Do Open House Events Still Work?
Having an open house can often go a long way toward helping you sell your home, but there are some pros and cons you’ll want to consider before you plan to go this route. You can expect a lot of traffic from potential buyers and agents if the event is staged effectively, correctly and at the right time.
The goal of an open house is to bring traffic to your home from people who are looking to buy a home in your area. A seasoned agent will schedule the event shortly after your home is posted for sale to take advantage of the “new listing” status. Your realtor will post the open house date in MLS, social media and real estate websites such as zillow.com and realtor.com so that buyer’s agents and anyone who may be interested is aware of the upcoming event.
Open houses offer low-pressure opportunities for buyers to take a look. Your realtor should let people look around while being close enough to answer questions but not to overpower the potential buyers. This usually encourages buyers to think fondly of your home when they look back on the properties they’ve visited. Keep in mind, some visitors may be looking on behalf of their friends and/or family.
Your realtor will be able to talk to new potential buyers who may be coming back for a second look. This is also the opportunity to share information about the home that is not specified in the listing information. Interested buyers will connect with their agents, who will communicate with your realtor to get more information about the home and your motivation to sell.
Go above and beyond to make sure your house looks at its best while it is on the market. Your agent will guide you as to how to make your home attractive to buyers and may suggest home staging services to show your home’s best features.
It is not very common to make a sale during the open house itself. This is an event that’s more about gaining interest and getting the word out about your home rather than necessarily finding a buyer that day. Of course, you never know what could happen!
Taking a few simple steps to update and maintain your home’s exterior will invite potential home buyers to come closer to check out all that your home has to offer. First, take a closer look at your front yard’s landscaping. Nothing says deferred maintenance like a desert landscape riddled with weeds and overgrown trees. Pruning and trimming all trees and shrubs will allow potential buyers to actually see your home, and will also demonstrate that the current homeowners care about their property, which is a good sign. Placing fresh flowers or desert plants in pots near your walkway or front door is also another quick and inexpensive step to freshen up your home’s exterior and landscape.
There’s nothing worse for an agent to walk into a home that shines everywhere but with the lighting fixtures. This is such an easy and often inexpensive fix. With the advent of so many unique and beautiful lighting options, some lighting fixtures can even double as a focal point of the room itself. While you don’t need to have a fancy, expensive chandelier, taking the time to pick out a dramatic lighting fixture in the right space will make your room look amazing.
Admittedly, listing your home for sale can be a stressful, and often disruptive life event. One of the concerns that home sellers may have is keeping their home secure and safe while it’s on the market, and open to the public for showings. Therefore, here are some tips to help you maximize keeping you and your family safe during this time.
When it comes to prepping the exterior of your home for sale during the holiday season, curb appeal is still very important. So be sure your windows are sparkling clean, your driveway and front walkway have been power-washed, and your landscaping is as neat as a pin. With regard to holiday décor on the exterior of your home, be sure to take into consideration what your neighbors are doing during this time. Does your neighborhood generally decorate to the nines for holidays, or do HOA rules discourage such decoration? Follow those guidelines first and foremost, but if your neighbors are celebrating the holidays with decorations, definitely join in the fun. Be sure to choose tasteful decorations; wreaths for the front door or front gate are always appropriate, as are colored ribbons decorating planters containing seasonal plants. Perhaps forego the giant inflatable turkey or gingerbread man this year, however.
With regard to the BINSR, there are three ways the buyer can go after the inspection. First, the buyer can indicate that they accept the premises completely, which means no further work needs to be done. The second option is the buyer can reject the premises, which means the real estate transaction is cancelled and they will not be purchasing the home. The third option, which is the most common scenario, is the buyer “elects to provide the seller an opportunity to correct” whichever items from the inspection the buyer wants corrected before they take possession of the property.
Moving is often said to be one of the top five most stressful live events. And for good reason. Assuming you’re not going to move your belongings yourself, hiring a good, responsible moving company is a large part of the stress of moving. To that end, here are some tips to consider when making that decision.