Open House Ideas to Sell Your Home

When it comes to selling your home, you want to receive the best possible profit. The more people know about your home for sale, the more likely you are to receive multiple offers from a variety of interested buyers. Marketing is key — and one of the best tried and true methods is hosting an open house. While some realtors and sellers may argue that open houses are outdated and ineffective, there are plenty of ways to host a successful open house in the digital world.

The first step is to get in touch with a real estate agent to assist with the listing, open house, and marketing of your home. Read on to learn how to prepare for an open house.

 

The digital age offers a variety of new tools for use in real estate, and virtual open houses are one of them. Realtors use a video conferencing application, or some other form of software, to provide virtual tours of the property. Virtual open house tours may be pre-recorded for ease of access and distribution, or they may be live, allowing prospective buyers to ask questions about the property as they’re taken through it. Virtual open houses are handy if buyers live far away or are otherwise unable to attend in person.

One of the best open house ideas to increase interest in a property is by offering a sample of what the neighborhood itself has to offer. Team up with local bakeries and cafes to put together goody bags and hand them out to visitors.

 

In conjunction with the goody bags, order catering from local restaurants to provide your guests with fresh food and drink. Make sure the restaurants are unique to the location and aren’t part of a chain that can be found in another neighborhood. The more the guests get to experience what the neighborhood has to offer, the more interested they’ll become in permanently settling there.

People love free stuff, and there’s no better way to give out free prizes than with a raffle. Giving away expensive technologies like a tablet is generally popular, but if you’re looking to minimize expenses, consider partnering with local venues like theaters and restaurants to offer vouchers and other coupons. Guests should automatically be entered into the raffle, free of charge, just by attending.

 

Invite the neighbors to the event — indirectly, of course. Notify the neighbors about the event beforehand so they’ll know to expect increased activity in the area. It’s polite and offers an unspoken invitation that doesn’t come off as an obvious selling attempt. If they’re interested, they’ll come. It’s an open house, after all, and it should be open to all.

 

Branded gifts like pens, mugs, stress balls, notepads, and other little trinkets serve as miniature reminders to guests to get in contact with your realtor if they’re interested in the property. These items typically have the agent’s name and contact information. And they’re more interesting and memorable than a standard business card. Your realtor will readily provide these promotional gifts, so make sure every guest receives them.

For guests to feel warm and welcome in your home, there needs to be plenty of light. Throw open the curtains and blinds, turn on every light, and schedule the open house during bright seasons of the year. Dark, dim spaces feel cold and uninviting, but well-lit spaces make guests feel more welcome and properly show off the interior of your home.

First impressions are everything, and the first thing guests see is the exterior of your home. Enhance your curb appeal by investing in a simple landscaping job to tidy up the lawn, adding a fresh coat of paint, and replacing old furniture you might have on a front porch. Hosing down the windows and cleaning the door are other easy ways to improve curb appeal.

 

People love themed events, and decorating for an upcoming holiday allows buyers to see how they can make use of the space for festivities themselves. Colorful stringed lights, themed snacks, and matching tableware can go a long way in adding festive charm. If there are no specific holidays coming up, feel free to choose another theme. Examples include a musical theme, a tropical theme, a rustic theme, and so much more.

You may have become nose-blind to any lingering odors in your home, such as those from pets, but your visitors will definitely notice those smells! An air freshener can go a long way in covering up any unappealing odors, and you can even spice it up with a holiday scent like fresh-cut pine, cranberry, or cinnamon apple if you’re feeling festive. The same goes for candles—choose a luxurious, comfortable scent like vanilla, cedarwood, chestnut coffee, or even gingerbread to conjure feelings of holiday cheer.

If you’re selling a luxury home, you want to showcase its luxury aspects. For example, a waterfront open house will have a yacht docked nearby, even if it’s just a rental, and luxury homes in large acres of land can host picnics and bonfires. Balconies and patios should be open and decorated. Host an open house in the summer if you have an indoor or outdoor pool. Show guests the kind of luxury they can enjoy by letting them experience it.

These are only a handful of ideas to help you get started, but there are endless, creative possibilities for your event. Open houses are best hosted by a licensed agent, since they know how to navigate the market and entice buyer interest. Pablynie Calabro is a talented agent with a friendly and welcoming approach. She’s devoted to her client’s needs and success and is more than qualified to assist you with these and other open house ideas. Connect with her today.