87 Days in McKinney. 60 in Plano -What Waiting to Sell Can Cost

If your house needs work, selling can feel like another project you do not have the time or money to take on. You might be managing an inherited home, paying for a vacant property after a move, or deciding whether to repair a rental before selling it. The question is not just what someone might pay. It is what you will spend, and how long you can wait, to get there.

You do not have to renovate before selling. But a direct cash offer is not automatically your best financial choice, either. For a McKinney or Plano homeowner, the useful comparison is the money you can realistically keep under each option, along with the work and uncertainty you are willing to accept.

An October 27, 2026 market snapshot gives that decision local context. In Realtor Konda's reports using NTREIS MLS data, McKinney homes that closed in the preceding 30 days averaged 87 days on market. Plano's corresponding average was 60 days. These are observed averages from completed sales—not promises about how quickly your house will sell, and not estimates specifically for homes needing repairs.

Original AI-generated editorial illustration of representative North Texas homes; not a listed property or a Ninebird transaction.

The local numbers show a choice—not a reason to panic

The same reports counted 1,190 active listings in McKinney and 675 in Plano. McKinney had 5.3 months of supply, compared with 4.1 months in Plano. The publisher calculates supply by dividing active listings by the number of homes sold during the preceding 30 days. It labels both cities balanced markets.

That does not mean every seller has equal negotiating power. A citywide measure combines different locations, price ranges and property conditions. Listing counts alone also cannot tell you which city is easier to sell in: the cities have different housing markets and transaction volumes.

For your decision, the more useful question is how your property compares with the alternatives a buyer can purchase at a similar price. A house with documented repairs needs a different pricing discussion from an updated home with no comparable work to do.

Source: Realtor Konda's NTREIS/Trestle MLS reports, generated October 27, 2026. Average days on market for homes closed in the preceding 30 days. This is time on market, not a published contract-to-closing measure or a forecast for an individual property.

There is an important counterpoint to the longer October snapshot. Redfin's McKinney page reports a 511,000 median sale price**, down**3.5% year over year**, and**49 days on market** for the three months ending August 2026. Its Plano page reports**500,000, down 3.0%, and 43 days for the three months ending September 2026.

Those Redfin periods do not match each other or the October MLS snapshot. Their figures should not be combined into a trend line or presented as proof that selling times suddenly jumped. They do show why one broad number is not a valuation: homes are still selling, and different reporting windows and measures give different pictures.

Before you choose a route, ask for recent, relevant comparable sales and an explanation of the data period—not just a city median.

In McKinney, compare your house with what buyers can buy now

McKinney sellers face a practical question: what else can a buyer get without taking on your repair project?

Painted Tree's quick-move-in page lists new homes at McKinney addresses that are available now or scheduled to become available. Trinity Falls also markets available new-construction homes. These are concrete examples of buyer alternatives, not a count of all new homes in the city and not proof that builders caused a particular resale price change.

If a buyer is considering your house and a newer home, the comparison may include condition, layout, location and the work required after moving. It is not enough to copy a builder's asking price or subtract an arbitrary amount for your home's age. A different lot, floor plan, school assignment or property type can make that comparison unsuitable.

For a house that needs repairs, start with two separate questions. What could it reasonably sell for in its present condition? And what additional sale proceeds might specific improvements produce after paying for those improvements and the extra time?

An older house near downtown introduces another local consideration. McKinney's Historic Overlay District has rules for exterior changes visible from the public right of way. The city says a Certificate of Appropriateness is required for applicable work before it begins and before a permit is issued. In-kind maintenance may be treated differently, so check your proposed work with the Historic Preservation Office rather than assuming every repair needs approval.

That is a reason to understand a renovation scope before spending—not a reason to rush into a sale. A cash purchase does not remove preservation requirements. Ask the city about the property and planned work before choosing a repair budget.

In Plano, an established neighborhood does not eliminate the repair decision

Plano's housing story is different. The city's comprehensive plan says most residential development occurred between the 1960s and the 2000s. That supports a discussion of established neighborhoods, but it does not mean every older house is outdated or that all homes in one part of Plano face the same discount.

If you own a well-maintained house with dated finishes, you may have a different decision from someone dealing with a leaking roof or an unresolved structural concern. Separate appearance from condition. A kitchen that is not fashionable is not the same issue as a defect that needs investigation.

A financed buyer may also face constraints beyond personal taste. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that major repairs can complicate a mortgage closing because a lender may require repairs as a condition of the loan. That does not mean every repair-needing house is unfinanceable. It means the buyer's funding and the property's condition belong in the same conversation.

Source: the same October 27, 2026 NTREIS/Trestle MLS reports. Supply equals active listings divided by homes sold in the preceding 30 days. It is a market ratio, not a waiting-time estimate for your house.

Plano's lower supply figure in this snapshot does not tell you to renovate, and McKinney's higher figure does not tell you to accept a cash offer. Neither source provides a measured discount specifically for damaged or outdated homes.

For your Plano property, ask for comparable sales with a similar condition and location. If the valuation assumes a renovated interior, make sure the cost and time needed to reach that condition are visible in the comparison.

Waiting has a cost—even when you do not make repairs

A vacant house can still generate expenses. Depending on your situation, those may include mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, utilities, HOA charges and upkeep. A rental needs a different calculation because actual rent and operating expenses also matter.

For addresses in Collin County, the county tax assessor says property taxes are due on receipt and generally become delinquent on February 1. Do not infer your tax bill from a city median, and do not assume every Plano address uses the same tax collector. Confirm the collector for your property and how taxes will be handled at closing.

Here is a hypothetical illustration, not a McKinney or Plano average. Suppose your monthly expenses are $1,300 in mortgage interest, a $450 property-tax allowance, $250 in insurance, $200 in utilities and 200 in upkeep. That totals**2,400 per 30-day month**, or $80 a day.

At those assumed expenses, an additional 45 days costs $3,600. An additional 90 days costs $7,200. Your numbers could be much lower or higher; replace every assumption with your own statements and bills.

Count expenses without counting the same money twice. Mortgage principal payments reduce your loan balance, so they are not the same as interest expense. They still matter to monthly cash flow. If taxes and insurance are already included in an escrow payment, do not add them again. A property's mortgage payoff, tax proration and other settlement items need their own treatment in a net-proceeds estimate.

A difference in timing is only one part of the decision. A listed sale could still leave you with more money after paying those costs. Equally, a higher hoped-for price may be less attractive if reaching it requires spending money you do not have or managing work you do not want.

Write down your own monthly expense figure before comparing offers. That turns “I can wait a little longer” into a decision you can evaluate.

Compare three selling routes, not just “agent versus cash”

You have more than two choices. In particular, selling as-is does not require selling off-market.

List after making selected improvements

This route may fit if you can fund preparation, handle the work and tolerate an uncertain selling timeline. Ask an agent which improvements matter for comparable homes rather than treating a complete renovation as the default.

A repair estimate is not evidence that the sale price will rise by the same amount. Your comparison should include preparation costs, selling expenses, possible concessions and the time between starting work and receiving the proceeds.

List the house in its present condition

An as-is listing can expose your property to buyers without requiring you to renovate first. Your agent can help explain the condition and price it accordingly. It may attract an owner-occupant prepared to do work, a renovation buyer or another investor.

The trade-off is that listing as-is does not by itself prevent inspection requests or negotiations. Review the offer's terms, including any inspection, financing or termination provisions, rather than treating the words “as-is” as a guarantee. CFPB guidance explains that financing and inspection contingencies can affect whether a transaction proceeds.

Request written direct cash offers

A direct offer can be useful if you would rather avoid a repair project or need a closing date that fits a move. But “cash” describes the funding; it does not automatically establish a fair price, a reliable buyer or an unconditional contract.

Compare proof of funds, earnest money, inspection or option rights, assignment provisions, who pays which expenses, and the closing date. If a term is unclear, ask your attorney or title company to explain it before signing.

This is a comparison guide, not a recommendation to sell or a promise about price or closing. The signed contract, your property's condition and your personal priorities control the decision.

Use the same basis for every option: realistic sale proceeds minus the costs needed to achieve them. Then account for your mortgage payoff and other settlement deductions. Keep uncertain estimates separate from a written offer, and ask who bears the risk if the repairs take longer or the sale price is lower than expected.

If listing offers a materially better likely result and you can manage it, listing may be the right choice. If the difference is modest and the process would be difficult, timing and simplicity may matter more to you. Neither answer should be assumed in advance.

“As-is” does not automatically mean “no disclosure” in Texas

Texas Property Code Section 5.008 generally requires a seller's written disclosure notice for residential property with no more than one dwelling unit, subject to specific exemptions. The notice reflects the seller's knowledge and belief; the statute allows a seller to identify information that is unknown. An “as-is” designation is not, by itself, one of the listed exemptions.

TREC's Seller's Disclosure Notice provides the statutory property-condition information for previously occupied single-family residences. If you know about a defect, do not assume a cash buyer's willingness to take on repairs removes your disclosure obligations.

Inherited property needs individual attention. Section 5.008 includes an exemption for certain transfers by a fiduciary administering an estate or trust, but that does not make every sale of an inherited house exempt. Ask a Texas real-estate attorney or title company to review who has authority to sell and which requirements apply.

The same principle applies to other complications: a direct sale is not a shortcut around ownership questions, leases or liens. Deal with them as part of the transaction instead of relying on a general advertising promise.

How Ninebird fits into the comparison

Ninebird Properties offers a direct-sale option for homeowners in both cities. Its McKinney service page and Plano service page describe buying houses in their current condition, using the company's own funds and providing a written offer after a walkthrough.

The business identifies Mark Buskuhl as its owner and states that it is based in Plano. These are Ninebird's published business representations, not a guarantee of the terms or outcome of your transaction.

If you request an offer, use it as a concrete point of comparison. Ask what condition assumptions support the price, which expenses you remain responsible for, and what must happen before closing. If you have already moved, inherited the property or still have tenants, explain that early so the timing discussion reflects the actual situation.

You do not need to accept a cash offer to learn whether it suits you. You also do not need to undertake a renovation simply because a citywide median looks attractive. The right decision starts with your property, your costs and the terms available to you.

If you want to compare an as-is sale for your McKinney or Plano property, request a no-obligation cash offer from Ninebird Properties or call 972-996-1839.

This article provides general information, not an appraisal or legal, tax or financial advice. Ninebird Properties is not a law firm. Consult a Texas real-estate attorney about disclosure, ownership and contract questions, and obtain transaction-specific tax or financial advice when needed.