An open house sounds pretty simple doesn't it? There are a lot of things to think of though before you open your home up to potential buyers!

Open Houses are potentially one of the best marketing devices we are Real Estate Agents have in our arsenal. It gives prospective buyers the opportunity to come in, look around, ask questions, and not feel pressured. It also open up the possibility of having people come in and look at your home who may not be working with a Real Estate Agent and therefore would not have ever called and scheduled a showing to see your home.

To make sure each and every open house brings the most potential buyers, try and follow these simple steps.

1. Stay away from strong odors. You may think I'm just referring to things like taking out the trash, not cooking fish the night before or Febrezing the pet smells on your furniture but I'm also referring to those smelly good smells too.Some smells are great for you and you really like them but those same smells may not be appealing to me as a buyer. Try and avoid turning on the Scentsy warmer or spraying air freshener all over the house before you leave.Along those lines, I would avoid cooking foods with strong odors in the home in the couple of days leading up to the open house. Taking out the trash before hand can also help.

   I have seen on Pinterest where people have suggested warming vanilla or baking cookies ahead of time to make the house smell delicious. This is the same thing and should be avoided. Just because you like the smell of warm vanilla, it does not mean that the buyer will enjoy it and you may unknowingly turn potential buyers off.

   And if your windows can be opened and it is a time of the year where that is acceptable, OPEN THEM! Letting in the fresh air and having a good breeze going through the house is never a bad thing!

2. Never plan an open house last minute. Give yourself time to prep, clean and prepare the house to show the very best that it can. Remember that your home is going to be open to potential buyers for several hours. It is important to have ample time to be ready – this could be the one where the buyer comes through!
3. Background noise or music can sound like a good idea but it really is not. With only the best intentions, you may be tempted to leave a small radio on with calm, classical music playing. Potential buyers could see this as a way that the sellers are trying to cover up a strange noise that perhaps the furnace is making or how loud the street is exactly.Leave the boombox or television turned off and allow the buyers to only here what's going on around them. Hopefully the only noise other buyers hear is the noise of someone asking their Realtor to write and offer for them!
4. The last thing I want to mention is pets. It is a pretty good bet that you have pets and that's perfectly fine. I have five so this last tip is difficult for me when my house is for sale. However, I highly encourage you to take them with you when you are having an open house.But my cat is not going to bother anyone. Well, to be honest, it probably will not but there will be so many people (hopefully) in and out of your home and I would really hate for your cat or dog to accidentally get out.I know your dog is very well behaved. I have met him in the many times I have visited your home and your family. I enjoy petting him while we discuss the sale of your home but many people do not like dogs or in some cases, are very scared of dogs. You do not want to (literally) scare away a buyer because your dog is home.

So, there you have it! Four simple steps to having a successful open house and (hopefully) selling your home!

Are you ready to sell and have an open house of your own? Give me a call today so we can get started!