As home buyer traffic begins to pick up in mid-January, seller’s should consider hosting an Open House each weekend as a part of their marketing plan.    With a little time and planning, an Open House will attract attention and lure home buyer’s inside for a closer look.

1.  Marketing:   Place your Open House notification on your Infotube.net home ad.  Consider adding your Open House dates and times to Openhouse.com. and Craigslist.  The services are free and these websites receive additional buyer traffic that you may miss otherwise.

Email your MLS broker with the dates and times for your Open House schedule.  Ask them to mention your Open House dates and times in your Realtor.com listings.

Use a lot of directional and Open House signs to lead the way to your front door.  Placing colorful balloons on the signs and your mailbox attracts even more attention.

2.  The Basics:  If you want your Open House to be successful it needs to impress picky buyers.  Consider using some of these proven Must Do’s.  Your house should sparkling clean inside, with manicured curb appeal on the outside.  Light a fire in the fireplace, turn on all the lights, place fresh flowers in key area’s, play some soft soothing music.  Declutter and Depersonalize.  Remove all personal items and furniture (ie: pictures, religious items, mementos, toys, etc) that could distract the buyer from the ammenities in the house.  Place clean fresh linens in the kitchen and all the baths.

3.  Feed Them:  Who doesn’t love free food and drink?  Use food as an inexpensive main attraction and base the menu on the date and time.  (ie:  Brunch for a Sunday 1:30-3:00 Open House; Happy Hour for Saturday from 4:00-6:30, for example).   Avoid food choices that leave a strong smell.  Be creative and the buyer will linger.

4.  Use Smell Appeal:  Nothing works as well as a freshly baked batch of chocolate chip cookies when it comes to welcoming aroma’s.   If you don’t have time to make your own, pick up some premade dough at the grocery store.  The scents to avoid are plug in or spray air fresheners.  Many people are allergic to them and they often raise buyer suspicion that they are being used to mask more serious odors.

5.  Little Things can Make a Big Difference:  Turn on your computer and display comparable sales in the neighborhood.  Run your sprinklers for a half hour to make your landscape shine.  Add great smelling wood chip bark around your sidewalk and entrance.  Use seasonal color on your front door or porch.  Keep your fliers in a drawer and make the buyer ask for them.  It gives you a chance to engage in more conversation.  If your home is energy efficient, proudly display a copy of your utility bills. 

6.  Everyone Loves a Freebie:  Boost your Sales with a Giveaway.  Create a special offer for anyone who attends your Open House and decides to buy.  The most popular freebies are complimentary home warranty policies, reduced closing costs or lending fee’s, discounts for moving, furniture or home improvements, free appliances and lawn care equipment.

Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com and best of luck on your home sale.

1. Frank says:

   January 20, 2009 at 1:31 am

   Who needs a Realtor? Well at least we can spell. Who has a huge typo in the title of their blog post?