Have You Ticked All the Boxes on Your Open House Checklist?

Given the large number of potential buyers who will stroll through your home during an open house, it is critical that you meticulously prepare your property with an eye for the details that buyers will be likely to notice. Be sure to pay attention to all rooms and the yard: the overgrown shrub or leaky faucet that you barely notice anymore may be a glaring indication to a buyer that the property is unkempt. Before you open your doors to droves of home shoppers, consider this checklist:

1. Make all necessary repairs. Obtaining a professional home inspection early in the selling process may help you to identify problems that need attention.
2. Remove clutter and personal items and clean all rooms to a white-glove-worthy standard. Even if you need to host a garage sale or rent a storage pod to get rid of excess belongings, presenting buyers with a spotless, uncluttered space will enable them to picture themselves actually living in your home.
    
3. Hide evidence of pets, including droppings in the yard, bags of pet food, and of course, the four-legged friends themselves.
   
   
4. Secure valuables, prescription medications, and other items that may attract thieves.
   
   
5. Organize closets, cabinets, and drawers. Many potential buyers make a habit of looking at these spaces and will be pleased if they see plenty of storage space and an easy system of organization.
   
   
6. Have windows professionally washed and carpets professionally cleaned. Consider power washing the siding, driveway, and sidewalks.
   
   
7. Bake cookies or put on a simmer pot in advance of the open house. Create a simmer pot by boiling water in a saucepan and adding fragrant ingredients such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange rinds, and dried herbs. Reduce heat to a simmer and add water as needed. Simmer pots create a pleasant, inviting aroma without the cloying, sometimes irritating, scent that often accompanies artificial fragrances.
   
   
8. Fill the rooms with natural light by opening all curtains or blinds.
   
   
9. Provide visitors with a factsheet highlighting your home’s best features and other information that would be helpful to potential buyers, such as room dimensions.
   
   
10. Ask for feedback from visitors. Preserve respondents’ anonymity by providing a simple questionnaire for them to leave facedown on a table after viewing the home. Incorporate any helpful advice into your next open house.
    
    
11. Have important documents, like HOA regulations, utility bills, inspection reports, and property surveys ready to show curious visitors.
    
    
12. Remember the importance of first impressions. Make sure that the lawn is mowed, overgrown shrubbery is trimmed, and fresh, colorful flowers have been planted. Create an inviting ambiance at the front door by investing in a new welcome mat and some fresh paint, dusting away cobwebs, and keeping the lights on, even during the day.