4 Steps For A Successful Open House
An open house might seem old-fashioned in these days of online listings and websites dedicated to real estate. But open houses are still a fantastic way to advertise your home and simplify the search for the perfect buyer. While it’s still very important to create a great online listing for your property, there’s simply no substitute for an open house that goes off without a hitch.
If you’ve never sold a home before, setting up an open house might seem intimidating. Don’t worry; the process is much easier than it may seem at first. Here are four proven steps that you can take to make sure your open house is a complete success.
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Spread The News
If you want to get people into your open house, you have to get the word out. Simply tying some balloons to your mailbox and posting a sign in your front yard is not enough. While these are great steps that you can take, you need to make a more concerted effort.
Consider making posts online to advertise your open house or taking out an ad in the classifieds section of the local newspaper. These will come with a small cost but it’s worth it if you can attract more people to your event. Talk to your real estate agent to find out about the best time to hold your open house and where you can advertise to catch the most attention. Make sure to advertise your open house several weeks in advance to give people plenty of time to spread the word.
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Modernize Your Open House
These days, people are busier than ever before. Even if you hold your open house on a weekend, some people may still not be able to attend in person. You can give them another option by creating a virtual open house online. You can use a real estate website, a popular listing site or even your own blog. You can set up an attractive website for a very low cost and you can use an inexpensive camera to create a virtual walk-through experience.
This is a great option for people who live far away but may want to move into your area. It’s also useful for people who live nearby who can’t make it to the physical open house event.
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Make It Memorable
There are many open houses that you will have to compete with so make sure that yours stands out. Prepare simple gift bags, business cards or refreshments for your guests. Always give your home a thorough cleaning and landscaping so that it looks its best. If you need to apply a new coat of paint or plant some flowers, schedule these upgrades well in advance so you’re not in a rush.
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Collect Info
Each person that comes to your open house is a potential buyer. Make them feel welcome and make sure that you get their contact info before they leave. Let them know that they can contact your or your real estate agent if they have any follow-up questions or if they want to schedule a private home showing.
If you follow these four steps, your open house will be the talk of the neighborhood.