Are you trying to sell your home? An open house is a perfect way to find great buyers.
If you’ve never had a house on the market before, then you won’t know how to hold an open house. In this post, we’re going to give you an open house checklist so you can prepare to dazzle buyers with your home.
A well-planned open house is proven to make houses sell much faster. Follow these tips and you’ll speed this process up in a big way.
Realtor or Independent
In selling your house, you’ll either have a realtor helping you find buyers or you’ll do it yourself. There are benefits to both, so figure out what your needs are, how much time you’ve got to prepare and advertise the open house, and what you’re looking to get out of your open house.
A realtor will work on a commission, which can end up being a lot of money. That said, taking care of these duties on your own is a lot of work because of the amount of planning ahead of time.
Choose Your Days and Times
To maximize your open house, choose the right day and time to ensure the most people will come. A realtor will understand the importance of this, but it’s good to do your research on how timing affects open house results.
In most places, Sunday is the unofficial day for open houses. It’s when the fewest number of people have to work and when you hold them in the afternoon, people are less likely to be engaged in other activities.
Think About Staging
Home staging is the process whereby you have a professional style your house to give it the best chance to impress buyers. You can hire a home stager or do it yourself, but the key aspect of home staging is that the house needs to be vacant. If it looks lived in, then you’re less likely to sell quickly.
Cleaning and Arranging
If you’re still living in the home, you won’t be able to hire a home stager, but you can hire maid services to make the house as presentable as possible. You should have them come in and tidy your home before every open house.
Advertising Your Open House
You can’t hold a successful open house if no one knows that it’s happening. If you’ve got a realtor, they’ll take care of this part for you. For those that don’t, put up signs around the entrance to your neighborhood, and be sure to put up ads on social media to maximize the awareness of your open house.
Let People Explore
When the big day comes, don’t be overbearing with your house. Let guests in, leave some finger food in the kitchen, and be present to answer any questions.
In reality, you don’t need to be present at the open house when you have a realtor.
Follow Up
Leave a book for your open house guests to comment on your open house and more importantly, leave contact information. Following up with potential buyers is crucial for making a quick sale. Your open house doesn’t end when the guests walk out the door.
Making Your Open House Checklist
There you have it. Write down your open house checklist and consult it every time you have one. If you’re thorough and present your house in the right way, you might not even need more than one to find the perfect buyer.
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