How long does it take to sell a house in Metro Detroit?
Michael Allen, Associate Broker
· 2 min read
Short answer
Right now, pretty fast. Over the last three months, the typical home in our area went under contract in 8 to 12 days, depending on the county. Add a month or so for the buyer's loan and closing, and most sellers are looking at about six to seven weeks from listing to closing day.
I like this question because I can answer it with real numbers instead of a guess. I pulled every residential sale that closed in our five counties over the last three months from the MLS. Here's what it looks like.
| County | Homes sold | Days to contract | List to closing | Median price | Sale price vs. original list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 4,150 | 10 | 42 days | $395,000 | 99.3% |
| Wayne | 4,592 | 12 | 47 days | $225,000 | 98.9% |
| Macomb | 2,475 | 8 | 43 days | $285,000 | 100% |
| Livingston | 802 | 9 | 43 days | $430,000 | 100% |
| Genesee | 1,302 | 11 | 47 days | $234,800 | 98.3% |
All figures are medians. Source: Realcomp II Ltd. MLS, residential sales closed July 3 to September 30, 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
A few things jump out. More than half of these homes went under contract within two weeks. And the typical seller got very close to their original asking price. That's a good market to be selling in, if the home is priced right.
Where the time actually goes
- Getting ready (1 to 3 weeks). Small repairs, cleaning, photos. Some sellers do this in a weekend, some take a month.
- On the market (about 1 to 2 weeks). Showings, offers, negotiating.
- Under contract (about 30 days). Inspection, appraisal, the buyer's loan approval, title work. Cash deals can close faster.
What slows a sale down
- Price. By far the biggest one. Homes priced above the market sit, and then they sell for less than if they'd been priced right from day one. Those days on market follow the listing around.
- Condition surprises. A bad inspection can send a buyer packing a week before closing. Fixing the obvious stuff up front helps.
- Bad photos. Most buyers decide whether to see a home from their phone. Dark, crooked photos cost you showings.
- Timing. Fewer buyers are out around the holidays, though the ones who are tend to be serious. There's less competition from other sellers then too.
- Loan issues. An appraisal that comes in low or a buyer whose financing wobbles. A strong, well vetted offer matters more than the highest number sometimes.
So how long will yours take?
It depends mostly on your price and your specific neighborhood. Start with our instant home value. It looks at recent sales near you and adjusts for things like size, style, basement and garage. You can also browse recently sold homes by city, or read up on what it costs to sell in Michigan so you know your net.
Quick questions
How many days does it take to sell a house in Oakland County?
Based on Realcomp MLS sales closed July 3 to September 30, 2026, the median home in Oakland County went under contract in 10 days and closed about 42 days after listing.
How long does closing take after an offer is accepted in Michigan?
With a mortgage, about 30 days is typical. Cash purchases can often close in one to two weeks.
What's the fastest way to sell a house?
Price it right from the start, fix obvious problems before listing, and get good photos. Pricing is the biggest factor by far.
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