A home is where life happens. That means it is hardly spic and span most of the time. Once you decide to sell, the home is no longer a part of your life. It is simply a product that must be moved off the shelf. That means tuning it up.
Consider the view from the various windows in your home. If there is a positive view, pull back all drapes and blinds so there is a clear and obvious view of it. If the view is not so hot, leave the drapes and blinds down, but sort of open.
Live anywhere for more than a few minutes and you will produce trash. Make sure all trash receptacles are empty before the open house. Open houses are about stimulating the senses, not making them curdle with the smell of garbage.
The shower doors are often a closely inspected item. Do not just clean them. Go the extra step. Clean them and then use a window squeegee to finish them off. You want them to look brand spanking new.
The toilets are another area that will get attention. Clean them thoroughly. Make sure to get the area behind the area where they tilt up and the outer section of the bowl where it meets the floor. The seat should be left down.
Another vital room is the kitchen. Buyers will inspect it like a diamond. Everything, and I mean everything, should be sparkling. The kitchen is a room that can make or break a sale. Bake an apple pie to make sure it smells nice as well.
The entire kitchen is vital, but the stove is of particular importance. The top burners should be clean as should the area below. The baking areas should also be sparkling. Remove anything that remotely looks like it does not belong.
The refrigerator is another area in the kitchen that will be looked at closely. It should be gleaming. Remove the shelves and clean everything. Make sure to include the ice box when you do the work.
At this point, the home should be pretty clean, but there are a couple of things left that still clutter it up. What? Your family and pets. The open house is a period where they are forbidden to be in the home. Give them the boot.
Ultimately, you want the home to look as new and buffed out as possible. It is the equivalent of selling a used car. Get it spic and span. Only then will your open house be a success.
Historically speaking one of the most visible aspects of selling a home is the open house. There has been a lot of talk lately in the real estate world about the validity of open houses as many who come to these events are not qualified buyers, rather they are just people who want to look around the home. But this has always been a reality of open houses and yet they continue to be held. One might think that there is some actual value to them. Let's differentiate between the two major kinds of open houses that one can hold and how you can pull them off if you are representing your own home and not engaging the services of a real estate agent.
The first kind of open house is one that is typically held by a listing agent before or shortly after a home is listed. This is also one that you will want to consider if selling your home yourself. Hold an open house for the area's real estate agents. Call their offices and let them know that you are interested in holding an "agents only" open house. This is to let the agents in the area know that your home is available and that you are open to them bringing their customers in to have a look. This is a huge market and one that should not be overlooked. Usually agents are working with qualified buyers who are serious about purchasing a home and any interested buyers are good buyers.
Secondly, there is the good old "everyone welcome" open house. Now the main thing to remember here is that it is unlikely that you will see a lot of qualified buyers at an open house. What it does do is help to spread the word about your home sale. People that come and see the home may know people who are looking for a home and word of mouth is a powerful thing. In preparing your home for an open house, make sure that your neighbors know about the event and have a emergency plan ready to go if necessary. There are some unscrupulous individuals who prey on FSBO open houses so be careful about who you let in and only show the home to 1 group at a time. After all your safety is paramount.
Both Hal James.. & Ryan Sellers are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Hal James.. has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Before you consider listing your home for sale, make sure to read Hal James' excellent free articles on the benefits of selling as a homeowner and. Hal James..'s top article . to your Favourites.
Ryan Sellers has sinced written about articles on various topics from Real Estate, Gardening and Real Estate. Ryan Sellers is the broker for SellUSAHouses.com a limited service realty firm servicing the market. For more info on our money saving programs. Ryan Sellers's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.