An open house is part of marketing
Q:
We’re trying to sell our home, and we have had two open houses. So far, a total of three people have shown up. It’s a lot of work on our part. Should we just forget about open houses?
A:
When and if a seller should hold an open house, and how often to hold one, is a good question.
For the uninitiated, open houses are a specified and advertised time when people can tour a home without pressure or the need to be aligned with a particular realtor.
The rap on open houses is that they draw a large contingent of the just plain curious, people who have no intention of buying a home but simply like to look at other people’s houses, get design ideas and gawk.
While this is true, open houses can be an excellent way to market your home and should be part of your listing agent’s overall marketing effort. While you are unlikely to sell your home during an open house, it does occasionally happen. ]
You should view an open house as one aspect of an overall marketing campaign that also includes print, Internet and other media for your home. You never know the connections people have. Even the curious talk to other people, who may in fact be looking for a home just like yours.
Your realtor should advise you about whether or not to hold an open house, how often and the best time. Ask your realtor where the open house will be advertised.
Ask whether there will be a brokers’ open house. This is a special walk-through for other realtors so they will be able to discuss your home with their clients.
If possible, avoid committing to an open house until a few days before. Weather plays a huge role in the success of an open house. You want a sunny or cloudy day, not too hot or too cold, and certainly not a thunderstorm, downpour or snowstorm.
Look at the calendar and make sure your open house is not competing with some other major event. Given a choice, would you go to a Red Sox World Series parade or an open house?
When preparing your home for an open house, pay attention to details. Get rid of all valuable items and jewelry. Make the beds, get rid of clutter, clean out closets.
Clean the bathrooms and kitchen. Do the laundry. Make sure the outside of the home is neat and picked up, walkways swept, lawn mowed and trimmed, windows washed.
Have your home smell as good as it looks. Bake a cake or cookies (and leave some for attendees). Put together a vase of fresh cut flowers. Burn a fresh scented candle. First impressions are critical, especially in this market where there is so much competition.
Finally, do not be discouraged if only one or two people show up for your open house. Remember, you never know the connections people have. Those one or two may mention your home to one or two others who mention it to one or two more.
The success of an open house is difficult to gauge. It’s not so much about numbers as about interest. The goal is to pique people’s interest to come back for a second look.
The feedback you gain through an open house can also be invaluable. It gives you an idea of how your home is viewed in the eyes of buyers. You should generally not be around during an open house. Buyers are often more frank if the seller is not there.
