You’ve received an offer on your Las Vegas house—congratulations! But before you start packing boxes, here’s a reality check: 17% of home sales experience unexpected setbacks, and a good number of them are due to straightforward oversights that sellers could have prevented. In June 2025, with 7,400 single-family residences for sale (a 7.5% increase from last month), buyers have more choices than they did last year, which means your sale must go off without a hitch to remain competitive.
So, what’s holding up your closing? From misplaced HOA documents to surprise title issues on the final day, even minor errors can add weeks to your schedule—and set you back $200+ per day in carrying costs. And in a market where inventory is climbing to 3.65 months (edging toward balanced ground), delays might mean losing your buyer to another home.
But don’t worry. We have helped hundreds of Las Vegas sellers avoid these traps, whether they are selling a Henderson family house or a Summerlin apartment. With real-world statistics and kind advice to keep your sale—and your sanity—on track, these are the top three mistakes sellers make that cause delays in closing.
1. Skipping a Pre-Listing Inspection & Over- or Under-Fixing
One of the most common home-selling blunders that causes delays in closing is crossing your fingers and hoping nothing bad happens during the buyer’s inspection.
Why It Matters
The National Association of Realtors estimates that surprises in appraisals or inspections account for roughly 21 percent of all delayed contracts. Buyers in Las Vegas today, where inventory has increased 7.5% over the past 30 days, feel free to nitpick—and they will.
- The Downside of Under-Fixing
Leaving plain problems—such as dripping faucets, broken tiles, or older wiring—alone will save you a few dollars now, but cost you days (weeks) later when the buyer insists upon repair or credits. - The Pitfall of Over-Upgrading
On the other hand, spending a fortune on a granite-inset counter or top-tier landscaping may not pay dollar-for-dollar dividends and can invite skepticism: “Why did they spend ten thousand dollars on this but forego fundamental foundation work?”
How to Avoid This Delay
- Get a Pre-Listing Inspection
- Hire a qualified, independent inspector—not only the one your agency suggests. You will find problems with your chronology, not those of the buyer.
- Average cost: $400–$600; this is a steal when contrasted to the possible $2,000 in last-minute repairs.
- Prioritize Critical Repairs
- Emphasize utility and safety in plumbing, electrical, and roofing. These are the items buyers (and their lenders) won’t let slide.
- Emphasize utility and safety in plumbing, electrical, and roofing. These are the items buyers (and their lenders) won’t let slide.
- Make Smart Cosmetic Touch-Ups
- A new coat of neutral paint, fixed door handles, and clean grout go a long way. Avoid the pricey “luxury” upgrades that cost you out of your neighborhood comps.
By addressing these issues ahead of time, you remove a major obstacle that holds up closing on a house and establish buyer trust from day one.
2. Overlooking Title & Document Issues
Few vendors know that what holds up a home sale is often hidden in the fine print—liens, back taxes, and title issues can resurface unexpectedly, holding up your closing for weeks. In Las Vegas today, the months of inventory measure has ticked up from 3.4 to 3.65 months, which indicates a softer market in which buyers (and their lawyers) hesitate to delve into paperwork.
Common Title-Related Traps
- Unpaid Liens or Back Taxes: Perhaps you overlooked a contractor’s invoice or property-tax bill. Those unpaid bills don’t disappear at closing—unless they’re settled beforehand, they become the buyer’s problem.
- Heirs & Legacy Claims: If your home changed hands unofficially (e.g., in a family), some former occupant may emerge claiming title rights.
- Boundary Disputes: Fence lines vs. legal lines of ownership—surveys may expose issues to be resolved.
How to Avoid These Delays
- Order a Preliminary Title Search
- Your title company can flag outstanding issues months before closing.
- Your title company can flag outstanding issues months before closing.
- Clear Liens & Taxes Early
- Request a payoff statement from your lender and settle any small contractor or HOA bills immediately.
- Request a payoff statement from your lender and settle any small contractor or HOA bills immediately.
- Obtain a Survey or Boundary Endorsement
- A precise boundary survey can head off fence-line disputes.
- A precise boundary survey can head off fence-line disputes.
- Review All Contracts & Disclosures
- Avoid small clerical mistakes—misspelled name forms, unsigned documents—providing buyers with grounds to ask for a retimed closing.
Tackling these early turns delays driven by buyers into a seamless handshake at the closing table.
3. Mismanaging Buyer Contingencies & Poor Communication
Even after inspection and title matters are buttoned up, sellers fall prey to contingencies—those contractual “ifs” buyers employ to cover themselves. Las Vegas experienced 2,025 closed SFR sales in May 2025, identical to April, but those sales took an average of 30–45 days to close, primarily due to back-and-forth regarding contingencies.
Top Contingency Culprits
- Financing Contingencies:
- Buyers forfeit loan approval when they lose their job or acquire additional debt along the way. A delayed loan equates to a delayed closing.
- Buyers forfeit loan approval when they lose their job or acquire additional debt along the way. A delayed loan equates to a delayed closing.
- Appraisal Contingencies:
- In the event the appraisal is lower than the agreed-upon purchase price, sellers may be forced to reduce the price, pay the difference, or renegotiate, each taking days to weeks.
- In the event the appraisal is lower than the agreed-upon purchase price, sellers may be forced to reduce the price, pay the difference, or renegotiate, each taking days to weeks.
- Inspection & Repair Contingencies:
- Buyers usually request credits or repairs upon their inspection report. If you don’t prepare to respond promptly, they can call for an “extension” or even back out.
- Buyers usually request credits or repairs upon their inspection report. If you don’t prepare to respond promptly, they can call for an “extension” or even back out.
- Home Sale Contingencies:
- Buyers who sell their existing home first can keep you waiting until their sale closes, making your closing date a guessing game.
Communication Breakdown = Closing Breakdown
Slow responses, missed calls, or ambiguous directions frustrate buyers, agents, lenders, and attorneys equally. In an increasingly impatient seller’s market, lousy communication is a self-imposed delay.
How to Avoid These Closing Delays
- Set Clear Timelines in Your Listing Agreement
- Agree on response windows (e.g., 24 hours) for contingency-related requests.
- Agree on response windows (e.g., 24 hours) for contingency-related requests.
- Require a Strong Pre-Approval Letter
- Make “proof of funds” and “underwritten pre-approval” requirements non-negotiable before accepting an offer.
- Make “proof of funds” and “underwritten pre-approval” requirements non-negotiable before accepting an offer.
- Provide a Comprehensive Pre-Listing Disclosure Package
- Attach your inspection report, title report, HOA documents, and most recent utility bills. Honesty builds trust—and hastens matters.
- Attach your inspection report, title report, HOA documents, and most recent utility bills. Honesty builds trust—and hastens matters.
- Stay Accessible & Organized
- Share a common digital folder (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive) with all closing documents and links. Let all parties know when you have uploaded or changed files.
By being mindful of buyers’ timelines—and communicating honestly—how to prevent closing delays, selling a home ceases to be a mystery and becomes a simple checklist.
Bonus Tip: Mind the Cooling Market
While sales stay constant at 2,025 units, June 2025 data shows Las Vegas’s housing inventory rising to 7,400 homes, pushing months-of-supply up to 3.65 months. Though the tide is changing, we are not nearly in a buyer’s market. Therefore:
- Buyers Feel Less Pressure: They may insert more contingencies or drag negotiations out.
- Sellers Need to Be Proactive: Standing still is no longer an option if you want to close on time.
Putting It All Together: Your Closing-Day Plan
- Schedule Your Pre-Listing Inspection & Repair Plan
- Order a Title Report & Clear Liens
- Get Fully Underwritten Pre-Approval from Buyer
- Distribute a Complete Disclosure Package
- Agree on Communication Protocols & Timelines
Use these guidelines to avoid the most common seller errors that lead to closure delays and ensure that your leaving stage is as seamless as it may be.
Ready to Close on Time? Top Tier Realty Can Help
You’ve got your hands full: packing, arranging movers, and selecting paint colors. We’ll take care of the little things that hold up a home closing in Las Vegas.
Contact Top Tier Realty today at 702-586-8588 and let’s secure your closing date—without the delays.