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7 Tips For Preparing For Your First Open House

12/19/2023

When selling a home, an open house can be a terrific way to make one or more potential buyers fall head over heels in love with your house. Even in a seller’s market, where demand outpaces supply, an open house can create a sense of urgency and potentially lead to better offers. When prospective buyers easily visualize themselves living in the home, it can be a powerful motivator that results in a quick sale.

Partnering with an experienced real estate brokerage for your first open house can be invaluable. The professionals at Bee Realty Corp have the expertise to help:

  • Stage your home effectively.
  • Market the event to attract the right buyers.
  • Handle the nuances of buyer interactions to ensure your open house is as successful as possible.

Done right, this collaborative effort can turn a simple showing into a pivotal event in the selling process!

Ask an Agent: 7 Ways to Prepare For Your First Open House

Tried and true ways to prepare for an open house include decluttering, deep cleaning, and sprucing up the landscaping, all of which can increase your home’s appeal. Below are seven potential turnoffs for potential buyers that we recommend addressing even before listing pictures are taken, but definitely before you open the doors for your first open house.

1. Say Goodbye to Quirky Elements

It’s true that personal touches make a house a home. However, when it’s time to sell, quirky elements like brightly colored walls, bold wallpaper prints, or extensive collections of unique items like dolls, clowns, or religious icons could limit your home’s appeal. These cherished belonging choices reflect your style, not a potential buyer’s. Removing them creates a blank canvas that allows buyers to envision their own lives in the space.

2. Does Your House Pass the Smell Test?

Odors might be invisible, but lingering ones from tobacco and pets can overshadow your home’s visual appeal and be off-putting to many buyers. Not only are they unpleasant, but they also suggest a lack of cleanliness, raising concerns about long-term maintenance and air quality. Addressing these “aroma” issues head-on before holding your open house is essential. We suggest deep cleaning, professional odor removal services, or even temporary relocation of pets. A fresh, neutral-smelling home welcomes buyers and lets them focus on your home’s best features without distraction.

3. Trends Long Past Their Prime

Remember when carpeted bathrooms were all the rage? It might be hard to believe, but that decorating choice was popular in the 1970s! Fifty years later, they’re seen by most people as unhygienic and outdated, not to mention seriously unattractive. Along with removing out-of-fashion floor coverings, we suggest replacing unstylish features throughout the house with contemporary ones that boost your home’s appeal. This can include replacing dated light fixtures with modern LED versions, refacing cabinets or swapping out the hardware, and removing overly ornate or bulky built-ins that might not appeal to today’s buyers.

4. Pest Patrol

Nothing raises a red flag for potential buyers like the signs of a pest infestation. Whether it’s the obvious presence of rodents or subtle hints of termite damage, pest issues can quickly turn a dream home into a vision of horror. Professional pest inspections and remediations can ensure your home is pest-free, presenting a well-maintained, healthy living environment to prospective buyers.

5. Little Fixes, Big Impact

It’s often the minor details that make a major impression. Minor repairs that many homeowners overlook include:

  • Fixing leaky faucets.
  • Patching holes in walls, ceilings, and around windows and doors.
  • Replacing burnt-out lightbulbs.
  • Repairing or replacing broken or loose tiles.

Making these and other small fixes before your open house lets buyers know your home has been well-maintained and is ready for its new owners!

6. Curb Appeal That Makes Them Say Wow!

The last thing you want is prospective buyers driving right past your house because the curb appeal is, to put it mildly, not at its best. Enhancing your home’s curb appeal goes beyond basic landscaping, creating a welcoming and visually captivating entry point.

To ensure your home’s exterior encourages buyers to come inside, consider:

  1. Updating the landscaping with a contemporary design that emphasizes low-maintenance plantings and attractive hardscape features.
  2. Painting or replacing the front door.
  3. Upgrading to modern exterior lighting fixtures, including solar-powered path lights and stylish door sconces.
  4. Replacing the siding or applying a fresh coat of exterior paint.
  5. Adding or updating hardscape elements like walkways, patios, or decks that extend the home’s living area.

7. It’s Showtime!

Open houses can be pivotal in the selling process, transforming a home into a showcase for potential buyers. Along with removing pets on open house day, these additional touches can enhance the experience:

  • Add fresh flowers in key areas for a touch of elegance and a welcoming scent.
  • Play soft, low-key background music to create a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.
  • Ensure your house is well-lit, opening curtains to let in natural light and turning on indoor lights for warmth.
  • Provide small refreshments like cookies and bottled water.

These and other details can work together to create an environment where potential buyers easily envision making your home their own.

How Bee Realty Corp Helps Sellers Get Ready for an Open House

Preparing for your first open house can be challenging, but you’ll be amazed at how swiftly you can tick off each task with the help of an experienced broker. Remember that when selling a home, first impressions are crucial, so yours should be at its best before welcoming potential buyers. Don’t rush to list your property. Instead, take time to ensure everything is in tip-top shape, as this careful preparation will pay off when you see the positive reactions it brings!

Ready to put your house on the mark and host a great open house? Talk to one of the real estate agents at Bee Realty Corp for guidance on which upgrades and enhancements will put your Volusia County home in the best possible light. Contact us online or call 386-279-7522 to learn more and get additional tips on selling a home.

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