10 Tips for a Successful Open House
Whether you are planning to hold one open house or one open house every week, the key to making a sale lies in good planning and organization. Here are some steps to make your open house a success:
1. Meet with your real estate agent ahead of time. You can discuss all of the details involved in holding an open house, making sure that you are comfortable with the process before you go any further. The day before the event, go through the entire house with your agent and educate on the ins and outs of your home. Be sure take note of any recommendations you are given as well.
2. Discuss the price of your home with your agent. If a good prospect comes to the open house, negotiations can take place then and there. Go over how much you can expect to get for your home and make sure the price is realistic. Ask the agent to show you a list of the latest real estate sales in your neighborhood. It may be worth it to have the property appraised.
3. Make sure that potential home buyers know about it. Send out as many flyers as possible, and put a large sign on your front lawn, making sure that the light hits it. (This way, it will even be visible after dark.) For a traditional welcome, you can even attach balloons to the sign. You may also want to send out e-mail announcements of the event with a photo of your home as an attachment.
4. Think about some unusual ways to sell your home. If you belong to any special groups or organizations, it might be a good idea to let the members know that your house will soon be on the market. Anyone who is interested will invite himself to your open house.
5. Schedule your open house at a convenient time. Weekend afternoons are an ideal time for this (especially Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.), but there is one caveat to keep in mind: Make certain that the time you pick isn’t competing with local religious observances or some major sporting event. For this reason, you may want to consider holding an open house both weekend days for a few hours at a time.
6. Try to attract the right people. Believe it or not, many visit open houses for a purpose other than to buy. Some need remodeling ideas while others want to see how the market is doing. Since socializing isn’t really your objective, do a subtle screening of your visitors by asking, “Have you applied for a mortgage?” or “Do you plan to buy a home within the next two or three months?”
7. Let your real estate agent take the lead during the open house. Potential buyers feel most comfortable discussing their concerns with the real estate agent, not with the owner of the house. You might want to consider not being there at all for the open house. If you do decide to stay, try to keep a low profile.
8. Put your selling and social skills to use. If you end up talking to potential buyers, connect with them by chatting calmly and politely and making eye contact. You will want to avoid any signs in your conversation or body language that indicate that you are untrustworthy or unsure. On that note, try not to be so overly extatic about the house as to appear fake.
9. Take a positive approach when thinking about your home. Your real estate agent isn’t there to criticize your household items or your decorating style, but is working to make your home appealing to potential buyers. Be sure the communication between you and your agent is open and honest.
10. Create a pleasant atmosphere. Make sure that the temperature in your home is “just right,” rather than too hot or too cold. (Either extreme will make your prospects uncomfortable and create doubt about the reliability of your heating system at the same time.) Play some soft background music, and provide some light refreshments for your guests. With this in mind, you might want to include a punch bowl as well.