Sunday proved to be yet another busy day for open house traffic. We are experiencing never before seen traffic flows through open houses for this time of the year. Restaino alone held over 42 open houses this past Sunday, consisting of from nine to 25 with hot areas that include the following: Sun Prairie, Middleton, Verona, and these sellers are getting a jump start on the Spring Market.
A Seller’s Guide to a Successful Open House:
Sign Up. Sellers should communicate to their Realtor the importance of holding an open house, so sign up! Consumers drive through neighborhoods on weekends searching for houses in which they might like to live, and Realtors know how to procure buyers into visiting your home. We encourage sellers to hire a Realtor that understands the importance of a successful open house.
Maximize Curb Appeal. Ensure that the outside of the home looks as appealing as the inside of the house. Water and mow the lawn trim the trees, cut back overgrowth and plant colorful flowers. Store all gardening equipment, children and pet toys, and remove the car from the driveway to provide room for parking.
Clean! Potential buyers will want to inspect all parts of the home from the bedrooms and the bathrooms, to the basement and the garage. It is imperative that sellers remove all clutter, tidy up closets to make them appear spacious, and remember to create a positive experience for all potential buyers.
A Buyer’s Guide to Open Houses:
It’s all about the volume. Real estate sales associates encourage their buyers to visit a significant number of houses. Seeing numerous homes will give a buyer a much better idea of exactly what they desire in a property and also help them understand how much home their money can buy.
Have a game plan. If you are giving up an hour on a Sunday, set aside the entire afternoon. Research properties you want to see and schedule your day so you can visit open houses in one area, and then move on to the next area. However, allow yourself enough time to see each home and travel to the next one.
Focus on the property. Get down to business. Prepared sellers will hand out a property description sheet or a Multiple Listing Service sheet (also known as an MLS sheet). Use it to take notes and check off features as you walk through the house. These notes, along with marketing materials handed out at the open houses, will help buyers narrow down the list of homes that they are interested in.
Do Not Feel Rushed. Buying a home is the biggest investment that most people will ever make. Home buying is a process that usually involves negotiations. Being prepared and educating yourself on home buying is critical to you becoming a successful homeowner. Take your time, schedule open houses accordingly and lastly, have an open line of communication with the open house host, or your sales associate.
Open houses are the easiest way for potential buyers to become familiar with your property. Be sure to click the link below to view our Open House Tours this weekend:
