Do’s and Dont’s for Open Houses

Although many real estate agents claim that Open Houses do not help much in getting your home sold, many home sellers still request their home to be “held open”. If you do choose to have an open house, there are some things you will want to keep in mind.

Despite the wide-ranging use of technology in home buying today, potential home buyers still want to see a home, get a feel for what it actually looks like and how it flows, without calling their agent for a showing. Open House can be an efficient way to get many buyers in at once.

Here are 6 do’s and don’ts for holding your open house

Information on the Property

DO provide useful information packets (folders, binders, CDs) to every attendee with information on the house itself, photos, community and neighborhood information. Most potential buyers see lots of homes for sale in Picayune—you want them to have something to take with them to remember your house by.

Being Pushy

DON’T be at the forefront of the open house. As a matter of fact, its best if you aren’t there at all. While you’re at it, take your children and your pets with you, too. Buyers need to imagine themselves in the home and that can be incredibly difficult when the owner is standing right there. If you feel you must be present, stick quietly to the background.

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Declutter The Home

DO clean, declutter, and stage your home for sale. You want to show every person there the true potential of your home, and rather than distract them from that with your stuff, it’s best to give your house a thorough floor-to-ceiling cleaning. Everything from the mold in the shower to the collage of 25 family photos, to the mismatched and poorly arranged furniture. These details can make or break the sale of your home, and at the very least potentially decrease the value.

Personal Items

DON’T leave your personal belongings or valuables. This includes jewelry, important documents, anything collectible or valuable, prescription medication. There are going to be a lot of people you don’t know walking through your home. And don’t kid yourself if you think that they aren’t going to open those closets or check the bathroom cabinets. You’d like to think it’s because they want to see how much space there is, but there’s always a chance it’s someone scoping out the goods you have.

Lean On Your Agent

DO keep it legal. Make sure you understand the disclosure laws in your state. Any good real estate agent will have your back on this and make sure that everything that needs to be said, is said. And be honest—if you replaced the stove 8 years ago, it’s not really new.

DON’T ignore the feedback you get. This might be the first time the home has been open to the public since you bought the place. Okay, so maybe you really love that bright orange accent wall in the living room—but if 90% of the people who walked in the door didn’t, you might consider painting the wall before moving forward. The goal is to sell the home, and if buyers aren’t liking certain aspects, it can be in the seller’s best interest to change it.