10 Easy Ways to Have a Successful Open House
An open house is the showing of any property to potential clients to generate more exposure for it. It’s a time for the neighbors, the clients, and the agent to meet each other, ask questions, and form connections. It can be a lucrative way to find the right buyer for a property, but how does a seller make sure an open house goes as well as possible? Below are ten easy ways to pull off a successful open house.
Choosing the time
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Strategically scheduling the open house by considering the day, time, and marketing schedule can go a long way toward its success. A seller can host the open house on the first day the house comes onto the market, which often generates excitement. Buyers will see that the house is available soon and make plans to attend the open house to get ahead of the competition.
The day and time are important, too. Traditionally speaking, Sunday is the best day for an open house. It allows buyers who work during the week to be available to attend since Saturdays are often busy. The afternoon is the best time for a Sunday show so that churchgoers have the opportunity to attend. However, if Sunday is difficult for whatever reason, Saturday or a weekday evening after typical work hours can also work.
Cleaning and depersonalizing
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First impressions are the most important, and even the smallest things can make a difference. Sellers should clean their house from top to bottom, vacuuming, sweeping, washing the windows, cleaning the bathrooms, wiping the baseboards, dusting, and anything else necessary to make the house shine.
To let buyers visualize their lives in the house, sellers should remove as many of their personal belongings and possessions as possible. Photographs, laundry, shoes, and other everyday items should be put away. It’s also a good idea to store valuables in a safe or another secure location since open houses can be a security concern.
Stage the house
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The house should be clean, but it shouldn’t be empty. Any house on the market should feel like a home. Staging, both for the open house and online pictures, is a necessary step that should be taken seriously. Some sellers rent quality furniture, while others rely on their own furniture. A professional designer can bring invaluable expertise to the house, utilizing the furniture, lighting, and accessories to their full potential.
The small details
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With the house clean, free of personal items, and tastefully staged, there are a few more things that can make the property stand out. Sellers should take care of the outside of the house by mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, and painting the front door if necessary, as well as keeping their cars out of the driveway. All of the lights should be on with the drapes and blinds open to let in natural light. If possible, it’s a good idea to provide drinks or light snacks—food is a quick way to people’s hearts.
Provide takeaways
The National Association of Realtors survey found that
85% of buyers think detailed information about a house is exceedingly helpful. While a lot of information is posted online, providing physical flyers with photos and unique features of the house to visitors can make a big difference by giving them a quick way to remember what they've seen. Other information that can be useful to have in pamphlets or documents include financial information and warranties, additional blueprints, and inspection reports. Giving potential buyers the information they’ll probably need eventually makes their lives easier.
Market the house
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The more people who know about the open house, the more people are going to show up. With a realtor’s help, signs advertising the event should be in front of the house and all around the neighborhood. Various listing sites include open house information on the property’s listing and are often where buyers first start searching for houses. Sellers can also post information on social media or place the information in a local newspaper or a popular shop. A
real estate agent will have connections and a network they can utilize to get the word out, too.
Consider creating a video walkthrough
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While a video walkthrough never quite measures up to an in-person tour, it provides people who can’t attend the open house the next best option. Not only that, it can help people who did visit refresh their memory of the layout and features of the house. Sellers can hire a professional to create the video walkthrough, or they can record it themselves by using a smartphone.
Remove evidence of pets
If the seller owns animals, they should take their pets out of the home during the open house along with all of their things and food. While potential buyers may love animals or have pets of their own, animals do tend to contribute to the general mess in a house, so homebuyers may be concerned. Visitors may also have allergies, and it’s always best to make the open house as comfortable and accommodating as possible. No matter how friendly or well-behaved the pet is, remove it from the home completely if possible, or at least keep it in an enclosed room out of the way.
Homeowners should leave
Buyers tend to prefer looking through a house without the current owners present since it removes the feelings of being judged or judging someone else. When the open house is opened to people, it’s time for the seller to make themselves scarce. Take any pets or kids who live there and go somewhere else for the afternoon or evening.
Trust the realtor
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A good real estate agent can help the seller throughout the process of hosting an open house, and when the big day finally arrives, the homeowner will leave the house in the realtor’s capable hands. The agent will be the one greeting prospective buyers and showing the house in the best possible light. Sellers need to be able to relinquish their control and trust their agent.
Nicole Freer Group
A
top-quality team in Houston, Texas,
Nicole Freer sells homes within 14 days on average and has the highest exposure on their listings out of any other team in the area. Her team of agents has broken and set more than one record for the
highest price per square foot sold, as well as negotiated record-breaking numbers, saving their clients thousands of dollars. Their exceptional experience makes them a great team to trust with a house.
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