For most sellers, hosting an open house is a necessary pain of listing your property. But, keep in mind that an open house just might draw in that buyer that may not have come to look at your home with an appointment. With some prep before your open house, that time spent can really pay off. These are our favorite tips for a successful open house:
Get Out
It may feel weird to leave your house open for strangers to walk through, but trust us, it’s better for you and prospective buyers if you are out of the way. It can be tough watching other critique your house or ask questions, but that’s part of the process. Make it easier on yourself and head out until the time window is closed. Having an agent you trust is key to an open house! Be sure to choose an agent that you are not only comfortable with, but one that you know you can trust your home to.
Do Those Windows
This is a three step process! Prospective buyers are going to want to see your home from every angle, so be sure to showcase it in the best way possible. Clean your windows inside and out. Consider a professional cleaner who can clean and repair screens as they work.
That’s steps 1 and 2 – step 3 is to open all the blinds in your home to let the light in. If you have horizontal blinds, pull them all the way up rather than simply opening the slats. In addition, make sure the window sills, inside and out, are clean as well.
Clear Out
In our previous blog about what not to do before you sell your home, we detailed about how to depersonalize your home (i.e. take down all the personal items in the home like pictures, awards, personalized art, etc.). This is a crucial step to have done before your open house because a potential buyer is going to want to picture themselves living in your home – and that’s hard to do with all your cute baby pictures on the walls. In addition, potential buyers are going to need to see every inch of your home – from the closets to the bathrooms – no where is safe to stash clutter! So start your pre-move clean out now and show off just how much storage there really is in your home.
Take Your Pets With You
We’re sure that Fluffy is the nicest, sweetest, wouldn’t-hurt-a-fly pupper out there, but he should still head out with you during your open house. This is for a few reasons; even if your pet is comfortable with other people, other people may not be comfortable with your pet. In addition, it can be stressful for your furry friend to have people in the home when you’re not there. So, plan to take them with you – head to the dog park, or find a pet friendly patio to enjoy lunch.
If you absolutely must leave your pet at home, create a safe place for them that doesn’t hinder a potential buyer’s view of your home. Consider a crate that has their favorite blanket and a water bowl. Not sure where to put them? That leads us to our last point:
Ask Your Agent
If you’re not sure what makes the most sense for the open house, you, and your pet – ask your agent! They have the most open house experience and they know your home so they will have a great idea of what will make a successful open house.
As for the Bruske Team, Gretchen is a sucker for dogs. Both Jim and Gretchen always guide their clients in the right direction on how to keep their pets comfortable and the open house successful – but don’t be surprised if you see her giving your pup some love!
If you’re ready to sell your home and or looking for that next great house in the Arcadia neighborhood, Town of Paradise Valley or city of Scottsdale, why not work with the best? Gretchen Baumgardner and Jim Bruske, The Bruske Team, are one of the top real estate teams in Arizona. If you are ready to work with a local, dependable and committed agents, contact us today.