How To Hold An Open House

Open house is supervised by hired realtors, but when you decide to sell your house on your own, the job of touring the potential buyers to your house falls on you. Holding an open house goes beyond presenting your property to potential buyers. At this stage of selling, you have to further pique the buyers interest and make your house a standout. You must remember that the buyers may have gone to other houses, and your challenge is to make them forget those others and focus only on your house and why it is best for them.

Holding an open house, however, is not as easy as it sounds. To make an open house successful, here are some things you should do:

1. Get rid of the emotional attachment you have for your house. A word of caution: it is hard. Your house holds a lot of memories both good and bad and as the owner, you may go through a difficult time detaching yourself from the house and all that it stands for in your life. But remember, the buyer may sense this and may get the wrong message you are not ready yet to sell the house, which can altogether ruin an otherwise successful sale. Before you put the house on the market and hold an open house, settle this thing first and get your emotions out of the way.

2. Set a definite schedule. It is normally best to hold the open house on weekends, around 1 to 4 in the afternoon. This works to your advantage because you can work the open house into your own schedule and therefore be available for it. This can also eliminate the frequent calls asking you to show people your house at the most inconvenient day and time. When you set a schedule, stick to it and receive only the appointments on the specified day, within the set hours.

3. Put directional signs at the key intersections in your neighborhood. This sends the idea that you are well-prepared and professional. For the most part, it will also help potential buyers locate your house. But before you place the signs, make sure you are conforming to the sign regulations in your community.

4. Provide a sign-in sheet where the potential buyers can write their name and contact details. This would help you make follow-ups after the open house.

5. Bake cookies or brew a pot of coffee to give a welcoming and homey aroma. More than giving the potential buyers some refreshments, you are actually launching the feel that your house is a good place to live in.