7 Tips on Preparing for an Open House

January 20, 2021

An Open House is an exciting part of the real estate selling process. It is the time where you will probably have the most people inside your house at one time. It will invite potential buyers inside your home who wouldn’t be able to see it usually. You’ll have a lot of people asking you questions all at once.

For how exciting it is, it can also be overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like you don’t even know where to start with preparing for an Open House. Here are our seven tips to make sure that you are ready for the big day:

Clean it up! Making sure the house is clean is the most important first step. It doesn’t necessarily have to be spotless – especially if you’re still living there – but it should look clean and inviting. Buyers will be more likely to purchase a house that they’ve seen in an ideal condition over one they’ve just seen looking like it’s been a long week and you haven’t cleaned up in a minute.

Store any personal items or expensive electronics. There is a practical aspect to making sure that nothing you want to be stolen is up for grabs. It is also natural – buyers want to imagine themselves living in your house, so getting rid of family photos or extremely personal touches will empower them to do that.

Neutralize odors. Smell is just as important as sight. Making your house smell clean and inviting is just as important as vacuuming the floor and washing the dishes!

Take the dog for a walk. You never know what allergies or hang-ups buyers will have. It’s a safe bet to go ahead and make sure your pets aren’t lounging around during the Open House. The pets will be confused about having so many strangers in their house, and the potential buyers may be more focused on the pets than the house.

Open the windows. Let some natural light in! Sunlight increases positive feelings in people. If you want to crack a window because of lovely weather, go ahead and do that too.

It’s not about you. Remember: the point is someone being able to see themselves living in your house, not looking at what you did with the place. If you are planning on being there, it’s fine to hang around to answer questions, but don’t hover over people or take any opinions they have personally. It’s not a bad thing to be doing something else during the Open House either.

Snacks are always a good idea. No matter how someone feels about your place, they would probably feel even better if they had a free cookie or muffin. If someone already loves the place, and then they also get a delicious Lemon Poppy Seed muffin for looking around it, they’ll be over the moon.

If you need help with any real estate transactions – buying or selling – ## contact Schlegel Livingston, LLC ## today! We want to make your real estate hopes and dreams come true! A bright future is just a call away.