Tips for your Open House

Marketing your open house well is the first step. But once you've got potential buyers coming to your listing, take time to consider what you and your seller can do to make an outstanding impression.

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Focus on the first impression. The yard, driveway, sidewalks should be free of leaves and debris. New mulch on the beds will do wonders to freshen up the exterior -- especially now when there's no color yet.

Make sure the front entrance is swept free of dirt, cobwebs and any reminders of the winter solstice. Put out a fresh, clean welcome mat. Place a flowering plant on the front porch or door step. Do whatever it takes to make sure your entrance is inviting.

Take care of any foul or mysterious odors. The sense of smell is very powerful, and can have a direct effect on visitors. If there are foul odors in the home, your efforts at a first impression will be for naught. If your prospects stay, most likely very few of the other positive aspects of the house will be remembered more than the negative memory of the odor.

Bring food -- for a number of reasons. First, everyone loves a nice snack or drink. Second, someone eating or drinking your provision is likely to offer you more attention in return. Better yet, if you have a seller that's willing, have them bake bread or cookies you can serve as their wonderful scent will permeate the entire house.

Make sure that everything is spotless. Pay particular attention to the bathrooms and the kitchen. In the bathrooms, towels should be fresh and clean, sinks and baths scrubbed, and the floor freshly cleaned. In the kitchen, make sure all dishes are put away and countertops and sinks cleaned.

The inside of the home should be as uncluttered as possible. If there isn't a good reason for something being out in the open, get it out of sight. If some of the rooms are small, remove nonessential furniture to help them appear larger and more inviting.

Open every window covering. All drapes, curtains and blinds should be positioned to let in maximum light. Buyers like a house to be "light and bright," so accommodate them! Turn on as many lights as possible -- even during the day.

Music can be very beneficial too as long as it is kept quietly playing in the background. Classical or jazz music are good choices that appeal to a lot of people.

Place a nice spring plant inside near your food or information area. This will draw attention to any pictures, powerpoint presentation or fliers you might have on display. Offer the plant as a prize drawing. Afterwards, they can either stop by your office to retrieve the plant or you can drop it by. Either way, this is a personal follow up opportunity.

Basically, try to think of your open house as showtime for your home, and then set the stage accordingly so that it makes for a pleasing, inviting experience.