in some cities. Waiting for months to find a buyer may not work for your moving plans, especially if you need the proceeds from your home sale to buy your new house. To help streamline your sale, we spoke with Jonathan Hyatt, a top-rated real estate agent serving the Birmingham area who sells homes nearly 60% quicker than average agents. In this post, he shares expert insights on pricing, home prep, and other key factors so you can attract serious buyers faster. The housing market in Alabama is showing signs of balance, according to Hyatt, with improved inventory levels and steady buyer activity, at least in his local Birmingham-area market. “We’re seeing better inventory levels, but still a decent amount of buyer activity as well,” he explains. Statewide, homes are moving faster than they were earlier in the year. In January, the median number of days a property spent on the market was about 84 days. Now, it’s closer to 61 days, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. What does that mean for sellers? It’s still possible to find motivated buyers, but pricing and presentation are critical to standing out, especially with more homes for buyers to choose from. One of the biggest influences on how quickly your Alabama home sells is your pricing strategy. Hyatt recommends listing at or slightly below fair market value to generate stronger buyer interest early on. “The sales activity has been good, and the homes that are priced right are going under contract in 30 days or less,” he says. If a home isn’t selling, it’s often due to overpricing. “The most common mistake sellers are making pretty much anywhere is trying to price it too high just to see what the market will bear,” Hyatt explains. “And then chasing the market with price drops after the fact instead of just pricing it right from the start.” To avoid this pitfall, Alabama sellers should work closely with a knowledgeable agent who can provide a data-driven pricing recommendation based on local market trends and recent comparable sales. Many agents provide a free comparative market analysis (CMA) when you come in for a consultation. When it comes to preparing your home for sale, you don’t necessarily need a full renovation to make a strong impression. In fact, Hyatt recommends focusing first on the basics. “Just having your home cleaned and well organized (decluttered) typically provides the best results,” he says. Small curb appeal improvements can go a long way. “Make sure the landscaping is fresh, that yard work has been done, and be certain any kind of excessive clutter or storage has been taken off-site or hidden so that people don’t feel like the house is busting at the seams,” Hyatt advises. Buyers are drawn to homes that feel spacious, tidy, and move-in ready. If possible, consider staging — even just rearranging furniture and adding a few decorative touches — to help buyers visualize themselves living in the space. Depersonalizing the house (taking down family photos) can improve this visualization. Of course, you will need to make targeted repairs, but a good agent can also tell you what you don’t need to fix. In today’s digital-first home search, your listing photos can make or break a buyer’s first impression. Hyatt emphasizes the importance of hiring a professional photographer to capture your home in the best possible light. “Remember, your home’s first impression is a little thumbnail picture online, so all the listing photos need to be perfect,” he says. Professional photos help highlight your home’s best features, create a sense of space and warmth, and encourage more buyers to schedule a showing. “If the house is vacant, it’s always good to engage either virtual staging or physical staging,” Hyatt recommends. Spending a little extra time and money upfront on high-quality images can lead to faster offers — and often, a better final sale price. One important legal difference in Alabama real estate is the state’s “caveat emptor” rule, meaning “let the buyer beware.” Unlike many other states, Alabama does not require sellers to provide a formal disclosure form listing all known defects or issues with the property. “In our state, typically we don’t do a seller disclosure statement unless it’s health and safety related,” Hyatt explains. Instead, buyers are expected to perform their own due diligence, usually by hiring a third-party home inspector. While you aren’t legally obligated to volunteer information about your home’s condition in most cases, it’s wise to be upfront about any major health and safety issues. Being transparent can help avoid legal disputes later and build trust with potential buyers. Sellers in Alabama can expect to pay several typical closing costs when their home sells, but Hyatt notes that the fees are relatively fair compared to many other states. The biggest cost is usually the real estate agent’s commission. Since the National Association of Realtors (NAR) settlement last year, sellers are no longer automatically expected to offer a commission to the buyer’s agent. Homebuyers are now required to negotiate their Realtor compensation directly with their own agent. However, Hyatt points out that “99.9% of sellers still offer to pay the buyer’s agent commission” because offering to pay this fee remains an effective way to attract more buyers to your listing. Along with agent commissions, sellers may also be responsible for title fees, transfer taxes, and prorated property taxes. A knowledgeable real estate agent can walk you through a detailed estimate of your expected closing costs early in the process, so there are no surprises when it’s time to close. 1. Hiring an underqualified agent: With over 18,000 licensed real estate agents in Alabama, you may know one or two agents personally. However, choosing an agent based on personal relationships rather than qualifications can be a costly strategy. You may even feel obligated to use a friend, but you should ask yourself, “If I didn’t know this person, would I really hire them to sell my largest financial asset?” 2. Selling FSBO to “save” money: Another decision that can prove costly is embracing the general myth that you will “save money” by selling your home yourself. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), homes sold by owner (FSBO) sell for a median price of $380,000, compared to the median selling price of agent-assisted homes, which is $435,000. While your intentions may be positive, you could end up with negative results, such as sacrificing $55,000 in proceeds to save $13,000 in Realtor fees. Transaction data shows that, in most cases, hiring an experienced agent with a strong track record and proven marketing strategies can make a huge difference in how quickly your Alabama home sells — and for how much. Many sellers wonder whether they should wait for mortgage rates to drop or market conditions to shift before listing their home. Hyatt advises not to overthink timing, especially if you’re planning to sell and buy within the same market. “A lot of people tend to wait and sit on the fence based on interest rates or something they think might or might not happen politically,” he says. “But if you’re selling and buying, you really don’t need to worry about that because whether it’s a seller’s or buyer’s [balanced] market. If you’re not doing as well as you thought you would on the seller side, you’re going to make up for it on the buying side or vice versa.” In other words, market conditions tend to balance out when you’re on both sides of the transaction. Rather than trying to predict the future, focus on making your home as appealing as possible to today’s buyers. And when you shop for a new home, buy the home you love, you can always refinance later if interest rates drop. If you’re looking to beat the state’s 60-day average for homes to go under contract, Hyatt’s advice boils down to a few simple but powerful, proven actions: If you’re concerned about your home’s condition and whether an unexpected property issue might arise during the selling process, consider a pre-listing inspection. While this will cost you between $300 and $500, it can keep your sale moving forward without delays or surprises. A pre-inspection can also give buyers peace of mind and more confidence to make an offer. As you make plans to sell a house in Alabama, your smartest first move — before you paint or fix anything — is to find a top-rated local real estate agent. An experienced agent can help you overcome buyer hesitation and increased competition. HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform analyzes millions of transactions to connect you with top-performing agents in your Alabama city who know how to sell homes quickly and for the best price. By following the advice of experts like Jonathan Hyatt, you can improve your chances of a smooth, successful sale.Understanding the Alabama housing market
Smart pricing strategies to sell faster
How to prepare your Alabama home to impress buyers
Why professional photos matter more than ever
What Alabama sellers should know about disclosures
What to know about closing costs and commissions
Home seller missteps to avoid in Alabama
Expert advice for Alabama sellers timing their move
Final tips to sell your Alabama home faster
Selling a house in Alabama? Partner with an expert
Here are search links to some of the top agents in six popular Alabama markets:
