Just as real estate agents have a checklist of things to do before listing a home, sellers should have their own list of tasks that need to be taken care of before putting their properties on the market.

While these tasks require a little time and effort, they often pay off in the form of quicker sales and higher sales prices.

Here are four things your clients should do before they list their homes.

1. De-Clutter Their Space

Clutter can really turn buyers away. When potential buyers walk into a home, they want a blank canvas. They want to be able to envision themselves living in the home. If the client has toys, clothes and other items scattered about the home, it will be hard for buyers to see anything but the mess.

Ideally, clients should have only the bare necessities in the home to keep clutter to a minimum. If the budget allows, consider recommending having the home staged. A staged home is more likely to turn potential buyers into serious buyers.

2. Remove Personal Items

Going along with the de-cluttering point, it's important to have your clients remove personal items from their home. Again, buyers want to be able to imagine themselves living in the home. It can be hard to do that if they see photos of the family and quirky artwork on the walls.

Have clients pack up:

• Photos

• Bold artwork

• Quirky furniture that may not appeal to the general population

Paint colors can also be problematic. Many homeowners have accent walls with bold, bright colors. This trend can turn some buyers away, so consider recommending that clients repaint walls in neutral, earthy tones.

3. Check Their Home's Systems

The home inspection, which will come at the buyer's expense, will find potential issues with a home's systems. But sellers can get a jump on this by having their systems checked and serviced before listing the home.

Clients should have their roofs, HVAC systems and their sewers or septic systems checked. These are the systems that will be the most costly to repair and have the potential to sink a deal.

A simple sewer camera inspection can find potential issues that could give you problems later in the sales process.

"With a sewer camera inspection, we can also diagnose less severe situations that can be solved with a basic drain cleaning, such as clogs that have formed due to grease buildup or the invasion of tree roots," says Sewer Co, a company that specializes in sewer camera inspections.

Having these issues taken care of beforehand will make the sales and closing process as smooth as possible.

4. Clean Up the Yard

Curb appeal is so important when selling a home. If buyers pull up to a cluttered yard, they may not make an offer – even if the home's interior is beautiful.

Ask clients to clear brush and debris, plant flowers and lay down sod if the budget allows.

More young buyers are making yards a priority, so this is a key area to focus on before listing a home and taking photos.