An open house is still the best way to get potential buyers interested in a home. A successful open house can lead to multiple offers on a property. But, the staging of the home and other elements of the open house are what will really sell buyers on a property. Here are four tips from agents who have gotten the art of an open house down to a science to help you make your next open house a slam dunk:
Stage the Home
Staging is critically important when it comes to an open house. Make sure that the house is clean and that the outside areas are mowed and swept. Remove personal photos and artwork and replace them with mirrors to make it look brighter or with generic art. It’s important that potential buyers who are touring the home can visualize their own furniture and art in the home. Turn all the lights on and make sure that the house looks as bright and inviting as possible. Remove a lot of the furniture and just leave key pieces to show the rooms to their best advantage. Potential buyers should not be tripping over furniture or be looking at clutter.
Offer Free Food
Everyone loves free food. It does not have to be fancy but there should be some kind of refreshment. If possible tailor the kind of refreshments to the season. In the summer offer lemonade, water, and soda with sandwiches. Set up the food at a table on the patio if the home has a great outdoor area so that people can visualize themselves picnicking there. In the fall set up a coffee and tea station and bake some cookies, muffins or a pie so that the house smells like home-baked goods and seems cozy. In the winter offer hot chocolate as well as coffee and tea and bake some Christmas cookies to share. Remember that scent is a powerful trigger for potential buyers. If a house smells like home, they will start thinking of it as home.
Time It Right
Do not start an open house after work when people are tired and rushing around to get dinner on the table or get the kids to sports practices or lessons. Make sure that you hold the open house on a day and at a time when people are more relaxed and have some extra time to wander through the home. Weekends are the best times to hold an open house.
Get the Word Out
Using online sites like Zillow are a great way to raise interest in an open house. Many home buyers use those sites every day so they will be able to see your open house information. Also make sure that you’re using social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to reach potential buyers.
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Posted by Gurpreet Ghatehora on
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