How to Hold a Successful Open House
Open houses. The professional real estate community appears split on whether it's a good idea to hold open a house for sale; although I don't really understand the negative thoughts. Why would an agent want to restrict market exposure for a listing?
Common sense says it's smart to expose your home to the largest number of buyers, and getting buyers inside to preview a home is a huge hurdle to jump. The successful real estate agents I know report that at least 20% of their sales, or one in five homes, sell through an open house.
Hosting a Successful Open House
Assuming your home is presentable, spotless from top to bottom, priced correctly and located in a high traffic area, here are tips to improve the odds your house will sell at an open:
1. Advertise online (newspapers are a waste of money). Write colorful, descriptive ads and place them in web classified and open house directories. Post Internet listings everywhere (including Craig's List).
2. Map your Open House signs. Attach a string of balloons to each Open House sign. Find the busiest intersection closest to your home and put an Open House sign at that corner. The arrows should point buyers in the right direction. Place a sign every few blocks until you end up at your house.
3. Remove all vehicles from the driveway. Ask your neighbors to help out by not parking in front of your house (and while you're at it, invite them to the Open House).
4. Open all the drapes, blinds and window coverings -- let that light in.
5. Do not put spices on the stove to simmer without offering cookies, and do NOT use an air freshener because many people are allergic to synthetic odors.
6. Turn on every light in the house, except lights that produce noise from an exhaust fans without separate on/off switches.
7. Turn on soft music on every floor to help set a mood.
8. Have available four-color flyers filled with quality photos and reasons for a buyer to buy your home.
9. Put out flyers that contain financing options so buyers can readily determine their monthly mortgage payment.
10. Serve refreshments, snacks and bottled water. They'll thank you.
Finally, ask for feedback. Buyer feedback is essential. Without it, home sellers won't know what they are doing right and what could be improved on. Because after all, it doesn't really matter what the seller thinks. It's the buyer's opinion that matter.
DIY home staging can be fun and rewarding, especially when you get your house sold faster than your competition, but be sure to consult with a professional home stager if you are not absolutely sure that your home looks ready to sell.
Ann Alderson is a Professional Home Stager and Home Selling Strategist in the Tampa Bay area. Join her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/annalderson
Credit for this post goes to Elizabeth Weintraub. Check out her awesome blog at: http://homebuying.about.com/?nl=1
Common sense says it's smart to expose your home to the largest number of buyers, and getting buyers inside to preview a home is a huge hurdle to jump. The successful real estate agents I know report that at least 20% of their sales, or one in five homes, sell through an open house.
Hosting a Successful Open House
Assuming your home is presentable, spotless from top to bottom, priced correctly and located in a high traffic area, here are tips to improve the odds your house will sell at an open:
1. Advertise online (newspapers are a waste of money). Write colorful, descriptive ads and place them in web classified and open house directories. Post Internet listings everywhere (including Craig's List).
2. Map your Open House signs. Attach a string of balloons to each Open House sign. Find the busiest intersection closest to your home and put an Open House sign at that corner. The arrows should point buyers in the right direction. Place a sign every few blocks until you end up at your house.
3. Remove all vehicles from the driveway. Ask your neighbors to help out by not parking in front of your house (and while you're at it, invite them to the Open House).
4. Open all the drapes, blinds and window coverings -- let that light in.
5. Do not put spices on the stove to simmer without offering cookies, and do NOT use an air freshener because many people are allergic to synthetic odors.
6. Turn on every light in the house, except lights that produce noise from an exhaust fans without separate on/off switches.
7. Turn on soft music on every floor to help set a mood.
8. Have available four-color flyers filled with quality photos and reasons for a buyer to buy your home.
9. Put out flyers that contain financing options so buyers can readily determine their monthly mortgage payment.
10. Serve refreshments, snacks and bottled water. They'll thank you.
Finally, ask for feedback. Buyer feedback is essential. Without it, home sellers won't know what they are doing right and what could be improved on. Because after all, it doesn't really matter what the seller thinks. It's the buyer's opinion that matter.
DIY home staging can be fun and rewarding, especially when you get your house sold faster than your competition, but be sure to consult with a professional home stager if you are not absolutely sure that your home looks ready to sell.
Ann Alderson is a Professional Home Stager and Home Selling Strategist in the Tampa Bay area. Join her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/annalderson
Credit for this post goes to Elizabeth Weintraub. Check out her awesome blog at: http://homebuying.about.com/?nl=1
Posted by Ann Alderson's Staging Blog at 3/22/2011 1:37 PM 
Categories: open house:Open House
Tags: condo for sale sell house fast Ann Alderson Open House sell fast home for sell FSBO staging Tampa
Categories: open house:Open House
Tags: condo for sale sell house fast Ann Alderson Open House sell fast home for sell FSBO staging Tampa
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