Long Beach is a diverse, dynamic city with a rich history and a big personality. Even with its excellent school district and spectacular oceanfront living, it’s still an affordable place to live, making it a magnet for homebuyers who want the California lifestyle without the typical California price tags. And that means it’s always a good time to sell your house in this seaside community.

But what if you need to sell your Long Beach home fast? Is it enough to rely on the city’s benefits when you need to find a buyer quickly?

We spoke to Long Beach real estate expert Torey Carrick to find out what sellers can do to tip the speed scale in their favor. Carrick serves as the lead lister at Anderson Real Estate Group in Long Beach, which specializes in everything from retirement relocations to waterfront and investment properties. He agrees that Long Beach’s affordability is a draw for homebuyers.

“We’ve been undervalued and as a result much more affordable than most of our surrounding coastal communities. All these aspects pull together into one community that is more affordable and approachable than some of the surrounding communities,” says Carrick.

But after years of helping Long Beach sellers, Carrick also knows that when you take the right approach and address all details — big and small — you can sell your house faster than you ever imagined. Read on to discover the best tips and tricks to sell your Long Beach home fast.

1. Take a holistic approach – identify your buyer’s profile

The holistic approach starts with identifying your buyer’s profile. Buying a home is an emotional experience. In order to sell your home quickly, you have to cater to your ideal buyer. Here are a few things to consider about your buyer that will help you sell your Long Beach home quickly:

• The age of typical homebuyers has changed over the years. 2021 holds the record for the highest average first-time homebuyer age at 33 years. Difference in age could mean difference in budgets and prequalified mortgages, which could affect how you determine your best selling price.
• Determine what local homebuyer programs and resources your buyer might investigate, and tailor your home listing to meet their expectations. For instance, use social media if you target young or first-time homebuyers, or include neighborhood housing services that your area offers.
• Sell the entire home, from curb appeal to the interior layout to the outdoor space. Don’t just focus on one or two key aspects like tending the front garden or straightening up the interior. Showcase your entire property – inside and out!

Real estate is not “one size fits all.” Knowing who you’re selling to will help you sell your home more quickly. “I think you have to take a more holistic view of the property and understand our best selling features,” Carrick says. “For many properties, their best selling features do exist outside, and for many other properties, their best selling features might be inside.”

In other words, prepare your entire home for your listing and let your prospective buyers choose which features they fall in love with.

2. Appeal to online buyers swiping through app photos

One of the many great aspects of living in Long Beach is the diverse architectural styles of homes throughout the city. Homebuyers want more than the Mission and Spanish Colonial style homes that Southern California is known for. You can take advantage of that diversity by showing off your home’s unique personality.

The featured image on your online listing needs to be attention-grabbing. Carrick has learned that “we live in a swipe environment. Homebuyers are on their apps at night, swiping through photos of listings. And it’s the listings who can emerge from the competition that become a favorite.”

According to a recent report by the National Association of Realtors, 41% of recent homebuyers started their search online. And because the most-visited listings sell the fastest, it’s important to help prospective buyers immediately notice things that make your home unique. So add some interesting landscaping features. And bring some greenery inside! Be creative and make your home stand out. Then make certain those unique personality features are captured in the listing photos.

3. Showcase your outdoor living space

Since you have a home to sell in Long Beach, you’re already aware how perfect the weather is. On average, Long Beach has 287 sunny days per year — well over the U.S. average of 205. Thanks to the near-perfect climate, your buyers will want to see themselves spending a lot of time in their new outdoor living space.

According to a 2021 study published by the National Association of Home Builders, about 75% of homebuyers want amenities like exterior lighting, a patio, and porches or decks. And in Long Beach specifically, “a high demand item for buyers coming into the market is homes with pools and spas, so those sell for a premium,” Carrick notes.

You can get creative when choosing landscaping materials. “Decomposed granite and artificial turf are very popular right now,” says Sean Hudgeonwardle of Grassland Landscape & Lawncare. “They cost money to put in, but they’re easy on the water bill.” In other words, don’t just focus on the landscape itself — consider how buyers will perceive the upkeep as well.

4. Cut, clean, declutter and wash because the sale — not the devil — is in the details

Inside: Declutter your home to prepare for the sale. This is a crucial but sometimes overlooked step. Many people change homes due to lack of space in their current dwelling, so you really want to show off some nice, open areas inside.

“When we’re selling a home,” Carrick advises, “it’s important to let that house live and show at its best. And sometimes that means that practical items that we use every day get stored away” while listing photos are being taken or during an open house or showing.

So don’t just stop at putting the kids’ toys away or stashing your dog’s bowls in a closet. Declutter and wipe down each shelf and hide freestanding storage cabinets in your basement or garage. Showcase the overall beauty of the home, not what items you’ve put inside it.

Backyard: Once the inside is decluttered, turn to your backyard. Remember: outdoor living is a huge part of why people buy homes in Long Beach, so you really want to show off your outside areas to help sell your home fast.

5. Hire a professional inspector before you list your home

In an architecturally diverse city like Long Beach, with many houses dating back to the 1920s, some homes are now showing signs of their age. Structural issues like raised foundations and roof damage are common. And when you’re trying to sell your house fast in Long Beach, it’s wise to schedule a building inspection to identify and fix any possible deal-breaker problems.

Remove surprises with a pre-inspection: If a prospective buyer learns about major repairs needed during the sale or closing process, it could stall or stop your home sale. “There’s nothing worse than going into escrow, surprising a buyer with a big-ticket item that dissuades them from the purchase,” Carrick says. “It’s always critical to ensure that you understand what are the big ticket items that exist on the home and proactively addressing those.”

Address big issues ahead of time: A professional home inspector can identify problems like mold, mildew, or electrical issues so you can address these before they interfere with your sale. An inspection could cost around $279-$400. However, since 85% of prospective buyers request an inspection, having your own inspector in advance allows you to  either make repairs or advise your agent and buyer of any problems that could hurt your chances of selling quickly.

Know the local requirements in advance: Selling your house fast requires abiding by local regulations. A certified local inspector will have knowledge about what items are required by law when selling a home in California. Additionally, each city has specific rules and laws regarding inspections. For Long Beach in particular, the Aviles Law requires a garage inspection in an effort to prevent tragic fires like the one that took the lives of three young children in 2007.

6. Find an experienced local real estate agent you trust to sell your home fast

Just like buying a home is an emotional experience, there are also emotional side effects of selling your home. Although you’re excited to start fresh in a new house, you might feel a bit nostalgic or sad about leaving the home you worked so hard to perfect. And a real estate agent can keep you removed and less emotional about your sale.

There are many more reasons to hire a real estate agent. They have access to listing services, can eliminate unqualified buyers, negotiate your best selling price, and protect you from legal risks.

The best agents can help remove you and your emotional ties from the sale. And because the best agents in Long Beach are in love with the city, they can increase your buyers’ excitement about moving to the area. From communicating interesting facts and history to explaining why now is a great time to invest in Long Beach real estate, they can really boost buyers’ interest in this diverse and dynamic coastal community.

The next step to selling your home fast takes just two minutes

Real estate is a full-time job. And if you’re searching for an agent to help sell your house fast in Long Beach, finding the right one can seem just as time consuming. Fortunately, HomeLight’s Agent Finder takes just two minutes to match you with the best agents in Long Beach. We use average days on market data to compare agents on how fast they’ve sold homes like yours.

The Agent Finder service is 100% free. Agents don’t pay us to be listed, so you can find a top agent near you who can save you time and money.