Bargain Network Offers Ideas For A Successful Open House

There are a lot of open houses these days in almost every neighborhood in the country, and potential buyers can visit a handful of open houses on a weekend. Sellers should therefore prepare their houses and collateral materials so visitors get an opportunity to see the home in its best light, reports Bargain Network, a service that helps members find the houses and condominiums they want at bargain prices.

Many sellers resort to different advertising venues, from newspapers and flyers to word-of-mouth at church or other special groups. Along with these suggestions, Bargain Network recommends taking a few useful steps to have a successful open house:

--Home alone. Folks working with a real estate agent can count on the Realtor® to take care of hosting all visitors, but for people selling the house without an agent, it’s vital that they act as a professional realtor. Homebuyers may feel like intruders if the whole family is around, so they might want to rush out and not even look at the house. Let the visitors walk freely around the house, and set up a table with flyers with contact information and specific data about the house. Also, prepare a visitor sign-in sheet to collect names and phone numbers of guests.

--Spotless. It almost goes without saying: The house should be as clean as a whistle. Keep everything freshly dusted and vacuumed, pick up all papers and misplaced objects, and make sure there are no strong odors (including scented sprays) anywhere. Try to make the house look like a furniture showroom — sparkling and comfortable, but not lived in.

--De-clutter. Getting rid of clutter is also an important part of staging an open house. A cluttered house looks smaller and makes it harder for buyers to imagine the space with their belongings. In home-selling jargon, de-cluttering also means putting away displays of collections and taking down family photos, trophies and other personal touches. The home should also make a favorable impression from the outside; increase curb appeal by cleaning windows, cutting the grass, etc.

--Let there be light. Keep the lights on during an open house, both indoors and outdoors, even if it’s daytime. During the day, the extra light will brighten up dim areas and prevent the harsh shadows caused by sunlight. At night, the lighting will give the house a more “homey,” cheerful feeling that can help captivate potential buyers.

--Pet control. Pets might distract, irritate or even cause an allergic reaction in some people, so make arrangements to have a pet-free environment during open house hours. If that’s impractical, keep pets in a penned area in the back yard or in a specific room of the house, and put a sign on the door so visitors are aware before stepping in.

These tips, from Bargain Network, can help sellers make the most of an open house, increasing the chances of selling the home in a timely and profitable manner. And to find great deals on homes, thanks to an extensive, searchable database of real estate listings that lets members find homes for as little as $10,000, be sure to visit Bargain.com.