It’s not that difficult to plan an open house, but it does take some time and effort. The first step is to contact people who might be interested in your property. This could include friends, family members, coworkers or anyone else you think would appreciate the chance to see your home before it gets off the market. Once you’ve compiled a list of potential guests, send them individualized invitations with directions and information about where they can park (if necessary).
How to plan an open house?
You might also want to offer a light snack as well as refreshments, so guests have something quick and easy to eat while touring your home. And don’t forget about someone on-site during those hours to answer questions! Read more: Benefits Of Building A Double-Story Home
Make sure the house is clean and well-decorated
You want your guests to be impressed with how nicely you’ve kept up your property. If needed and if time allows it, you might also want to do some light (inexpensive) touch-ups on paint or make any necessary repairs or upgrades.
Lighting is very important in a home and the open house is the best time to see how lighting works in your home. Remember that good lighting is essential for showing all the features of a room. If there are dark spots or shadows in a room, it will be difficult for people to clearly appreciate the space and the furniture. So make sure you have plenty of indoor and outdoor lighting turned on during open house hours.
Figure out a time to have the open house and be sure to put it in your invitations. Depending on how many guests you expect, this could mean being at your home for several hours or all day. Make arrangements with babysitters or family members who can watch your children during the open house if necessary.
Plan a menu for food and drinks
Depending on the size of your open house, you might want to have a simple spread of snacks and beverages for your guests. If money is no object, you could hire someone to provide food for the event. Otherwise, consider what you already have in the pantry and freezer (samples of leftovers are always welcome), or make use of the grocery store’s deli section to provide simple sandwiches, salads or desserts. You can also ask friends and family to contribute or coordinate with the real estate agent hosting the event. Always remember to have plenty of bottled water available for guests to drink, as well as coffee and tea if your open house is during the day.
Invite neighbors to come over with their friends
If you have close neighbors, consider contacting them to see if they can bring any guests over for the event. Your real estate agent might be able to help you identify which of your neighbors will appreciate seeing your home in person and sharing it with their friends. This could be a great way to get the word out about your home without advertising or using flyers.
Don’t forget to post the open house on social media and be sure to let your family and friends know as well. If you’re known for always having people over, they might like to drop by for a few minutes during the event as well. And if anyone bumps into your real estate agent that day or throughout the week.
Create a list of items that need to be sold, repaired or donated
Organizing an open house is a huge undertaking and it’s easy to forget something when making so many plans in such a short amount of time. So, think about what needs to go in preparation for the event and create three piles: one for items you want to sell, another for items that will need to be repaired or upgraded before the open house, and a third for items that will need to be donated. The last category might include things like out-of-fashion clothing or furniture pieces that you’re not sure how to get rid of. Don’t forget to move your children’s toys into their rooms before the open house begins!
Set up an area for people to register for your open house
It might be good to have an area where guests can sign up for the open house. You could wall off a portion of your living room or set up a temporary table in your foyer with pad and pen, or even use an iPad to take down contact information from interested buyers.
You should also have pens and notepads so guests can fill out an application if needed. You might want to also have a stack of postcards with information about the house and neighborhood (or neighborhood map) that you can hand out as well.
Decide on a date and time for the event and set a reminder
You’re going to need to be sure you have all this information written down somewhere, and a calendar is a great way to keep track of things. Put the date and time of your open house on your calendar at least two weeks in advance, so you have enough time to do any last-minute repairs or cleaning.
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