​If you’re about to put your house on the market, you should first consider a few updates that will make your home more attractive to potential buyers. In order to maximize your profit, stay away from big-ticket items unless they’re absolutely necessary. They key is to focus on smaller, quick wins that will make a big difference. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
 
Inspection
 
First, consider paying an inspector to examine your house and report on any issues he finds. You probably already know of a few minor things that need to be fixed, but a certified inspector can give you peace of mind by letting you know if the big things are in good shape. If he does find a major problem, you’ll get a jump start on determining your strategy for fixing it. To ensure a quality inspection, only hire an inspector with an InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) membership.
 
Unclutter Your House
When you’re preparing to sell your home, here’s a idea to add to your checklist that won’t cost anything — get rid of the clutter in your house! uncluttering can make your home feel larger, cleaner, and airier, all of which make it more attractive to buyers.
 
Below are a few quick tips:

• Determine the clutter hot-spots in your home you want to tackle first.
• Set up a sorting system with bins or boxes: things to keep, things to throw away, things to donate/sell, things to store.
• Use the 80/20 rule. You probably use about 20 percent of your stuff 80 percent of the time. The idea is to get rid of as much of the 80 percent you don’t use as possible. If you haven’t used something in the past year, you probably won’t use it — get rid of it.

 
After you’ve uncluttered, you might notice all that open space looks a little grungy. Guess what? It’s time to start cleaning. Scrub areas that haven’t seen the light of day in a while, and use a handheld vacuum to easily reach those tricky corners without having to rely on your heavy-duty cleaner. Handhelds are also good for quick clean-ups and are easily stored away once you’ve finished tackling whatever problem fell into your lap.
 
Fix or Replace Leaky Faucets
 
Prospective buyers will instantly notice and be turned off by leaky faucets in your home. If your faucet is newer and just has a leaky valve or connection, take a few minutes and fix it. If, however, your faucet is older and needs to be replaced, it’s not a difficult project and will noticeably improve your bathroom or kitchen. You’ll likely want to replace the supply lines under the sink at the same time as the faucet. One quick tip: You will have cut-off valves under the sink to turn the water off, but make sure you know where the whole-house cut-off valve is in case of emergency. This could save you some water damage!
 
Spruce Up Your Landscape and Yard
 
Improving your curb appeal will add to the attractiveness of your home as well. Take a weekend to knock out several of these improvements.

• Mow and weed-eat the lawn. Make sure you don’t have unsightly weeds or long grass cluttering your yard.
• Trim your shrubs. You’ll be amazed how much cleaner and sharper your home looks with freshly trimmed shrubs and bushes.
• Add new mulch. A fresh layer of mulch in your beds can work wonders as well. Don’t go too deep with the mulch — just a top layer to cover up the old mulch and give a clean, new look will do the trick. Make sure you do your trimming and cleaning up before you add the new mulch — otherwise, you’ll ruin the effect. Two cubic feet of mulch can be purchased for $3.49 a bag.
• Do a general overview of anything else that needs to be fixed. Fill in any holes, toss some grass seed in any bare spots, clean out old flowers, and consider adding a few new flowers for an attractive pop of color.
• To save time, considering hiring a landscaper to do the job for you. According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost of hiring front and backyard landscaping services in Reno ranges from $2,275 and $13,068.

 
These updates are inexpensive, quick fixes that will help you obtain a higher price as you sell your home. Take a few days to implement them and you’ll be surprised how different your house feels. Prospective buyers will be impressed as well, and that’s your goal — so get to it!