8 Easy Ways to Prep for an Open House
When placing your home on the market, one of your first tasks will be hosting an open house. If you’re working with a realtor, they’ll likely provide some tips on how to organize the open house. But, how do you prepare and stage your home?
Your real estate agent will be taking the necessary steps to ensure the maximum people are seeing your home. This will increase its chances of selling quickly at a price much closer to your asking amount. However, while technology has changed the real estate game, the importance of making a good impression is stronger than ever.
In today’s blog, we’ll be teaching you eight easy ways to prep for an open house and how to help prospective buyers fall in love.
Start with the great outdoors.
With summer on its way, now’s the perfect time to freshen up the landscaping and touch up your exterior paint. Other areas to consider sprucing up include your garage, front door, mailbox and house numbers. To really boost the appearance of your home, we recommend cleaning the driveway and surrounding walkways.
Everything has to be squeaky clean.
Your property needs to be in pristine condition before hosting an open house. Clean your home from top to bottom, paying careful attention to corners, windowsills and floorboards. To ensure no spot goes untouched, it’s best to enlist the help of a residential cleaning company. You should also consider having the windows and carpeting washed.
Get rid of as much clutter as possible.
If your home is filled with bulky furniture and accessories, it’ll be difficult for potential buyers to see the home’s feature — or envision themselves living there. Before your house goes on the market, start packing and aim to make the home as streamlined as possible. Also, keep in mind that prospects will be looking in closets and cabinets so start organizing! Messy, overflowing storage areas give the impression that your home doesn’t have enough space.
Remember, it’s important for prospects to walk in and visualize the home as their own. Personal items like family photos and knickknacks can be distracting so stash them away as you begin packing.
Stage your home with accessories.
If you’re still living in the home, use small touches like fresh towels or a new vase of flowers to freshen up the space. With furniture, keep in mind that less is more. Replace wild-colored walls with relaxing neutrals. And, if there’s room in your budget, make simple swaps like new hardware, knobs and faucets.
Use lighting to visually add space.
Open up the curtains and blinds and utilize as much natural lighting as possible. Turn on all the lights when showing a home, and make it as cheerful as you can. It’s also important to keep in mind that replacing light fixtures really makes a difference. You can typically tell when a home was built or last renovated by its light fixtures. A simple swap or new coat of paint will work wonders.
Remove your pets during open house.
As a rule of them, your pets should be neither seen nor heard. Try to make arrangements for your pets to leave the house during showings. Or, if they can’t be removed, try to confine them in a low-traffic space so they’re not a distraction for your prospects during the event.
Bake or buy cookies (it really works).
Preparing refreshments can be tricky, so stick to water, coffee and tea options. However, almost all real estate agents agree that it’s a good idea to serve cookies. Not only do they produce a homely, inviting smell but encourage prospects to stop and interact with the agent.
Leave your prospect with ample information.
Prepare collateral like fliers or brochures that include photographs, specs and other pertinent information about the home. Never leave homebuyers empty-handed. Distribute informational pieces after they’ve walked through the home and be available to answer any questions prospects may have about its features, surrounding neighborhood or school district.
When’s the best time to host an open house?
This is a pretty common question in the real estate world and in most communities, Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. are best. It’s also recommended to ensure your open house doesn't conflict with any holidays, community or sporting events. Another tip: be sure and keep an eye on the weather forecast. On cold or rainy days, people typically stay at home.
Our last piece of advice is being open to prospect feedback. If six people think the home is overpriced, it probably is. So, try to gather as many opinions as possible. Capturing names and contact information from visitors allows you to follow-up with them afterword and answer any questions or concerns they may have.
Need help preparing your home before the big day?
Our team at Custom Maid is here to help! With our residential services, there are NO contracts and NO obligations. From one-time to weekly and bi-weekly cleanings, we’re happy to tailor a solution to meet the needs of your home.
To learn more about our house cleaning services, give us a call today at (918) 376-4114 or click here to get a free quote now.