Since sellers often post photos and information about a home for sale online, many people tend to think that open houses aren’t as important as they once were. However, the unique benefits of an open house should not be overlooked.
While some potential buyers may prefer to set up a personal appointment with an agent to check out a home, an open house tends to be much more convenient and comfortable for everyone involved. It gives buyers an easy way to compare what’s available without having to worry about scheduling several individual visits around town.
Tips for Making Sure Your Open House Is a Hit
- Don’t forget the basics. Your home should be clean, well-maintained, and have a well-manicured yard. People usually have a tough time getting past their first impressions. It isn’t overboard to have some professional house cleaners and lawn care specialists before your open house to make sure it’s in tip-top shape for potential buyers.
- Use technology. Make sure your agent is advertising for your open house online on real estate websites. Online posts about your home should be carefully proofread and professional, with clear and concise information. You can advertise on your own social media accounts as well, where your friends can spread the word.
- But low-tech advertising still works, too. Not everyone in the housing market is as active online. Cast your net wide, and promote your open house with signs and newspaper advertisements. Have plenty of hard-copy informational sheets available for prospective buyers to take home with them.
- Ask your neighbors for help. Invite your friends and neighbors to come for a visit. Not only will having more people in the home send a message to other visitors that your home is worth being interested in, your friends and neighbors will probably know a few prospective homebuyers themselves. By letting them see what you’ve got, you’ll be more likely to find a buyer by word-of-mouth.
- Stow away personal items. Remove traces of your “personal touch” from the house, which can make it harder for others to see themselves living there. Hide or remove things like dog beds, weird paint jobs, and even decorations like rugs that may deter potential buyers.
- Keep the toilets closed. Open toilets may distract potential buyers and remind them that someone else is living in the home. However, make sure there’s still toilet paper readily available in case a visitor does need to use it.
- Make your home smell good. Find candles or an air freshener with a neutral yet familiar scent (such as vanilla). Open the windows beforehand to let stale air out, and don’t cook anything that’s going to have a lingering smell.
- Keep copies of inspections on deck. If you’ve had your home inspected for things like roof damage or termites recently, have that paperwork ready for your agent to show off when people ask about it. Not only will it definitively answer their questions, it also shows potential buyers that you’re organized and easy to work with.
- Show off the local area. Set up a display with snapshots of what the local area and culture are like, even if it’s something as simple as a photo album.
- Bright is right. Turning on lights and keeping blinds open will create a much more energetic environment for potential buyers to peruse. Consider repainting walls to light, neutral colors, which makes rooms feel larger and more open.
- Then skedaddle. If you’ve hired an agent to show off your home, there’s no reason to be present at your open house. Not only does the seller’s presence prevent buyers from picturing themselves in the home, it also may make them feel like they can’t speak freely about their concerns.
If you don’t have an agent and you have to be there, try to stay as invisible and unbiased as possible when interacting with guests, answering questions and giving basic information, but not interrupting conversation. Avoid following visitors around and pushing them to talk constantly.
Common Open House Pitfalls
- Forgetting about security. At an open house, your agent should view every visitor’s photo ID and take down their names in order to prevent theft. Hide your valuables, including all the medicine in your cabinets. Have a “no shut doors” policy–if someone walks into a room and closes the door behind them, open it right back up.
Make sure that the person in charge of an open house maintains a good presence. If a visitor is constantly being subtly acknowledged, they’re less likely to commit a crime. Do a final walkthrough at the conclusion of the open house to check that all windows and doors are still locked and that there are no stowaways.
- Only scheduling at popular times. Open houses always tend to take place on Saturday afternoon. However, if you switch up the timing to earlier or later, you’ll have much less competition with other open houses in the same area. This will also help ensure visitors aren’t simply rushing through your home so that they can catch the next open house.
If you’re able, have an additional open house on a weekday night when people might be going out for dinner already, or time your open house around a high-traffic local event you could capitalize on. The more convenient it is for someone to visit, the more likely they are to come by.
- Not following up. Having a guest book with an area for visitors to write their email addresses is a great way to contact people after an open house. You can shoot them an email thanking them for taking the time to visit, and attach a digital copy of your information sheet for their convenience.
- Getting stuck on food. Having food at an open house can be messy, expensive, and difficult. However, refreshments may encourage people to stick around longer and perhaps even lift their moods. A happy middle ground is to offer beverages and maybe a few simple finger foods, like pretzels.
