Open houses are a great opportunity for sellers to show off their home and attract potential buyers. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind to make the most of these events. First, understand that allowing open houses is in your best interest. All the other tasks and ongoing efforts to keep your property showpiece ready are worth it in the end.
Why Have an Open House?
When selling a home, having an open house is a great way to generate attention and interest from people who are looking for buy in your area. By marketing the property and showing it off to interested parties, sellers can increase the likelihood of receiving more offers. Additionally, open houses provide an opportunity for potential buyers to get a feel for the property and see if it meets their needs. The more interest you generate for your house or condo, the more offers will come in. That can lead to a much higher purchase price when your real estate agent begins the negotiation process.
How to Get Your Home Ready.
Your real estate agent should have already suggested things like home inspections and repairs of anything that was broken or excessively worn. They may have told you to repaint rooms, remove certain architectural or design elements, or do other remodeling tasks. Right before an open house, however, there are still quite a few quick jobs to tackle to make the process go smoothly and have the best outcomes possible.
Clean everything again. During the entire home-selling process, you should always focus on cleanliness as much as possible. Right before an open house, vacuum, scrub, dust, and sanitize to make the best impression possible.
Remove all personal belongings. Since you are still living in your home when an open house occurs, there will be things lying around. These can include your kids’ backpack, your boots by the back door, some mail on the kitchen counter, or a laundry basket on the bed. Clean up or remove all these things the day of the open house.
Lock up valuables and medications. Minimize risk and present the least cluttered home possible by putting away personal items. While this is a relatively low risk in most cases, putting jewelry, medicine, or other expensive items in a locked closet or safe is the best idea. Remember that people who attend the open house will undoubtedly look in closets and built-in cabinets such as those in the bathrooms to check for suitable storage space. Make them as empty and spacious-looking as possible by tucking personal items away somewhere safe.
What Are Your Responsibilities During the Open House?
A well-executed open house can be a powerful marketing tool for selling your home. You have a lot of responsibilities before the event occurs. However, once the day arrives of the open house, you only have one thing to do: get out and stay out until everything is done.
Experts recommend that property owners leave the property completely during the open house. Also, take all family members and pets with you if possible. This lets all potential buyers feel more comfortable exploring and talking about the possibility of making an offer. Your real estate agent will handle all questions.
Expectations After the Open House
If you have prepared the property well, the chance of receiving offers is considerably higher. Your real estate agent may want to schedule another open house in the future or use different marketing techniques to drum up even more interest. One thing you should expect is that you will still have to keep your home clean, clutter free, and ready for inspection at any time. Do everything possible you can to make your house and yard attractive to potential sellers.
Source: insights.njmls.com ~ Image: Canva Pro
