To successfully sell a property, it’s crucial to showcase it effectively and grab the attention of potential homebuyers. In addition to online listings, hosting open houses and showings can significantly boost exposure. Here, I’ll guide you on how to conduct more professional open houses.

1. Plan Ahead

Before organizing an open house, define your goals: Are you looking to generate leads, increase visibility, or close deals? Clear objectives will help tailor your approach and measure the event’s success. Conduct thorough market research to understand the target audience and local competition. This knowledge allows you to position the property effectively and emphasize its unique selling points.

As with any event, preparation is crucial. Plan the open house at least one to two weeks in advance to provide ample notice to owners, current tenants, and potential buyers. This lead time also allows for the creation of marketing materials and attracts the right audience.

Consider the property and target demographic when determining the budget and theme of your open house. For instance, a studio apartment in the suburbs wouldn’t warrant an expensive, luxurious event. Save such budgets for high-end properties, especially those with waterfront views.

2. Organize The Space

Decluttering and staging are essential steps before listing the property. Advice sellers to sort through their belongings, and consider donating or discarding items they no longer need. In each room, remove family mementos, photos, and personal items that could distract potential buyers. If they prefer not to remove them permanently, temporarily tuck them away during the open house.

3. Thoroughly Clean Your Home

This open house tip is crucial as prospects, neighbors, and passers-by judge your listing and your reputation based on the property’s street view. To ensure a positive first impression, sellers can hire a deep cleaning service the day before the open house or dedicate time to clean the space thoroughly.

Buyers notice dirt and grime, and a dirty house can be a major turn-off. Cleaning also eliminates odors that might drive away potential buyers. Don’t forget to pressure wash the driveway and invest in curb appeal improvements for positive first impressions.

• Remove all vehicles from the driveway and ask neighbors not to park in front of the house.

• Open drapes, blinds, and window coverings, and turn on lamps and overhead fixtures.

• Serve refreshments or snacks, or consider a catered lunch if budget allows.

• Avoid using air fresheners, as some people may be allergic to synthetic odors.

• Play soft music throughout the house.

• Create a bulletin board with seasonal house photographs to showcase the property during different times of the year, especially helpful for displaying gardens or extensive grounds in winter.

4. Stage The Property

Staging is a top open house tip for real estate agents. It allows you to showcase the property’s potential and project a desired lifestyle. This helps prospects envision their lives in the space, creating an emotional connection and increasing the perceived value of the property.

Professional staging can be costly, but there are budget-friendly staging ideas. It can significantly reduce the property’s time on the market and attract a higher sale or rental price.

5. Arrange Pet Care

For an open house, it’s advisable to send pets to daycare or have them stay with a nearby friend. Adorable pets can distract buyers, or worse, trigger allergic reactions or scare potential buyers. Pets can also cause stress due to the constant opening and closing of doors and the presence of strangers.

Unless the pet serves as a service animal, let them spend the day at doggy daycare or with a nearby friend. Ensure thorough cleaning to prevent dander-related allergies and eliminate litter box odors.

6. Provide Informational Materials

A successful open house involves getting down to business. Consider the following steps:

1. Display four-color flyers with quality photos and key points about the house.

2. Offer brochures with financing options for buyers to determine their monthly mortgage payments.

3. Set out documents related to the house, including inspection reports, evidence of repairs, warranties, and blueprints for additions.

7. Attract the Right Audience

To maximize your open house, target the right demographic. Conduct suburb profile research to understand your target audience, reach them through various channels, and appeal to their needs.

8. Interact With Visitors

Engage with visitors during the open house, greeting them warmly and showing them the property’s features. Encourage exploration and visualize living in space. Seek feedback to understand the property’s impression and make quick fixes if needed.

Remember, a successful open house involves more than just bringing people in; it’s about encouraging them to stay, notice features, and envision themselves living in the home. If you don’t receive an immediate offer, it doesn’t necessarily mean the event was unsuccessful. Buyers might be obtaining a pre-approval letter and submitting an offer in the following days.

9. Utilize Your Contacts

In addition to targeting potential buyers and tenants, tap into your existing contact database. Send email invitations to your contacts, complete with open house details and engaging real estate visuals or videos. For warmer leads, consider making personal calls to extend invitations. This not only strengthens your relationship but also increases the likelihood of a positive response.

10. Maximize Open House Signs

On the day of your open house, ensure the property is easily locatable. Identify the busiest nearby intersection and place an open house sign pointing towards the property. Additionally, position signs outside the property and station an employee at the front door to welcome prospects. These efforts enhance the property’s visibility and attract the attention of potential buyers passing by.

11. Leverage Social Media Live Streams

Extend your open house reach by broadcasting live on platforms like Facebook or Instagram Stories. This not only engages a wider audience during the event but also helps in gaining new followers. Repurpose the live video for additional exposure, such as uploading it to YouTube, Vimeo, embedding it on your website, or using it for ads and emails. Create Instagram Story Highlights for prolonged visibility on your profile.

12. Implement Thoughtful Follow-ups

After the open house, diligently follow up with each visitor. In addition to automated emails or texts from your open house app or CRM, send personal emails and reach out to leads showing extra interest. Personalized communication fosters relationships and keeps your property in their consideration.

Safety Measures for Open Houses

Presence of Others – Have someone else present during the open house, whether a friend, family member, or professional security guard. Request neighbors to keep an eye on the property if possible.

Personal Belongings – Keep personal belongings like purses, wallets, and keys under watch throughout the open house.

Monitoring Visitors – Maintain vigilance over individuals entering and leaving the property to enhance safety and prevent potential issues.

Visitor Sign-ins – Ensure everyone signs in during the open house, creating a record of attendees for reference in case of any issues.

Trust Your Instincts – If anything feels off or suspicious, trust your instincts and prioritize caution in the interest of safety.

Bottom Line

Having a successful home showing is crucial when you’re trying to sell a house. By following the tips mentioned above, you can make sure your home showing goes smoothly! If you need more information, reach out to our team at Luxe Omni – we’re here to help.