Calling ALL VENDORS!!! Do You REALLY Want an Open House?

Have you ever gone into a home that looks like a "tornado" went through it, with clothes everywhere, food wraps on the floors, and floors that look like they haven't been cleaned in the last 6 months?

Well, these are 12 tips that Vendors (aka: Sellers) need to know before they put their homes on the market or even worse, attempt to have an "Open House"...

1)  Start by getting rid of all the clutter!  Get it OUT of the house!  You can rent a small or large storage room somewhere locally and put all of the things you aren't going to be using in the next 4-6 months.  All the rooms in your home need to "SHOUT TO THE POTENTIAL BUYER".

2)  Get rid of your personal possessions!  Nobody wants to see other families photos or family members at the Open House.  The potential buyers want to envision "their personal belongs" at the "Open House".  This also includes all jewelry and any other valuable items.

3)  Make ALL cosmetic repairs!  Make sure all holes in the walls are filled, glass windows are not cracked, sealed and are available to open.  The less flaws the better, since the potential buyer will be looking for all surface flaws and if there are many, will probably begin to think that there are just as many "problems" they can't see.

4)  Spotless Kitchens & Bathrooms are a MUST!   Make sure your kitchens and bathrooms are super clean and well organized.  Clean all inside cabinets & drawers, since the Potential Buyer will be opening and closing all drawers & doors.

5)  The inside of your home must look new!  Paint is the cheapest way to give your home a "lift".  If any rooms are in need of paint, go to your nearest hardware store and ask them for "Colors that sell homes".  Most hardware stores have a palette that is strickly for "selling homes" or "the most popular colors" in your area.  This also helps get rid of smells in your home.

6)  Make sure the day before the Open House, your house is immaculate in every way!  Vacuum, dust & clean the floors the day before the Open House, so your house is "singing" to the potential buyers.

7)  The outside of your home must SHINE!  Rent a power hose and cleaning the outside of the home, sheds, walkways, driveways so they look new.  This will give your home "Curb Appeal" to entice a potential buyer to walk into your home.

8)  Let the Sun Shine in!  Open ALL the curtains and turn on every light, so you home looks inviting to your potential buyers.

9)  Set your Dining Table or Kitchen Table as if you are getting ready to have a dinner party!  Get your best china & silverware or borrow some from a relative or friend.  Put your best glassware out with it and help your potential buyers visualize how they would live in your home.

10) Put all your pets "out of the home's site".  People don't want to see or hear or smell your pets, so make sure they are GONE!

11) A Bad Smell Will KILL A DEAL!  Ask a friend to come over a day before your open house and ask them point blank, "Can you smell anything?" (food, pets, mold, mildew, etc)  You, the Vendor, can't smell your own home, so have an "outside" person do it for you, before your scheduled Open House.

12) All vendors (THAT'S YOU) should LEAVE for the Open House!  Nobody wants to hear about the "bad" things about their property. It can become very discouraging to hear what your potential buyers have to say about your property.  Leave it for us professionals, your Listing Agent, to handle your home from here.

** Hopefully, after all of this is done, your success rate for a buyer to buy your house should increase phenomenally!  **