Preparing for an Open House
Matching buyer and property should be the primary goal of your Realtor. The most
practical and time tested method of achieving that end is the open house. Whether the Realtor you hire is willing to do openhouses could be an indicator of the level of comitment they are willing to undertake on your behalf.
practical and time tested method of achieving that end is the open house. Whether the Realtor you hire is willing to do openhouses could be an indicator of the level of comitment they are willing to undertake on your behalf.
The sale of a home can be a stressful and busy time for any homeowner which is why it is important to work closely with your Realtor if you are planning an open house. Your best approach is to ask as many questions as possible about what you need to do to prepare as well as making sure you understand what occurs during an open house.
While not exhaustive, below are some examples of questions you might
want to ask your Realtor:
• Will your salesperson be present during the open
house?
• Will attendees of the open house be asked for
identification?
• Will all attendees be escorted throughout the
home and will your salesperson limit the number
of individuals in your home at any one time to
ensure they are personally escorted?
• Will your salesperson check all doors, windows
and other access points prior to locking your
home at the end of the open house?
• Ask your salesperson for advice on whether you
should allow photographs of your home to be
taken by buyers or anyone else.
Below are some steps you can take to prepare for an open house:
• Remove small valuables from view.
• Remove medications from all rooms in the home
including your medicine cabinet.
• Keep your bills, credit card receipts, and bank
statements out of view. You may want to store
them with your other valuables.
• Take inventory/pictures of your property and
what was stored so you will know quickly if
anything is missing.
• Consider removing personal photographs that
may be on display.
Take advantage of the registrant search feature at
www.reco.on.ca, to ensure you are working with
someone who is registered to trade in real estate in
Ontario.
Excerpts from RECO (Real Estate Council of Ontario) website
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