Selling a home in Reno takes roughly 60–90 days from first meeting with an agent to receiving your proceeds. The process has predictable stages, and knowing what happens at each one helps you move through it without surprises. Here is the full sequence, with Reno-specific detail at each step.
Total: 60–90 days from decision to proceeds
The Steps
Choose a Listing Agent and Sign a Listing Agreement
Interview two or three agents. Ask each one for a comparative market analysis (CMA) on your specific home, their commission rate, and what services are included. The listing agreement is a contract — read it before you sign. Standard terms in Nevada include the listing period (typically 90–180 days), commission rate, and any exclusions. Make sure your agent explains every line.
Prepare the Home
Your agent will walk the property and identify what needs to be addressed before listing. This typically includes: deep cleaning, decluttering, minor repairs (leaky faucets, scuffed paint, broken fixtures), and curb appeal. In Reno's market, homes that show well sell faster and often for more. The goal is for a buyer to walk in and not have an obvious mental deduction to make.
Nevada Seller Disclosures
Nevada law (NRS 113) requires sellers to disclose all known material defects on a Seller's Real Property Disclosure (SRPD) form. This includes: roof condition, HVAC age and condition, any known water damage, HOA information, and neighborhood nuisances (airports, shooting ranges, agricultural uses). Complete this accurately. Missing a disclosure creates post-sale liability. Your agent should walk you through this form.
Photography and Listing Launch
Professional photography is scheduled, typically 1–2 days before the listing goes live on the NNRMLS (Northern Nevada Regional MLS). Your agent coordinates the shoot, writes the listing description, and sets the go-live date. In active markets, Thursday or Friday launches generate the most showing traffic over the weekend. Your listing automatically syndicates to Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and other buyer-facing platforms within 24 hours of going live.
Showings and Offers
Once live, buyers and their agents schedule showings. In Reno's market, correctly priced homes in move-in condition typically generate showing activity within the first week. Offers are submitted in writing using Nevada Association of Realtors (NVAR) contracts. Your agent presents each offer with a side-by-side comparison of price, contingencies, financing type, and proposed closing timeline. The strongest offer is not always the highest — contingencies, financing certainty, and closing timeline all factor in.
Under Contract: Inspection, Appraisal, and Title
Once you accept an offer, the clock starts. The buyer typically has 10–14 days to complete inspections. Common results: the buyer asks for credits or repairs. Your agent negotiates these on your behalf. If the buyer is financing, a lender appraisal follows — typically within 2 weeks of going under contract. Title begins a title search to clear any liens or encumbrances on the property. Nevada uses escrow companies rather than attorneys to coordinate this stage.
Closing Day
Nevada is a dry closing state, meaning sellers and buyers often sign separately. You sign your closing documents — deed, settlement statement (HUD-1), and any remaining disclosures — at the escrow office, sometimes a day or two before the buyer. Funds are wired, the deed records with Washoe County, and your net proceeds are typically available within 24 hours of recording. The keys transfer to the buyer and the transaction is complete.
Reno-Specific Details Worth Knowing
Nevada has no attorney requirement for closings — escrow handles the process. This is different from East Coast markets where a real estate attorney is standard.
Earnest money in Reno typically runs 1%–2% of the sale price. It is deposited with the escrow company within 3 business days of acceptance. If the buyer backs out without a valid contingency, the earnest money may be forfeited to the seller.
Washoe County uses a bi-annual property tax schedule. Proration at closing is standard — you pay taxes for the days you owned the home in the tax period, and the buyer pays their portion.
The listing commission you pay covers everything in the process above on the seller representation side. At 1.5% through OPL Realty, you get full-service listing representation — photography, MLS listing, negotiation, and transaction management through closing — for half the conventional rate. On a $575,000 sale, that is $8,625 more in your proceeds at closing.