There's No Place Like an Open House

If you're a Real Estate Agent, the name of the game is finding serious, qualified buyers who can purchase your client's house. This seems obvious enough, but how do you sift through the merely curious shoppers and get to the real home buyers? One answer is to hold a successful open house. If all goes well, you can get several appointments for a second, formal showing with individuals who are serious about the property.

The key to making the most of a weekend open house is to pick the right listing. Before you agree to host a property, stop by and examine each room as if you were a potential buyer. The next consideration is price. There's no point in holding an open house for a listing that is overpriced -- nobody will come. And finally, there's the question of advertising. Some neighborhoods have so much weekend car traffic that taking out an ad isn't necessary. Do your homework: talk with colleagues and residents of the area and discover what you're working with.

Once you've agreed to show a house, go through it with the owner and make sure things are spotless. If there are knickknacks, decorating styles or pieces of furniture that detract from the house, delicately explain to the owner that putting them in the closet may help sell the house.

An important way to ensure you get people in the door is signage. Place a sign at the busiest nearby intersection. Then plant a trail of signs (with prominent directional arrows) that lead drivers right to the showing. Also, attaching a string of balloons to your open house signs will make them more noticeable.

Inside the house, there should be lights on in every room. If feasible, windows should be open with drapes and curtains pulled back. A generous spread of snacks and refreshments always goes over well (cookies seem to be a perennial favorite with visitors).

Finally, as people funnel into the house, resist the temptation to network and sell them on your other listings. Focus on selling the property at hand. Remember, these prospective buyers didn't stop at that fabulous four-bedroom house you represent on the west side of town. Show the home you're both standing in.

Labels: Real Estate Agent, Real Estate School

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