Quite a few real estate agents have given up on the open house concept and categorized it as an archaic selling method. On the other hand, those that still use this strategy say they\u2019ve had great success with it. So which example should you follow? Well, in our opinion, an open house is not to be underestimated – if it\u2019s done right. But simply letting people in the door isn\u2019t going to do much. That\u2019s why, today, we\u2019re going to give you all the necessary tips and tricks on how to do an open house and do it well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before we go into more detail, we\u2019d like to clarify what exactly an open house is, to avoid any mix-ups. An open house is a period during which a property may be shown to any potential buyers or tenants, but it can also refer to the property itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are also broker\u2019s open houses, which, unlike their traditional counterparts, aren\u2019t available to the general public. Instead, their goal is to enable real estate professionals to examine a property and assess if it would be of interest to their clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a lot you can learn from your competition, so take the time to visit open houses in the area where the property you’re selling is located. If you have the time, you should go to the surrounding areas as well. While attending these open houses, pay attention to how the homes are staged, what features the real estate agent in charge is focusing on, and, most importantly, try to assess the buyers\u2019 reactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second step of preparing for an open house involves creating a property description sheet. This sheet should contain information such as the property\u2019s address, asking price, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, total square footage, photos of the interior and exterior, as well as anything else that could be relevant to potential buyers. Make sure all the information you list is correct, because errors could make you look unprofessional; as someone new to the world of real estate, you can\u2019t afford to make a bad first impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve most likely heard of this term, but if you haven\u2019t, know that staging is the process of preparing a property for sale. Before hosting an open house, you need to make it look as appealing as possible to the majority of your prospective buyers. You should focus on cleaning and decluttering the space, as well as removing any personal items such as photos, monogrammed towels, and personal knickknacks. You may also need to replace some of your old appliances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve reached what\u2019s perhaps the crucial part of this entire process: Getting people informed and interested in your open house. If you\u2019re well-connected, this shouldn\u2019t pose much of a problem. There are numerous excellent text marketing apps<\/a> you can use to send out a text blast and notify all your prospects. However, you\u2019ll have to resort to more elaborate open house ad ideas if you\u2019re short on contacts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the National Association of Realtors, 93% of all home buyers use the internet<\/a> as their primary source of information regarding real estate. Therefore, your advertising efforts need to be aimed at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the internet-related advertising methods, you can also print open house flyers and distribute them at gyms, grocery stores, and large workplaces, and put up a \u201cFor sale\u201d sign in front of the property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll need to be both friendly and professional. Keep in mind that your goal isn\u2019t to make the property seem perfect – there\u2019s no such thing – but to point out the features that make it stand out from the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you\u2019ve shown the buyers around the home, be prepared to answer any questions they may have about it and leave them enough time to explore it independently. In addition to that, try to find out about other open house listings they are looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should remember to put out some refreshments as well \u2013 cookies and bottled water are the safest options. Some agents serve alcohol to get a better turnout, but we’d advise against that, since your focus should be on attracting serious customers, not anyone who just wants to take advantage of the free drinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, make sure that every visitor fills out the sign-in sheet. Their contact information is vital for the next step in this \u201cHow to Do an Open House\u201d guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should never forget to send a \u201cthank you\u201d email or text to the people that visited your open house. Not only is it polite, but it will also enable people who may not have picked up one of your flyers or descriptions to get in touch with you. The message should include a link to your web page or ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the following week, you should call every one of your visitors and ask them if they are interested in the home and have any additional questions about it. If they are disinterested, thank them for stopping by your open house showing and use the opportunity to hear their opinions on how you could make the property more attractive to future potential buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Be a Good Host<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stay in Touch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n