One of the first questions homeowners ask when considering selling is:
“How long will it take to sell my house?”
The honest answer is simple:
It depends.
Some homes sell within days of hitting the market. Others can take weeks or even months.
Many articles quote average days on market statistics as though they apply to every property.
The reality is they don’t.
As a guide, Perth’s median selling time has ranged from almost two months during slower markets to as little as seven days during some of the strongest seller’s markets in recent years.
Yet two homes can come to market on the same day and sell weeks apart.
Why?
Because the factors that influence selling time go far beyond the Perth average.
The good news is that many of those factors can be managed or improved.
There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Answer
While average days on market figures for Perth can provide a useful benchmark, they should never be used to predict how long an individual property will take to sell.
A family home in Seville Grove may attract a completely different buyer pool to an acreage property in Bedfordale or a lifestyle property in Roleystone.
Different suburbs, different price points and different property types often sell at very different speeds.
That’s why local market knowledge matters.
The Five Biggest Factors That Affect Sale Time
1. Price
Pricing is generally the biggest factor you can control when it comes to how quickly a property sells.
Properties priced correctly for the current market generally attract more buyer interest and inspections.
Properties priced too high often sit on the market while buyers move on to competing homes.
Many sellers believe starting high gives them room to negotiate.
In reality, overpricing often reduces enquiry levels and can ultimately lead to a lower sale price.
2. Buyer Demand
Some suburbs simply have more buyers than others.
When buyer demand is strong, properties typically sell faster.
When buyer demand is weaker, properties can take longer to find the right purchaser.
Demand can also change throughout the year depending on:
- Interest rates
- Economic conditions
- School terms
- Consumer confidence
- Local supply levels
3. Presentation
First impressions matter.
Well-presented homes generally attract more inspections and stronger offers.
Simple improvements such as:
- Decluttering
- Fresh paint
- Garden maintenance
- Minor repairs
- Professional photography
can significantly improve buyer interest.
4. Marketing Strategy
A property with poor marketing may struggle to reach enough buyers.
A property exposed to the largest possible buyer audience often generates more competition and stronger results.
Good marketing should include:
- Professional photography
- Strong online exposure
- Social media promotion
- Database marketing
- Clear pricing strategy
5. Property Type
Some property types naturally take longer to sell.
For example:
- Entry-level homes often attract larger buyer pools.
- Unique acreage properties can require a more specialised buyer.
- Luxury homes may have fewer potential purchasers.
That doesn’t mean these properties won’t sell well.
It simply means finding the right buyer may take longer.
How Long Does It Take To Sell In The Perth Hills?
The Perth Hills market is unique.
Suburbs such as Bedfordale, Roleystone, Mount Richon and Mount Nasura contain many properties that are unlike anything else available in Perth.
Buyers aren’t simply comparing bedrooms and bathrooms.
They’re comparing:
- Views
- Land usability
- Workshops
- Horse facilities
- Water supply
- Lifestyle features
- Privacy
Because of this, some Hills properties can attract immediate competition while others require a longer marketing period to connect with the right buyer.
The mistake many Hills sellers make is comparing their property to a standard suburban home.
Unique properties often attract fewer buyers, but the right buyer may be willing to pay significantly more once they see the value in the lifestyle on offer.
Why The First Few Weeks Matter Most
When the pricing, marketing and negotiation are all right, your strongest offers almost always arrive in the first three to four weeks.
That’s when a listing is fresh and buyer interest is at its peak.
In most markets, that early window is when a well-prepared home sells.
After that, the pattern often changes.
Buyers begin to wonder why a property hasn’t sold.
Interest can cool.
Later offers are often no stronger — and sometimes weaker — than the offers available during the first few weeks.
It’s worth asking yourself a practical question too.
Keeping a home show-ready is hard work.
Especially with children, pets or a busy household.
Do you really want to maintain that level of readiness for months, only to achieve a similar result that may have been available much earlier?
This is the thinking behind our Select Date Sale® method.
It’s designed to concentrate genuine buyer competition into that early, high-interest period so the strongest price has the best opportunity to surface while your property is still fresh.
Can You Speed Up The Selling Process?
Yes.
The fastest sales usually happen when five things align:
- Accurate pricing
- Professional presentation
- Maximum buyer exposure
- Strong negotiation
- Genuine buyer competition
These are the factors that create urgency.
And when buyers feel urgency and competition, decisions tend to happen faster.
Does Selling Faster Mean Accepting Less?
Not necessarily.
One of the biggest myths in real estate is that a quick sale automatically means a lower sale price.
In reality, many of the strongest sale prices occur when multiple buyers compete for the same property early in the campaign.
The key is not how quickly the property sells.
The key is whether the marketing strategy creates enough buyer competition to achieve the best possible outcome.
So What’s The Real Answer?
Some properties sell in a matter of days.
Some take several weeks.
Others take longer.
The time it takes to sell depends on your property, your suburb, market conditions, pricing strategy and buyer demand.
The best way to understand how long your property may take to sell is to speak with an experienced local agent who understands your market and can assess your property’s individual strengths.
And remember:
A home has no recommended retail price.
There is no sticker on it.
What it sells for — and how fast — comes down to the strategy behind the campaign and the agent running it.
Get both right and you give yourself the best possible opportunity to achieve an exceptional result.
Want To Know How Long Your Property Could Take To Sell?
Book a no-obligation appraisal with Brendan Leahy and the team at Naked Real Estate.
We’ll provide honest advice on your property’s likely value, current buyer demand and the strategy most likely to achieve the best result.
Related Reading
- Why Bedfordale Online Valuations Are Often Wrong
- What Factors Actually Affect Your Property’s Appraisal Value?
- How Accurate Are Online Property Valuations?
- Do I Really Need A Property Appraisal Before Selling?