Hosting An Open House? Don't Make These Common Seller's Mistakes
It can be extremely nerve-wracking to host your very first open house. Sure, it looks incredibly easy to do when you watch it on television, but you know it isn't nearly as easy as it seems. There is a lot of hard work and effort that goes into preparing your home for an open house and there are a lot of mistakes that can be made along the way. Speaking of mistakes, here are a slip-ups that you will want to try to avoid to improve the chances of a successful open house:
Leaving Your Pets at Home.
Whether you leave them in the backyard running around, gated off in the kitchen or running free in the home, potential home buyers are not coming to your open house to see your pets. They are coming to see the home. Therefore, you need to arrange for someone – a friend or a family member – to watch your pets. If this isn't possible, then maybe you can call the local veterinarian and see if you can arrange boarding for the day. And, it isn't just about the home buyers; it's also about the safety of your pets, as you don't want them trying to run outside of the house when people open the door.
Turning on Your Favorite Music.
While you may enjoy listening to The Beatles, it doesn't mean that the young couple who just walked into the door is going to prefer your genre of music. In fact, it could distract them so much that they can't even concentrate on what they're there for: the home. As a result, they may not end up making an offer on your house. For a potential home buyer who does like The Beatles and is interested in the home, they may think that the music is meant to be a cover-up as to a problem, such as a loud next door neighbor, road noise or even a mechanical noise. So, it's best to leave the music off so that it doesn't distract buyers or make them suspicious of your intentions.
Leaving Your Dirty Dishes in the Sink.
It isn't uncommon to still be living in the house while you're trying to sell it. So, you probably cooked dinner last night and may have forgotten to clean up the dishes. Well, putting those dishes in the sink aren't going to cause them to disappear. Anyone who walks into the kitchen to look around will see them. Even if you try to hide them in the dishwashers, the chances are still very high that they'll be seen. So, it is crucial that you take the time to wash those dishes and store them in the proper place before anyone arrives for the open house. The same is true with the remainder of your home, such as dirty towels and clothes in the bathroom and bedroom.
If you're uncertain about anything, simply reach out to your real estate agent. That's where they're there for. They can help you get your home in tip-top condition so that it is ready to go for your open house for sale.
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