One of the most effective means of marketing your property and attracting potential buyers is by holding an open home. It’s an opportunity to showcase your home to as many people as possible in a relatively short space of time, and it allows you time to prepare your home to show it off at its best. Successful open homes generate interest, provide a chance for buyers to ask questions, and create a sense of urgency leading to a sale. Here’s how to hold a successful open home.
Attract the right people
Most buyers start off searching online so it’s important you take advantage of technology to promote your open home as widely and as early as you can. List your home on various real estate websites, share open home details on social media, and invite friends and neighbours to share your listing too. Ensure your advert is colourful and descriptive, and that photos portray a professional presentation of your home.
Invite your neighbours
While it may seem a little strange inviting your neighbours to have a good look around your open home, they are the people who will be living next door to the new owners of your property, and as such offer excellent, unsolicited networking opportunities. In other words, they’re more likely to promote your open home to people they’d like to live next door to, so invite them in.
It goes without saying… clean!
When it comes to open homes, cleanliness is vital. That could mean hiring a professional house cleaner to steam clean carpets and flooring, or having the windows washed inside and out. Be sure to focus on the areas of your property that are often missed, like skirting boards, ceiling corners, and window frames.
Create a neutral environment
If you have anything in your home that could be considered controversial or potentially distasteful, pack it away during your open home – animal skins or animal heads on display, images of politicians, quirky posters and pictures; many real estate agents even suggest packing away personal items like family photos or your children’s artwork. By creating a neutral environment, you help potential buyers picture themselves in your property.
Be absent
There’s no need for you to attend the open home if you have a real estate agent. Grab your pets and head out for a few hours – remember to tidy away any pet accessories like dog bowls, cat litter boxes or pet food.
The little touches
When preparing your property for an open home, try to take an outsider’s view to see the things you wouldn’t ordinarily notice. Close the toilet lid, pack away toiletries and personal items, make the beds, open curtains and blinds, add rugs to cover bare floors – make a good first impression. If your property is in need of a more extensive freshen up, a lick of paint inside and out creates a clean appearance, while neatening up the garden, letter box and garage door can instantly lift a property’s facade.
Home staging
If your property is already vacant, you may want to consider home staging. Adding furniture and accessories to vacant properties creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Simple touches like fresh towels in the bathroom, flowers in the entry way or a few accessories can instantly lift the ambiance. Tidy away clutter and keep in mind that often less is more.
How can we help
If you’re in the market to buy or sell a first-home, holiday house or investment property, it may be worthwhile doing a financial health check. We can help you assess the state of your finances currently, and help you plan for the future. Get in touch with Mortgage Express to find out how we can help you.
