Open House Etiquette For Sellers

Part of the process of selling a home is making it available to show to those who are considering purchasing it. An open house is one of the best ways to make it available to lots of potential homebuyers at once. For home sellers looking to sell a St. Louis or St. Charles County, Missouri area home, these ten open house etiquette rules are great guidelines to follow to make the most of your open house.

1. Clean and Declutter

Since the condition of your home is a place that your participation has the most effect, you’ll want to make your home look its very best by cleaning and decluttering. This includes: paint touch ups, organizing, making room in the closets and cabinets to make them look spacious, removing extra furniture and collectibles to make the rooms feel larger, and other projects. For a complete list of projects to prepare your home to sell, read our blog Preparing a Home to Sell.

2. Stage  

Staging a home to sell goes beyond cleaning and decluttering, it is looking at the home through the eyes of potential buyers and setting up the home to most appeal to them. This may mean repainting dark-colored walls to neutral colors, moving furniture placements, and removing personal items and photos that keep potential buyers from envisioning themselves living in the home.  Although in most cases staging is extremely advantageous, selling a vacant home is not always a problem.  Often times the design, finishes and architecture are sufficient to demonstrate the home in its best light. For more advice on staging check out the article Advice From Award Winning Home Stagers or bring in an experienced real estate agent to give you advice on what buyers are looking for.

3. Get the First Impression Right

Don’t forget to clean and declutter the outside of your home and landscaping as well. Cut the grass, trim the shrubs, touch up any paint and put away any toys or yard maintenance items. This will create nice curb appeal and give potential homebuyers a good first impression of your home.

4. Use Light

Brighten up your home with lots of light. Replace any burned-out light bulbs, clean the windows and open the curtains and blinds. Light makes the home appear larger and lighter. Read Enhance Your Home With Lighting for more extensive tips on lighting a home.

5. Smell Test

One of the first things potential buyers will notice is if a home has a smell. Check your home for any lingering odors. This can be difficult because we often become nose-blind to the scents in our home. We recommend having a trusted friend come over and tell you if they notice any smells. For more great info on home smells and how to get rid of them, check out our blog How to Remove Home Smells.

6. Temporarily Remove or Crate Pets

We understand that pets are part of the family. However not all homebuyers are pet owners, and some may even have a fear of certain pets. Show potential homebuyers that you respect their desire to inspect your home without pet interruptions. If you do leave pets in the home, crate them, and consider leaving a sign to alert open house attendees that a pet is crated in a particular area.

7. Secure Valuables and Medications

Though a real estate agent is present to show potential homebuyers your home during an open house, it is not always possible to keep track of multiple people viewing the home at once. A good rule of thumb is to secure valuables and medications in a safe place or off the property during open houses and home showings. 

8. Park Somewhere Else

When hosting an open house for potential homebuyers, park your car somewhere other than the driveway. This will accommodate visitors and allow them to use the driveway, just as they would if they one day owned the home. It’s a great way to set the stage to make them feel at home.

9. Let the Agent Host

Potential homebuyers will be more open about their thoughts on a home they’re viewing if they are viewing with an impartial third party. By letting your agent host the open house you can get valuable feedback that divulges the true thoughts and feelings of those viewing the home. Then you can use that information to make any improvements to create a more positive impression for future homebuyers viewing the home.

10. Be Patient Waiting for Feedback

Your real estate agent may need up to 48 hours to gather all notes and feedback from the open house. Why so long? The agent hosting the open house may have follow-up to do with homebuyers who saw the home, particularly if homebuyers had specific questions the agent couldn’t answer at the time of the open house. The agent will then get back to the homebuyers with the answers and may be able to get even more information from those potential buyers. So be patient. Your agent is working hard to make sure they can give you a full report.

 

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Is moving on your mind? If you are thinking of selling a home in the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area, be sure to interview The Boehmer Team. We would be honored to prove our experience and expertise in person. Or you can learn more about The Boehmer Team at www.TheBoehmerTeam.com.