The real
estate market in most of the country is in a buyer's
market. You need all the help you can get when competing
against other homes
for sale. First impressions are lasting
impressions so it is vitally important that buyer’s
feel “at home” when they first walk into your
home. Staging your home is necessary when it comes to selling
your home. Your house is probably decorated or furnished
in your own taste and style. It's those personal items
surrounding you that makes it home. Our home is typically
our pride and joy and a place that showcases who we are
and what we like.
Eliminating Clutter is the first step. The
home should no longer reflect you or your family completely.
You must put your home in magazine show room condition.
You can no longer view rooms as your own, but a place that
prospective buyers will be able to call home. Make it Neutral
to all that enter and simple enough to be able to imagine
adding your own touch. Emphasizing the Positives
and Downplaying the Negatives.
Clean the outside. The yard and bushes should neat and
trimed. Imagine taking a photo of the outside of your home
and sending it in to homes magazine. Is it ready for this?
Trim all bushes to showcase the windows and design of the
home. Just like a haircut, you want to trim landscaping
to add to the view and bring out the home’s best features.
Decks, porches and driveways should be clear of any personal
items including toys, gardening supplies, bikes, grills,
etc.
Staging sets
the scene throughout the house to create immediate buyer
interest in your property. This will then lead to your
home selling for the highest possible price in today's real
estate market. |
An open house is a great way to create some
hype around a property, as you have numerous clients coming
in all throughout the day. Sometimes all it takes is the
knowledge of a little competition for an offer, or more,
to suddenly appear on the table. It's also a great way to
attract impulse buyers- those who will see a place once,
fall in love and make an offer right then and there.
But in order to achieve a successful open house, certain
bases need to be covered, and then some. First off, make
sure you choose a winner of day for your open house. If you
could control the weather, you might ask that it wasn't the
first sunny day in weeks on the day of your open house, but
seeing as certain things are out of your control, stick to
the things you can influence. Sunday afternoons, are the
very best days for open houses as the majority of folks serious
about looking will have this time off. As this is when most
sellers host their open houses, home buyers will generally
commit this day to open house tours.
Make sure you've got the word out there, and in advance.
A well advertised open house will attract that many more
interested clients. Mail post cards, and invite neighbors.
Have a sign on the front lawn on, with the details of the
open house, and pamphlets with some features photos of the
property. Details of the open house should be advance listed
in your local newspaper and on our website.
You'd be surprised how many people discover information on
open houses on their own, go to them, and then, if they like
what they see, they'll set up a private viewing with their
agent. With the internet, and so much more information available
at the tip of our fingertips, people are more inclined to
do their own investigating first. Open houses are a great
way to take advantage of this consumer behavior.
Your realtor should be present at the open house and should
have a station set up with a feature brochure and any other
pertinent information about the area/neighborhood/town. It's
nice to have these other informational packages, in the case
that the buyers don't really know that much about the town/city/neighborhood.
From a sellers perspective there are details to attend to.
Make sure you've thoroughly cleaned, so that the home is
sparkling and looking its best. De-clutter and de-personalize
your home as if it were a show home. Make sure you take full
advantage of whatever natural light you have in your home.
Remove old curtains, or open them up. And, if your home needs
more light, then, by all means light it up with extra fixtures
or brighter bulbs. Clean the outside of your home and leverage
your curb appeal. If you have pets, it's best to re-locate
them, all their hair, food, and toys for the open house.
Some folks are very put off by animals- you wouldn't want
to risk a potential sale because "Fluffy" kept trying to
sit on client x's lap. |
