The Four DON'TS of an Open House

The Four DON'TS of an Open House

     Most of us are all too familiar with the television channel HGTV (Home and Garden Television) with its lavish home remodels and spunky hosts.  Although it has given the common man both first-hand glimpses into the ins and outs of home maintenance and great tips for buying and selling a home, it has also provided a dramatic exaggeration of real life residences and home owners.  And when it comes to Open Houses, the TV entertainment may have on display fine art showings and free-flowing champagne.  Even though everday home owners and their agents have upped the ante on hospitality, the focus of the most successful Open Houses is still the same: showcasing the house to the right population of prospective buyers and staging your house to sell.

     Sometimes, to keep the right focus and successful sale of your house, it is best to eliminate the things we shouldn't do.  Here are four tips that smart sellers should avoid during a sale.

1. DON'T: Attend or pretend. A seller's place at an Open House is elsewhere.  It used to be that only "looky-loos" showed up at Open Houses, however it is becoming increasingly common for serious, qualified buyers to tour Open Houses with their agents every weekend.  In addition, these buyers want to have serious conversations about your home - pro and con.  It is easier to have these conversaions without you present.  Trust that your agent will successfully consolidate and deliver the most useful insights from buyer and broker feedback provided at the Open House.

2. DON'T: Create distractions vs. attractions. When it comes to hospitality in your Open House, it is essential to be particular about attracting potential buyers and not creating an area that becomes more distracting.  Treats that showcase the home in its best light like iced lemonade in your newly remodeled kitchen on a hot summer day would be a great 'attraction.'  However, live entertainment or fully catered meals can easily slide over the line, registering at 'distractions.'

3. DON'T: Complicate buyers' access to the property.  There's a reason it's called an Open House.  The objective is to grant buyers relatively free access to see and fall in love with your home.  Don't undermine your own Open House by blocking buyers from a room, closet, basement or area of the yard (unless safety absolutely dictates.)  Anything you do that requires a buyer to come back and see it at another time just puts one more roadblock between them and buying your home.

4. DON'T: Neglect the neighbors.  Inviting your neighbors to the Open House could possibly get your more buyers.  Your neighbors are the people most likely to know other people who want to live in your neighborhood.  And on a side note, they would most definitely appreciate the heads-up about the extra parking all over thier street!

If you'd like to know more about homes in the Walnut Creek area, contact Renee White with Keller Williams Realty.

Renee White     Keller Williams Realty East Bay, Top Producing Team 2011/2012

925-876-2441  renee@reneewhite.com     www.ReneeWhite.com