Hosting An Open House To Sell Your Home
When selling your house "by owner" you don't have the advantage
of a real estate agent with tons of clients so you need to draw
people to your house and one way is to have an open house. This
will require some prep work and a bit of your time but can reel
in potential buyers and get the word out about your home.
The best day for an open house is Sunday. This is the day most
people spend with their families and are out and about running
errands so zipping over to an open house is a nice break. It's
best to hold it during the day so people can see the house in
daylight. Plan to have the open house for several hours - like
noon to 4. Put an ad in the real estate section of the paper a
week ahead of time and let it run all week.
Your ad should list the time for the open house, the address,
some special amenities of the home like how many bedrooms or if
it has a nice view, the asking price and a phone number where
they can reach you.
Now you are ready to do some of the prep work to make your house
irresistible to buyers. You should already have fixed up any
broken or half finished projects around the house. Are there
places where the paint is dingy? Then repaint. What about that
half done molding in the dining room that has been like that so
long that you are blind to it? Finish it, your buyers will
notice anything and everything so you need to look at your house
with a critical eye and remove anything that might be an
obstacle to someone purchasing your home.
Go outside and look at your house from the street. Does it have
curb appeal? This is the first impression your potential buyer
will get so it pays to spruce up the outside. Make sure your
landscaping is crisp and colorful and walkways and lighting work
properly.
On the morning of the open house, you must make sure your house
is spotless. Put away the dishes, make the beds, vacuum the
rugs, clean the bathrooms and maybe even add some flowers and
put on the coffee. Take notice of how your house smells - you
want a nice aroma or fresh smell to hit buyers when they come
into your home. Why not bake some cookies? It will make the
house smell great and you'll have some yummy treats to offer
your guests.
For an open house, a clean home is a necessity. Although it is a
good idea to stage your house or set up each room to fit its
best potential, you will score more points with a spotless home.
No one wants to buy a house that looks like it hasn't been cared
for.
Make sure each room has the appropriate lighting and if the
showing is in the evening, turn on accents lights for ambiance.
Enhane the look of each room and avoid having your guests fumble
for the light switch by using table lamps. This will make your
rooms look warmer than a glaring overhead light.
If you want to make your rooms look brighter and larger, try
adding some mirrors. People want their homes to be bright and a
mirror can reflect the light from a window or door.
Make sure you pick up all the clutter around the house. Outside,
you need to store all childrens toys and bikes neatly in the
garage or shed. Inside, pick up all toys and put away in
cupboards remove all magnets and notes from the fridge and make
sure there is no clutter around the tables or on the floors.
It's a good idea to send the kids and pets away during the
showing. You don't want anything to distract your potential
buyers from the beauty of your home.