How To Hold a Successful
Open House 
Janet Chesterfield
519-326-6875
Getting maximum exposure is a key part of any home sale. That’s why it pays to sell your home with the help of a Realtor through the Multiple Listing Service. MLS provides details of your home to all real estate professionals in the area and markets the property to a broad range of potential buyers.

To further maximize exposure, your Realtor may recommend you hold one or two types of open houses as soon as the property goes on the market. The first will be an open house for Realtors only. If your home is attractive and well-priced. Many of the Realtors at the open house will make arrangements to bring clients to see your home immediately.

Your Realtor may also recommend one or more open houses for the general public. Although this type of open house tends to attract a lot of "browsers," if your home is clean, attractive, well-priced and in good repair, it could turn a "browser" into a "buyer". Some purchasers want to get the "feel" of several neighborhoods before they begin working with a Realtor. Open houses will attract these potential buyers.

Most open houses for the public are held on a weekend afternoon when potential buyers often have more time to drive through neighborhoods. If you have pets, the Realtor may suggest you remove them from the home during the open house, since their presence could be distracting.

Your Realtor will suggest ways to prepare your home for an open house to make it a secure, enjoyable experience for everyone.

Advertise the open house by signs on the lawn such as Open House Sunday 2-4 p.m. This can be done as early as the Wednesday preceding the open house. Realtors have special signs for this purpose.

Register all guests into the open house with name, address, telephone number and e-mail addresses if available. It is important to store away all valuables and try to walk through the home with each visitor.

Colourful brochures for handouts are helpful so when the prospect leaves he has a number of photos to take with him. Click for sample brochure: http://www.excel.on.ca/seacliff.htm

Here are some general tips to help you prepare for the big day:

A tiny hand-print on a wall or the slightest door squeak can be quite distracting to some potential buyers. Use this handy checklist to assess what needs to be cleaned, repaired or changed before opening your home to potential buyers:
Kitchen and bathrooms: 
  • Clean all surfaces, including floors.
  • Organize countertops
  • Ensure all sinks and faucets work properly
    		•  Other rooms: 
  • Vacuum and dust all areas thoroughly.
  • Collect and remove all clutter, including excess furniture.
  • Neatly store books, toys and clothes in closets & on shelves.
  • Clean all mirrors
  • Open drapes and pull up blinds on windows
    		•
    Floor coverings: 
  • Remove all dirt and stains.
  • Repair any damaged areas
  • Restore hardwood floors under old carpeting
  • a much desired feature in homes today.
    		•  Walls, ceilings, baseboards: 
  • Clean any fingerprints or stains.
  • Repair any holes, cracks, chipped paint, ripped wallpaper, water damage
  • If necessary, repaint in neutral colours
    		•
    Doors: 
  • Fix squeaks and any other problems.
  • Ensure the handles secure and work properly
    		•  Windows: 
  • Clean and repair any cracks
  • Ensure they open easily
    		•
    Lighting: 
  • Check to see there is sufficient light, change bulbs
  • Attend to broken switches, exposed wiring
    		•  Pet areas: 
    These should be clean, organized and odor free
    Outside the home: 
    Ensure all gates open easily 
    Clean all exterior surfaces, including decks, pools, walkways 
    and driveways and make them tidy    		 Outside the home: 
    Depending on the time of year, lawns should be mowed, walkways and driveway cleared of snow, leaves removed, trees 
    pruned, gardens weeded, hedges trimmed
    Most of all relax and never oversell your house. Keep personal remarks to a minimum. Simply answering questions truthfully is all that is required. If questions arise that you do not know the answer to, mark them down for followup and do not guess.

    Best to leave the followup to your real estate agent who is trained to qualify the buyers for financing and motivation

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