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.
