4 Ways to Sell Your Las Vegas Home Fast

The Las Vegas real estate market has improved in the years since it was hit hard by the housing crisis, but that doesn't mean selling a home quickly is an easy task. As you prepare to put your house on the market, heed this advice from some of the top real estate agents in Las Vegas as identified by OpenHouse Realty, a real estate technology company (and a U.S. News partner), to help increase the chances of a swift sale.

Price it with care. Owners who want to sell their property quickly must use home prices in their neighborhood as a benchmark.

[Read: Planning to Put Your Home on the Market This Spring? How to Prepare Now.]

According to Carol Crowder of Coldwell Banker Premier Realty, "The home needs to be priced right, meaning at market value. So, compared to the other homes similar to it, it needs to be priced very close to what those are selling for."

The Las Vegas real estate market has changed in recent years, so sellers need to make sure they are pricing their home in a way that makes sense for the current market rather than relying on outdated strategies.

Troy Kearns of The Troy Kearns Group says, "The dynamic of real estate has changed in the last 20 years from people pricing to try to buffer in some wiggle room, hoping they can achieve their bottom dollar. Actually, if they start with their bottom dollar, they'll usually get it up to the price they want in a competitive market versus trying to chase the market down."

Complete the honey-do list. First impressions are important, and completing small, inexpensive projects around your home can make potential buyers more interested.

Although it would certainly help, you don't necessarily need to go as far as remodeling the bathroom or replacing all your kitchen appliances. According to Kearns, even small touch-ups can go a long way, including fresh paint, trimmed landscaping and all those honey-do projects that help give the home a more polished appearance.

[Read: 13 Things to Know About Selling Your Home in Fall and Winter.]

"A lot of people seem to think that a home they bought 10 years ago is still new, and we tell them that that's not the case. New is something that is brand-new," Kearns explains.

In addition to small repairs, sellers should focus on the overall cleanliness of the house.

Crowder says, "It's no longer the distressed market that we were in. There is an expectation that your house is going to show well and be clean and appeal to all of the senses. When buyers walk in, they want it to smell good, they want it to look good."

It's also a good idea to depersonalize and declutter the house before putting it on the market. "You want to neutralize it. You want potential buyers to feel like they can envision themselves in it, not feel like they are walking into your home," Crowder says.

Leave the photography to the professionals. Much of the initial homebuying process takes place online, and many buyers form their first impressions of a property based on the photographs that accompany the online listing. To entice potential buyers, focus on professional photography that makes the property look its best.

"Ninety percent of people are shopping online these days," Kearns says. "An iPhone does not qualify as professional photography. Find a Realtor that uses a professional photographer."

In Las Vegas, anytime is a good time to sell. When it comes to timing, every season has its advantages. Summer can bring buyers looking to move before the new school year starts and can also encourage buyers to look more carefully at homes that feature pools.

On the other hand, sellers shouldn't dismiss the holiday season -- thanks in part to Las Vegas' mild winters.

[Read: 100 Best Places to Live in the USA.]

"November and December are actually really good times of year to put your home on the market because a lot of sellers have removed their home from the market because they don't want their home being seen during the holidays," Crowder says.

She adds that the holidays tend to bring out buyers who are more seriously looking. "Generally buyers purchasing homes at that time of year are doing it because they need to, not because they're just seeing what's out there."

Looking for a real estate agent in Las Vegas? U.S. News' Find an Agent tool can match you with the person who's most qualified for the job.

Sarah Vernetti is freelance writer based in Las Vegas. Follow her on Twitter or visit her website.