Well it’s almost spring and the market will be heating up! Want some great open house tips? If you are selling your home you will notice throughout the city open house signs everywhere. You have a beautiful home in a great neighbourhood but how can you make your home stand out from all of the others?
Here are 8 simple open house tips and tricks :
1 — Aromatherapy.
Make your house smell inviting to your guests. You can use scented candles and sprays but some people are allergic and/or feel uncomfortable leaving lit candles unattended. Some great alternatives to creating a welcoming atmosphere – you can bake cookies (the pre-made cookie dough is easy to clean and achieves the same outcome), who doesn’t like the smell of homemade goodies? Or, if you can’t bake, chop up some apples and put them in a casserole dish with some water, cinnamon and sugar. Place the casserole dish in the oven and keep it at a low heat. You do not want to over-scent the home so just use one of these ideas to create that warm and cozy feeling in your home.
2 — Light and fresh air.
Open all the blinds and curtains so the house is full of natural light. This is also a great tip if you have a spectacular view such as a beautiful park or maybe even a great panorama of the city. If it’s a nice day open the windows to let fresh air into the house. Wash all windows, especially those where the light will show dirt and streaks. Unlock all the doors and windows so people don’t have to struggle with a lock they aren’t familiar with. Something as small as a difficult lock could deter a prospective buyer.
3 — Selling features.
If you have ever toured a show home, builders often have feature sheets to bring attention to certain details in the home. Why not do the same? Place small sticky notes or typed up signs on things that are unique or may be an incentive to buy your home (i.e. trash compactor, tile imported from Italy, large-capacity washer and dryer included). Make sure your realtor is aware of these features but if there is a rush of people walking through the home, your realtor may not have enough time to connect face-to-face with everyone, these sticky notes will help bring focus to selling features of your most precious asset, your home.
4 — A sign-in book.
Hopefully your realtor will have one but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. A sign-in book can give you an idea of how many people have toured your home, it is also an opportunity for potential buyers to offer comments and it is also a great method for you and your realtor to gather some information and contact them later for feedback on your home. Make sure it is placed in a visible area such as the kitchen island.
5 — Signage.
Make sure your signage is clean and visible – so brush off the snow or make sure if it has fallen down, you put it back up. Have a topper attached to your lawn sign a few days before the open house ( on Wednesday or Thursday). The day of the open house, make sure to place your a-frame signs in high traffic areas, directing potential buyers to your open house. Put the a-frames out in the morning so people who are out and about notice the signs and hopefully plan to stop by later that day.
6 — Check the calendar.
Plan your open house around the lives of your potential prospects. Look to the calendar and the sports schedules to make sure that your planned open house will not conflict with your prospective buyer’s other interests and activities. For example, an open house on Superbowl Sunday is a sure way to not have any traffic through your open house.
7 — Temperature control.
Make sure the house is not too hot or too cold. Either temperature can make an uncomfortable setting and make potential purchasers head for the door. If your open house is during the winter, have the fireplace on. It warms up the house, sets an inviting atmosphere and draws attention to a wonderful selling feature. If your open house is in the summer, have the A/C on so the house is less humid and again draws attention to the A/C unit in the home.
8 — Be prepared.
Make sure your a-frames are out and directing people in the proper direction. Arrive early to the home. Sweep or shovel the front walkway. Put your cookies or apples and cinnamon in the oven and turn it on. Open the curtains and blinds. Turn on all of the lights. Set up your sign-in book and get ready for a successful open house!
An open house is a great way to create local buzz about your home. Neighbours, friends and family can be a great way to spread the word about your home. So if you get a lot of ‘locals’ at your open house don’t get discouraged – they could be a great advocate and indirect sales person for you…
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