Open houses aren’t for every home seller, but if you have the right
location and a housing market that works in your favor, it can be a
great advantage when it comes to selling your house. Talk to a
College Station realtor about whether or not an open house is the
right choice for your listing. If so, however, it’s not a process
you want to rush. How can you be sure that you’re ready for your
open house? Follow these tips before you start to promote the big
day.
Is Your Home Upgraded?
Before you even start
listing your home, you should make sure you’ve repaired everything
that needs to be repaired and made upgrades that will give you an
edge in the market. Swap out your outdated kitchen and bathroom
appliances for more modern ones. Invest in energy efficient windows
and doors. Is your exterior paint fading? Time to repaint for a fresh
look. Keep your lawn in trim shape and maybe add a few attractive
features to boost your curb appeal.
Have You Staged Your Home?
Staging is an important
step whether you plan open house or private viewings. It can also be
a painful process for homeowners. Essentially, you have to remove the
personal elements that made your house your own from view so that
prospective buyers can see it not as your home but, hopefully, as
their future home. Photos, toys and trinkets, and anything personal
to your family should be removed. You may also have to rearrange your
furniture to create a layout that appeals to more people, and may
even need to remove some of your furniture for the time. If you have
pets, you’ll want to keep them with friends or at a kennel for the
day, and make sure to clean up any dander. Your realtor can help you
determine what needs to stay and go when staging your home.
Have You Picked the Best Time?
Timing is everything
when it comes to planning your open house. If potential buyers have
to even consider taking time off work to view your house, there’s a
good chance they’ll decide to skip it. The timing should be
convenient to the most potential buyers. Sunday afternoon for about
2-4 hours is usually the most popular time. You also want to keep an
eye on the weather. If it’s rainy or there’s some other adverse
weather, you might have a smaller showing than you’d like. Better
to have to reschedule for a fairer weather day than to stick to the
original date and expect potential buyers to brave cold or stormy
weather.
Once your house is
staged and upgraded and the date is set, time to start printing out
flyers with pictures of your house, posting social media events, and
spreading the news. Of course, your realtor will be your best
resource when it comes to marketing your open house and the listing
in general. Talk to a College
Station realtor today to get ready for your open
house.