There are a lot of situations where you might wonder how to sell car fast - either you need enough money to buy a new model you have your eye on, you’re moving out on short notice, or it’s just a really old car (in that case, we suggest you visit an agency near you where you can sell junk cars for cash).  

No matter the situation, there are a number of steps to take to ensure selling your car is a rewarding process, both money-wise and efficiency-wise. In this article, we discuss five of the most effective ways to make sure you’ve nailed down how to sell car fast. 

All the Right Paperwork 

Remember all the hassle with paperwork when you first purchased your car? It’s the same when you sell your car, only this time it’s less exciting. Here is a list of the important paperwork you’ll need: 

1. Your car’s title: Also called a pink slip, your car’s title contains all the important ownership information which you’ll need to transfer to its new owner. It’s a handy little paper that’s important for all matters, legal or otherwise, and is the first thing you’ll be asked for when you sell the old beaut off. 
2. Loan documents: If you still have payments remaining on your car, make sure to fish out all the loan papers related to your vehicle so that you don’t need to struggle with any legal issues later. In fact, consider using the money you receive for the car to pay off the entirety of the loan so that you don’t have a pending loan anymore. 
3. A vehicle history report: Though not the most important detail when asked how to sell car fast, a detailed vehicle history report informs readers about the car’s previous and current ownership. It’s the key to your car’s past and present.
4. Visit your DMV for more information: Your state DMV’s official website contains extensive information about selling your car, and is sure to have digital versions of other official paperwork necessary to sell your car, such as a bill of sale.

Set the Price

The full answer to how to sell car fast is incomplete if you haven’t set a price on it yet. Make sure to consult your local dealer, online calculators, and a well-informed friend before adding a price tag to your car. Here are a few more tips to set the ideal price for your car: 

1.  Estimate the value of your car by looking up similar make and models on used car websites or local ads. A number of websites are dedicated to exactly this purpose, such as Edmunds or Kelley Blue Book. 
2. Set the price a few hundred dollars above the current market value so that you receive you leave enough leeway for negotiation afterward. While this isn’t necessary to answer the question of how to sell car fast, it’s an important cushion after you enter a later stage of the sale i.e., haggling.
3. Factor in buyer psychology: Buyer psychology plays a big role in how to sell car fast. For example, though $4100 and $3900 are super close to each other, the latter is much more appealing to buyers. Not to mention, the number makes it under a lot of upper limits set by potential buyers on used car websites.

Wax and Wait

Appeal is a huge part of any marketing process and the story’s no different in the case of how to sell car fast. While there’s no way to undo the numerous little dents and scratches that make a used car, well, used, a detailed car wash and a later wax can go a long way in upping your car’s class. You want potential buyers to like it at first look, and rebound mud, dirty tires, or bumpers riddled with road salt don’t exactly scream ‘quick sell’. Additional ways to make your car shine (inside and out) are to vacuum the interiors, add some polish to its leather, add professional detail to its body, and if possible, replace any scratched windows or mirrors. However, if your car is beyond looking any better with the above changes, it might not be too late to ask the question “How to sell my junk car?” Hint: The answer is just one click away.

Create an appealing ad

This is the most important answer to “How to sell car fast?” As long as your car isn’t a junk car, an eye-catchy ad with a lot of photographic evidence of just how perfect your car is will help your car sell like hot cake. Remember that the portal you select matters just as much as the pictures, and consider shelling out a few extra bucks to have it posted on a high-quality website. Here are a few additional tips to consider while creating an ad for your car: 

1. Photograph your car under bright light and in the best physical condition. While it’s near impossible to keep your car shiny throughout the resale process (it can take anywhere between three days to three weeks) a picture-perfect capture of your car speaks volumes in your ad. Take pictures of its interiors, trunk, engine, tires, and of course, its body. 
2. Add additional details to the listing, such as any new repairs or improvements you’ve made to the vehicle over the past year. Remember to avoid repetition so as to keep the ad concise and approachable.
   

Seal the deal!

After carefully screening your callers and allowing the most viable buyers to go on a closely monitored test drive, negotiate with the buyer to arrive at an agreeable price (never offer to start a negotiation, instead, state that your asking price is fair at first). 

After settling on a price, accept the payment from the buyer, preferably in check or by a wire transfer. The legal components of selling your car involves signing the bill of sale, the car’s title, and a ‘release of liability’ form to indicate that you no longer own the car. Make all the necessary arrangements for transport in the absence of your car, hand over all the necessary paperwork and the car’s keys.