Selling a home in today's market is worth a celebration, even if time on the market stretches into months. It's not unusual to see homes listed for 95, 211, 273, 418 days or longer before finding a new owner.

But every now and then, a home sells fast. Some happen before an agent can stick the sign in the yard; others are snapped up just as listings are posted online.

CINDY CAMASTA/Keller Williams Realty Atlanta North (ENLARGE)

The price of this Marietta home was adjusted so it was more in line with comparable properties — with good results: It sold 13 days after going on the market.

SUSAN CRAIG/Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (ENLARGE)

Precertifying its synthetic stucco exterior as problem-free and maintaining its immaculate condition were two strategies that helped sell this Alpharetta home.

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

BEFORE

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

Geoff and Jackie Mueller hang out with Ted on the porch of their Kirkwood home, whose environment-friendly extras made it stand out and sell fast.

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

Pat Shankle of Georgia Home Staging decorates the mantel in Brookhaven Heights. It brings the home to a new level, says agent Conni Todd.

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

AFTER: Staging helps people who look at an empty room (inset above left) and 'can't imagine their stuff in the space.' Real estate agent Conni Todd is hoping the technique will work for her again at this newly done five-bedroom, five-bath home in Brookhaven Heights, on the market for $849,000.

Don't pass it off as just luck. It's all about the strategy to draw attention to the home. Learning those tactics can help, whether you're trying to get your house sold or you're on the hunt for one.

Five agents who have sold homes in less than two weeks — quite an accomplishment these days — shared their secrets for a quick sale.

QUICK IN EAST COBB

Agent: Cindy Camasta, Keller Williams Realty East Cobb

Time on the market: 13 days

How she got the listing: She followed a seasoned agent who had the five-bedroom, 41/2-bath Marietta home on the market for about four months, but without any offers. "So they took it off the market so they could actually move," Camasta said. She was concerned the previous price ($535,000) was too high, measured against comparable sales in the neighborhood.

What she advised: Having an appraisal (she advises using a company recommended by a preferred lender), and she footed half the $350 cost. "That helped us to figure out how to price the house," she said.

Sale price: $499,000 (list price was $510,000). That was after two offers came in on a Saturday night. "I was very surprised," she said.

What she's doing different this year: Having furniture in the photographs, even if that means shooting them before the sellers move out. If the house is already empty, she recommends staging the home. She also includes virtual tours online.

Not a one-time deal: With another listing in the Princeton Walk neighborhood, she put it on the market on a Sunday and got an offer that Wednesday.

ALPHARETTA APPEAL

Agent: Susan Craig, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Time on the market: 14 days

What she thought about the listing: The three-bedroom, two-bath Alpharetta ranch had a desirable floor plan, was updated in key areas such as the kitchen, and was in immaculate shape and clutter-free. Negatives: the synthetic stucco exterior and trying to sell it in the difficult winter season.

What she advised: Craig had a certified stucco inspector check out the home. "That diffuses any concerns that the buyer has about it," she said. Her sellers also continued to keep it worthy of being shown off. "That is really what you have to do," Craig said. "You just can't put a home on the market now without it just showing really well. There are too many homes on the market. You have to have that house wow the buyer when they walk in the front door."

How she advertised: Craig put the maximum number of photos, shot by a professional, on the MLS and sites such as Realtor.com and her company's Web site. "You never ever, ever put a listing in without the photos," she said. The description was also critical, and is relative to the area of town. If it's in north Fulton, she'll emphasize if it's a swim-tennis community, because that's an important amenity. She also created a professional color flier for agents.

Sale price: $387,500 (97 percent of the asking price).

What she's doing different this year: More open houses and participating in more weekday caravans in which sales agents visit several homes in a certain neighborhood or area, often tied to a luncheon or party.

Going above and beyond: For a Cumming listing that had two contracts fall through, Craig held three open houses, staged the house and inspected the house weekly after the sellers moved out. "I had to keep the house clean," she said. "I had to kill spiders off the front door. Nobody else was going to do it."

ONE STRATEGY: SETTING THE STAGE

Two of the three times that Conni Todd of Prudential Georgia Realty has staged a home in the past year, one sold in four days, another in two weeks. So she's hoping it will work again for a new five-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Brookhaven Heights listed for $849,000.

Her advertising tools include Web sites (offering virtual tours and frequently updating photos are a must) and high-end publications. She also takes advantage of the home's corner location to promote open houses. For previous listings, she also has set up individual Web sites, with the address in the url.

But once she gets them in, Todd is using Georgia Home Staging to make the home irresistible.

"People can't imagine their stuff in the space," she said. "It helps to sort of step it up to another level."

FAST AND FURIOUS IN CONYERS

Agent: Bernard Strong, Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate

Time on the market: 14 days

How he got the listing: The sellers had put a contract on a new home, without a contingency. They needed to sell their 4-bedroom, 2-bath house within three months.

How he advertised: Strong included high-quality photos and a virtual tour the instant it went into the MLS. He also uses adjectives in his listings (such as step-down living room and island kitchen) and specific details such as the exact size of the master bedroom. "Those are key to getting an agent to show," he said.

Sale price: $157,500 (list price was $159,000).

What he's doing different this year: Participating in the company's Super Sunday Open House for exposure. Sends e-mail fliers to agents. "I do make a real push to get agents in," he said. "They're the ones that have a lot of buyers and the qualified buyers now."

Other success: A three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home in Lithonia that was listed for $129,900 in early November sold within 10 days, for $132,800.

ACTION IN ACWORTH

Agent: Christy Fletcher, Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate

Time on the market: About four days

How she got the listing: Fletcher, whose office is in Peachtree City, received the listing as a referral through a past client. The client's twin sister wanted to move from Acworth to Newnan, so Fletcher met with them to show them homes in the area of metro Atlanta where she typically works. Within a day of searching, they had found a home and put a contract on it, contingent on the sale of their Acworth residence.

What she advised: Knowing time was of the essence, Fletcher advised them to price their existing three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home for $100 less than the lowest priced home in the neighborhood. Then she told them to prepare to move. "They started immediately packing up everything," she said. "In about 24 hours, they had that thing totally revamped ... to make it look larger."

How she advertised: The home was listed on the Multiple Listing Service, which funnels to sites like realtor.com, and the company's Web site. She also prepared 100 color fliers but didn't have time to set them out before the home went under contract. "I gave them their fliers at closing," she said.

Sale price: $139,000 (list price was $144,000).

What she's doing different this year: Not sugarcoating the situation with sellers. "I tell them like it is. Two years ago, I could be nicer, [saying], 'Oh, it's fine,' because people were buying everything," she said. "Now you have to be straightforward about the market and about how tough it is and the importance of pricing it right." She also does more open houses and puts listings on Web sites such as craigslist.

INTOWN ACTIVITY

Agent: Sean Casey, Kenny Cook Realty-Metro Atlanta

Time on the market: 8 days

What he thought about the listing: The 4-bedroom, 3-bath Kirkwood home stood out because of its environmentally friendly features, such as a 700-gallon rainwater harvesting system, and unique architectural details. The owners were the builders.

How he advertised: Giving plenty of information — including the price, address, photos, virtual tours and school details — on 30-40 Web sites. That includes craigslist.com — he's sold four homes from advertising on the free site. "Treat people intelligently," he said, referring to some sites that require people to register or e-mail agents for the address and price. "Today's buyers, they're like, 'Sorry.' "

What he advised: A price they could defend. "I believe in this market the days of pricing in flux or pre-building in negotiating room are over," he said. He analyzed the prices of other homes on the market and placed his listing somewhere in the middle.

Sale price: $450,000 (about $15,000 above the list price).

What he's doing different this year: Themed caravans that draw groups of agents, with the promise of prizes, food and alcohol. Meanwhile, he hasn't found open houses to be successful intown. "There's a lot more higher yield activity I can do rather than sitting around for four hours and eating my own cookies," he said.

What the buyers say: A key difference was meeting the sellers, said Jackie Mueller, who moved in during December with husband Geoff. "The owners were a great, interesting couple. Most people know the house," said Jackie, 33, who works for Autotrader.com. "They were involved in the community, so people that lived in the community that were local craftsmen worked on the project with them." But she didn't expect the bidding war. "It went from, 'How much can we underbid a house?' to 'How much do we need to offer to get this house?' And that's very rare right now," Jackie said.