Open House: The Why and How To

Having an open house may seem like a real pain in the neck, but there are some serious benefits in employing this opportunity. United Country Midwest Lifestyle Properties agents commit to giving you the best realtor service and employ this by showcasing your home with an open house. Today we are going to give you several
reasons open houses are beneficial and how to prepare for this event.

Why an open house?
There are several reasons open houses are valuable to the sale of your home. The excitement an open house will create amongst buyers interested in your home is at the top of our list. This excitement will motivate potential buyers to make an offer to purchase and hopefully get you some competitive offers!

Another benefit is the casual atmosphere that we create during the open house. People love low-pressure home touring! During the open house, potential buyers are free to walk about your home or, if they choose, they can ask the realtor to give them a guided tour. Overall, most folks prefer to walk around alone and take their time
looking and thinking.

We won’t lie, an open house can be a lot of work. As the seller, your home must be clean and organized. We know that takes time and effort. It also means you’ll need to take the kids, the dog, and the cat, and find something else to do for three hours. We realize that’s a big deal, but keep in mind that if you want to sell your home, this minor inconvenience will pay off in the long run.

What happens at the open house?
We usually pick a Saturday or a Sunday to have your home available to tour for approximately two or three hours. We give potential buyers information about your home and then invite them to look around and ask questions during the tour. As folks leave, we ask for feedback on what they liked or disliked about your home.
Sometimes people are very interested and ask to draw up and offer to purchase!
An open house is an excellent opportunity for your home to be showcased in the market while also offering us insight into what people liked and disliked about your home. Using this information allows us to make any improvements needed to keep your home market competitive.

How do I get my house ready?
Getting your home ready for an open house takes some work. Below is a list of items for you to do that will help your house stand out.

1. Depersonalize your home- This is hard, but remove family photos, posters, and artwork. Doing this will also help you separate emotionally from your home, making the upcoming move easier.
2. Declutter! This is an excellent opportunity to pare down the furniture and extras you have in your home. This also entails cleaning and organizing closets and drawers. You may have to rent a storage unit
   to store stuff you can’t let go of, or ask a friend if they have room to store your extras.
3. Make every surface shine- If you find the thought of this exhausting, consider hiring a cleaning service to make your home sparkle. Otherwise, be prepared to work hard and put in a lot of effort. Clean every
   area, especially corners. Make sure everything is in working condition.
4. Ensure that you fix anything that is broken. Otherwise, the buyer will start keeping a list of expenses that they will either want you to fix or offer you a lower price for your home.
5. Rearrange the furniture- Do your best to make every room appear large.
6. Outdoor cleaning and sprucing up are also necessary. Again, if you can’t do this or don’t want to do this, hire a company to come clean the outside of your home (if possible and seasonably allowable). Groom flower beds and landscaped areas freshened or a quick update.
   Relax and enjoy
   United Country Midwest Lifestyle Properties agents have done the heavy lifting of promoting your open house with our full-circle marketing, MLS listing, and social media postings. You’ve done the work of making your home clean and attractive and we take care of the rest!
   Though hosting an open house requires some work, we can assure you it will make your home stand out in the market and will generate interest and increase the value of your home within the market. We can’t wait to call you, to let you know, “You’ve got an offer!”
   Call United Country Midwest Lifestyle Properties at 608-742-5000 and see why properties and people are
   our favorite investments!