A good tactic for selling a home is to hold at least one open house. This will give the property more exposure and attract people who may not see it on real estate websites, or have real estate brokers who miss the listing. It can also be very convenient for people who happen to be driving through the neighborhood. With a little planning, your open house can be a big success and may lead to multiple purchase offers.
Clean and Clear
One of the basic ways to prepare is to be sure your house looks clean and well-maintained. This might mean hiring a professional cleaning service to really make it gleam. Touching up paint and mowing the lawn can also be helpful activities. Try to remove as much clutter as possible; some tips include putting away toys, clearing appliances off counters and tidying up closets. Removing pieces of furniture may improve traffic flow and make a home appear larger. If you are tight on space, consider renting a storage unit.
Remove Emotion From the Process
There can be a lot of emotion tied to selling a home, particularly if you have lived there for a long period of time, and have many happy memories. A tip for reducing emotion is to view the process as a business transaction; don’t refer to your house as a home, call it a property.
Set Realistic Expectations
A house is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, not the price an owner hopes to achieve. Doing research on what properties have sold and been purchased for, in your neighborhood, can help you understand what the market will bear. Realtors often do some of this work for their clients, but don’t hesitate to confirm information on your own.
Use All the Tools at Your Disposal
There are many real estate websites and apps that can assist in advertising an open house so be sure your real estate agent is on top of the latest technology. Putting notices on social media is another helpful tip. Be sure to include plenty of pictures, people typically prefer to see a property before committing to take the time to attend an open house. An old fashioned technique that can be highly beneficial is to post an “open house” sign listing the date and time several blocks away, preferably at a busy intersection. Be sure to also advertise the open house with a sign in the front yard. Many realtors suggest doing this a week before the actual event.
Disappear and Take the Dog
It is essential to leave your home during an open house. Your realtor should be there to handle things. Prospective buyers may be more hesitant to thoroughly tour the property and ask questions. Taking any pets with you is also important. Having a dog bark or cat hiss at people who are there will not improve prospects for selling your house. Pets may also get accidentally let outside.
After you sell your house, hiring a good moving company can make the moving process go much more smoothly. Salt Lake City Movers are very experienced at successfully moving their clients.