7 tips for holding a successful NJ real estate open house
With the nice weather finally upon us, many homeowners feel the time is right to put their home on the market and get it sold no matter what. However, many homeowners and NJ real estate agents have mixed opinions on the subject of holding open houses. Most times, an open house can provide a valuable opportunity to obtain feedback regarding the positive and negative features of a home. They can be the best form of exposure to the greatest number of potential buyers your home can receive and get your home sold fast and for the most money. Open houses assist in the completion of the first and most important step of getting people into your home to preview it.
Below you will find helpful hints in assisting you in holding an effective open house:
Be Sure Your Home is Priced Right
Price is the biggest and most crucial factor in determining if and when your home will ultimately sell. NJ real estate homes that are priced too high are limiting the pool of potential buyers as they are priced out of the proper range. Also, homes that are in fact worth more are usually more desirable for reasons such as better location, more features, etc. Conversely, a home that is priced too low will yield less of a return for the homeowner.
Leave the Home for the Duration of the Open House
Conducting open houses is best done by NJ real estate agents as buyers will feel more comfortable walking around the entire home and asking them questions as opposed to asking the homeowner directly and potentially hurting their feelings. For these reasons, it is best that you are out of the home during this time.
Do Not Hold Open Houses Too Often
Many NJ real estate agents will advise clients to keep open houses to a minimum for a number of reasons, mainly because you want to avoid giving the impression that there is some sort of difficulty with the home. Depending on factors such as price, location and days on market, an open house should be held no more than once every month.
De-Personalize the Home
It is important to project the image of a “blank canvas” to potential buyers in order to see themselves styling and ultimately living in your NJ real estate home. With that, all personal items such as photos and artwork should be removed and stored until the open house concludes.
Remove Valuable Items
Any and all articles such as personal and financial documents should be removed from view and kept in a safe place. This includes keys and prescription medications as these are small, easily accessible items that can be concealed and taken from the home in the rare event of the undesirable open house guest.
Clean Your Home From Top to Bottom
When preparing for an open house, you should clean more thoroughly than you would normally, dusting items normally overlooked and organizing closets and garages. In the end, your home should be virtually spotless and appear pleasant and inviting to every guest entering the home.
Create an Inviting Mood
Prospective purchasers entering your home want to walk into a light, bright and inviting environment. To achieve this, open curtains and blinds to let sunlight in, turn on all lights including closets, turn on soft music and serve refreshments if it is within your budget.
The real estate market is changing rapidly and expanding into new avenues almost daily. Sometimes it can be very difficult to find the answers you need on a specific topic or issue. In times like these, you need a real estate professional who will provide valuable information and trustworthy advice. For more information on NJ real estate, call us today or click here to be connected with one of our top Real Estate specialists.