| The real estate "open house" is supposed to be a | | | | Should you let dozens of people who aren't qualified |
| good way to sell your home. But most of the time it | | | | to buy your home track their muddy feet through it |
| isn't very effective. The first thing to ask yourself, | | | | then? Probably not. Agents mostly suggest it |
| then, in preparing for an open house, is whether you | | | | because it is a tool for them, and to prove that they |
| really want to have one. | | | | are doing everything they can to sell your home. Of |
| You see, an open house is a prospecting tool for the | | | | course, any additional exposure of your home can |
| agent more than a way to sell your home. Many | | | | increase the odds of it selling. So if you do decide |
| experienced real estate agents won't even host their | | | | that you want those muddy feet in your home, |
| own open houses. They have less experienced | | | | prepare in a way that protects your home and helps |
| agents host them, as I did many times as a new | | | | sell it. |
| agent. By the way, a listing agent gives up a good | | | | Preparing For An Open House |
| chunk of his commission if the hosting agent sells the | | | | Hide the valuables, for starters. No matter what they |
| home, so would he give away that opportunity if | | | | say, an agent can't watch all the visitors all the time. |
| homes were commonly sold from open houses? | | | | Parents may bring kids, so put easily-broken things |
| My first open house was a lakefront home which | | | | somewhere safe. Have a good rug at the front door, |
| was too expensive for most of the visitors that | | | | and consider putting up a sign that reads, "Please |
| came. They wanted to dream, while their kids ran | | | | wipe your shoes." In any case, it shows that this is a |
| around the home and yard, getting in the seller's | | | | house that is cared for. |
| things, and I ran around trying to keep track of | | | | Have a list of answers to the most likely questions |
| where everyone was. | | | | about the house. Give this to the hosting agent. Also |
| I didn't sell the house, which was okay, my office | | | | brief him on any unusual things about the house, or |
| manager explained. Selling the home wasn't the point. | | | | anything he might not have known. |
| The point was to get a list of several prospective | | | | Of course you should clean the house. You may |
| buyers and their phone numbers - those who had | | | | even want to enhance the atmosphere with some |
| signed in at the open house. Having discovered what | | | | flowers and the smell of fresh-baked bread. Finally, if |
| some of them were looking for, I could possibly sell | | | | you can, why not leave a hidden camera running to |
| them something. | | | | see what really happens at a real estate open house. |