It’s been a common thought in recent years that open houses are simply not very useful or practical anymore. There are certain reasons why open houses may not be the greatest choice for some houses due to the main demographic of the area or the location itself, but why are open houses losing popularity with homeowners who don’t fall under these categories? The internet has been one of the biggest determining factors when it comes to the relevancy of open houses. People can use online postings from real estate agents, pictures, virtual tours and tools such as Google Maps to get a good idea on the house without ever visiting it. Despite this, there are still many benefits to holding open houses.
How Are Open Houses Still Beneficial?
While still being useful, online pictures, information and virtual tours are only beneficial to a degree. Buyers still want to see the house with their own eyes, explore the various rooms, get a closer look at certain aspects that were omitted or skimmed over online. You’re bound to get some people at the open house who aren’t serious about buying your home, but you’ll also attract many serious buyers who aren’t satisfied with pictures and online house shopping.
Open houses are also more beneficial to the seller as it allows anyone with an interest in visiting the home to visit once on a scheduled date instead of having people erratically schedule visits throughout the selling period. Finally, open houses can allow you to get various feedback on both good and bad aspects of your home from a buyer’s point of view.
Avoiding Common Open House Mistakes
While ensuring that the inside is clean, tidy and free of clutter is important, many people forget the importance of curb appeal. First impressions are everything even when it comes to selling your home. An unappealing exterior can easily put off buyers no matter how nice the inside seems.
The seller should also not be present during the open house unless they have no real estate agent working with them. Many sellers believe it would be beneficial to be present during the open house to answer questions or keep an eye on things, but many buyers feel uneasy during an open house when the seller is in the room. The seller as well as their immediate family and pets should always be away during open houses.
In addition, personal items such as pictures and sentimental decorations should not be left in the house during the open house. They should be stored when you are preparing to sell your home.
Other Beneficial Options
Even the smallest of improvements can mean a world of difference to potential buyers. A new front door, a coat of paint, a freshly mowed lawn, a new welcome mat and more can all be very beneficial changes to make before the open house.
A great and quick way to improve the overall look of your home from the outside is to power wash your home. When it comes to dull or dingy looking homes, the actual problem may be dirt, dust, mold and grime not the need for another coat of paint. Washing the exterior of your home can instantly brighten it up and present a fresh, clean and new look to potential buyers.
Eliminate any and all smells. A good air freshener only does so much. It’s much better to find the source of the smell and take care of it. Many smells can be taken care of by steam cleaning carpets and removing mold. After the source has been neutralized, use light amounts of air freshener around the house. Avoid using strong air fresheners and overusing it as this can put off buyers just as easily as bad smells.
Be Creative
It’s not always the house itself that appeals most to potential buyers. Hospitality to your visitors is also very important. Just because you’re not at the house doesn’t mean you can’t take care of your guests and make them feel at home. In place of your personal photos, put up some bright and appealing artwork from local artists. It allows visitors to see what the rooms look like while partially decorated without seeming too personalized for the current homeowners.
Open houses remain as being a great option for home sellers to appeal to a wide array of people, especially serious buyers. As long as you avoid the common mistakes of open houses and ensure that your house looks as nice as possible while also being warm and inviting, any homeowner can reap the benefits of open houses. For more information on the best strategy to sell your home, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
