Tips for a Successful Open House

An open house is a fantastic way to get many potential buyers into your home in a short time frame. This could translate into offers (sometimes even multiple ones), which results in a sold home! A real estate professional with experience can help you prepare your home for a successful open house. Here are some of our tips below to get you started.

Spread the Word

Social media is a great place to start when sharing about your open house, but don’t stop there! There are still many people who will go for a drive on a Sunday (the best day for an open house) to explore neighbourhoods they are interested in living in and are watching for signs that point them to an open house. Add printed posters to coffee shops, libraries, and other places that hold community boards. When putting signs outside, think about ways to grab the attention of drivers. Large, bright signs and balloons are a quick and easy way to catch anyone driving past.  Rely on your real estate professional what marketing plan they have for your open house.

Declutter

Decluttering your home is a key step. We recommend going beyond tidying like your mother-in-law is visiting, now is the time to do a deep purge! The goal is to make potential buyers able to imagine themselves in the space with their furniture and belongings. Don’t have too many family photos or personal items on the walls or shelves. That may be difficult for buyers if there is too much personal evidence from the seller. Buyers will be opening every door, so decluttering includes the refrigerator, closets, bathroom vanities, and the catch-all drawer.

Stage

Have at least one car in the garage. Buyers are going to want to see how vehicles fit. If other cars belong to the household, don’t leave them in the driveway. Park them a few houses away to give more room for buyers to park. The inside of the house should be bright. Use natural lighting where possible, opening all curtains and lifting the blinds. Turn on all the lights – even in storage rooms. Buyers are going to want to make sure all the light switches work.

Prepare your home to feel cozy by adding these small touches. Turn on the fireplace. Neatly toss a blanket over the arm of a couch. Add some fresh flowers to the home’s entranceway.

While you may be inclined to have some air freshener spritzing out a wonderful scent in every room, be aware that more and more people have allergies. Unnatural aromas are not the best option. Instead, think of something simple and homey, like baking bread or cookies.

Set up your Alexa or another device to play music while people do their walkthroughs. Spotify has several open-house playlists, or you can make your own. While some people may think classical music with no lyrics is a good choice, most successful open houses have rock and pop music on their playlists. Just be sure to keep the volume minimal!

Add Value

Buyers will have questions about what the property is like in other seasons. We suggest providing a little photo sheet with pictures of the home’s exterior in winter, fall, summer, and spring. Another excellent benefit to buyers which will make for a successful open house is a brochure buyers can take home with them. Provide information on any renovations done – maybe even before and after photos, and if any appliances come with warranties. Your real estate professional will be able to help you put something together. Don’t just stop at renovations and warranties. Think about the best features of your home. A brochure is a perfect place to highlight that. Share why those features are so great, how it enriches the house and the buyers’ lives, and tips and tricks to enjoying it. Adding a list of nearby amenities, parks, recreation, entertainment, and your favorite places to eat out will grab their attention!

Feedback is essential in knowing what buyers want to see and will help future open houses be more successful! Don’t be afraid to ask your real estate professional to collect feedback and opinions from buyers.