7 Cheap and Easy Steps to a Better Open House

A real estate agent explains how to make open houses more appealing to buyers and safer for sellers

By Luke Mullins

Posted: August 21, 2008

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Sell the neighborhood. While potential buyers will certainly want to see what your house is like, they will have other questions as well. "I get this all the time: [potential buyers have] a young 3-year-old, and [they] want to know if there are babysitter-aged kids in the neighborhood and they want to know if there are other kids for them to play with," Combs says. Sellers should gather pertinent information about the neighborhood, school system, and utility bills and pass it along to their agent. (Or, if they aren't using an agent, directly to the buyers themselves.)

You're right

There's absolutely NO reason why you can't do it yourself.

Howevever, the MAJORITY of my clients want to be able to relax and envision themselves in the home. When a homeowner is hovering around they want to leave more quickly or not even see the home on a first showing....

Lori Rivera of FL @ Oct 14, 2008 12:47:33 PM

Open House

Internet notice of open houses also allows more potential visitors on open house day. ERA has a special open house web section that automatically posts to OpenHouse.com as well.Also, local MLS services have open house postings that other realtors can note.

It is also important to pick times that buyers are likely to come, such as 1-4 p.m. Saturday--and be willing to stay later. Many signs out front on the nearby streets where traffic will bring some passers-by help as well.

Jean McPhee of FL @ Oct 14, 2008 11:10:33 AM

Owners Disappear

I am a realtor and it is hard for a seller to sell his own home. Most buyers would prefer to work with a realtor. They can open up to a realtor, when they might not feel comfortable with the seller. I have heard sellers say that they have showed their home many times and never heard feedback from the prospective buyers. Buyers are more likely to say what is on their mind when their is a realtor involved.

I have showed property when there were owners present and the buyers won't open closet doors or feel free to look comfortably.

Ginny Marsh of @ Oct 14, 2008 10:24:31 AM

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