Selling Your Home: Preparing for Your Open House

Sometimes selling your house can really be a numbers game. You want to get as many eyes as possible on your home. Of course, if what those eyes see isn’t to their liking, it’s going to be difficult to sell your home. That’s why you want to prepare as much as possible before holding an open house.

An open house is a chance for potential home buyers to truly experience your home and picture themselves living there. And the more people attending your home’s open house, the more interest and even competition you can stoke. Here are our tips for preparing for your open house so you sell your home faster and for a better price.

When to Throw an Open House
Generally, Sunday afternoons are the best time throughout the week to throw your open house. People tend to have more free time on Sundays, and you are more likely to draw spontaneous drop-ins. Your listing agent will likely have a preferred time of day to show your home, but you can expect the affair to last three to four hours. When picking a Sunday, be sure to avoid holiday weekends and special events in your area such as graduations or sports games.

What a Listing Agent Can Do
You don’t have to go through preparing for your open house alone. Having an experienced real estate agent to help with the whole open house process can take a lot of the work off your plate.

Beyond basic staging techniques, your agent should also provide handouts and materials containing information about your property and the amenities in the neighborhood. In the time leading up to your open house, talk with your agent about features worth highlighting.

The following are some things your agent may recommend:

● Your agent will probably recommend reducing the amount of furniture and large, bulky items that reduce the amount of space in your home. Consider renting a nearby storage space where your things can be safely stored until it is time to move.

● If you have pets, it’s best to find another place for them for the duration of the open house. Not everybody loves animals, and the presence of pets is an unnecessarily personal touch. Consider putting them in a boarding facility or find a local pet sitter in your neighborhood that can watch them for the afternoon.

● Protect your valuables by securing them in a safe or lockbox and placing it in a place that is out of sight. Don’t forget to include things such as birth certificates, deeds, and other important documents.

Real estate agent Elizabeth Weintraub claims one in five of her listings sell at open houses. With any luck, yours will too. Once you’ve sold and closed and it’s time to move, opt to hire movers to help ease stress on your body and mind. Just like you don’t have to sell your house on your own, you don’t have to go through moving solo, either.

An open house is a great opportunity to advertise your home to interested parties looking to buy. However, it can be a lot of work. An experienced real estate agent can help with the process, from advertising to the final touches of staging. As a homeowner, there are some things you can do as well. For instance, you may need to store furniture off-site, find someone to watch your pets the day of the open house, and protect your valuables in your home. In the end, your open house should drum up plenty of interest and hopefully an offer.

by: Suzie Wilson

Suzie Wilson is an interior designer with more than 20 years experience. What started as a hobby (and often, a favor to friends) turned into a passion for creating soothing spaces in homes of every size and style. While her goal always includes making homes look beautiful, her true focus is on fashioning them into serene, stress-free environments that inspire tranquility in all who enter. The Ultimate Guide to Prepping Your Home for an Open House is filled with tips, tricks and other advice based on Suzie’s years of experience in interior home design that will set you up for success.