- Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
If you are looking to sell your house, at some point or another your real estate agent will probably suggest having an open house. Open houses are a great way to attract potential buyers, but not only does the house have to look great during the open house, it should also be well-presented on the internet to inspire buyers to actually come by and take a look
The sale of the home begins everywhere the buyers’ eyes rest – from the flooring to the windows, and the overall cleanliness as well as the decorating touches. Here are a few things to keep in mind when preparing your home for the open house.
* Target your house to the buyers that are most likely to be interested in your home. That means being aware of the current market trends and being realistic about how your house shapes up in the market. When advertising your home, you will want to play up the features that are going to appeal the most to your target market. For example, current market trends show that single women are a growing demographic on the housing market. Last year, single women accounted for 20 per cent of homes sold. If you wanted to target your house to this market, you would highlight features of the house that might appeal to a woman buying alone, such as a security feature or a safe neighbourhood.
* Focus on “green” features. Buyers today want to invest in environmentally-friendly products, and that’s extending into home sales more and more. Not only are federal standards requiring more stringent environmental standards for home renovations and appliances, but energy costs are getting consistently higher every year. A home that has environmentally-friendly features like LEED certification or energy-efficient systems has the advantage over less environmentally-friendly models.
* Open the curtains and turn on some music. You want to make your house as appealing as possible on open house day, and that means getting as much natural light into the house as possible and setting the mood. If you have a good sound system, some quiet, ambient music will make the experience of viewing your house more enjoyable for the people coming through it. Some people have been known to use pleasant scents, too, like burning a scented candle or using an aromatic spritzer.
Potential buyers are more likely to look favourably on your house if they feel comfortable while they’re there. That means a spruced-up look, clean, fresh scents, and a tidied-up space free of personal clutter. Once you’ve got it all set up, you just roll the welcome mat out and let the buyers roll in.
Nelson Goulart
Broker of Record with Signature Service GMAC Real Estate
www.infomarketgroup.com
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