10 Simple Tips for a Great Open House
Open houses can be a great way to meet new clients, generate buzz, and encourage offers.
But for unprepared agents and sellers, an open house can be a nightmare. Messy closets, overwhelming odors and curb UN-appeal can send potential buyers running.
What’s the best way to utilize an open house? To show your listing in the best possible light. Put a gleaming face on your listing from every vantage point with these 11 simple open house tips.
Make your next open house your most successful.
1. Fresh scent is the best scent.
In a recent study, more than 30 percent of people reported heavily scented products as “irritating.” Avoid irritating 30 percent of your potential buyers by skipping the use of strong candles and air fresheners. Opt for simple scents like vanilla and avoid stronger scents like lavender.
As a seller, you should also try to eliminate odors with a deep cleaning of your home. Shampoo carpets, let in fresh air, and deodorize appliances to elevate your home to its odorous best.
2. No clutter.
Keep buyers focused on the home, not the stuff. Make sure to declutter and depersonalize your home before showings or open houses. Take as much extra stuff from the main living areas as you can that don’t add to the general esthetic of the home.
3. Clean out closets.
Closet size is a touchy issue for many buyers, so there’s a good chance that at least one closet will be scrutinized during an open house. Amplify the appearance of storage space by trimming up closet contents.
4. No pets (or evidence of pets).
Pets may be sweet and loveable, but they can also create damage and odors. Many potential buyers will run in the opposite direction because pets have lived there.
Make sure to remedy signs of pet damage, and remove pets from the home during open houses.
5. No home owners.
No open house benefits from an emotionally-attached seller hanging around. Avoid giving potential buyers the creeps by leaving the home a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the start of the open house.
6. Attractive entryways.
A home’s entryway sets the tone for the rest of the house. Give the right first impression. Remove dead plants and debris. Scrub cobwebs and dirt from the front door. Add a decorative wreath or a nice chair. Get buyers to smile at the outset, and that positivity will carry through the rest of the tour.
7. Close the toilet lids.
Just do it.
8. Light & bright.
Rooms appear larger in brighter light. Experiment with lighting before your open house. Try opening shades and curtains, and turning on different sources of light to accentuate a home’s best features.
9. Give information.
Digital information rules, but your agent should give potential buyers as much printed information as possible. There’s something about tangible, physical information that sticks with a buyer, and could later encourage a sale or referral, so make room to nicely display your brochure.
Using a laptop slideshow to display photos of your home is also a great idea so make sure to give your Real Estate Agent your WIFI password. This will also make it easy for them to run any searches with potential buyers to show them how close schools, shopping and amenities are.
10. Be safe.
Personal safety and security are more important than any other factor of hosting an open house. Make sure your Real Estate Agent know where security alarms are and the home phone if you have one. As a seller, make sure you put away all expensive, cherished items where potential buyers would not have access. Better to be safe than sorry.
I hope you enjoyed my 10 tips for having a successful open house, don’t forget that I’m your next call for when you decide to list your current home and buy your next dream home!
