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| About Open Houses |
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| What is an Open House? An “open house” is an opportunity for a homeowner or real estate agent to show the interior and exterior of the home as a means to help facilitate the sale of the property. The public is invited in for a viewing and can ask questions about the home. |
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| When is an Open House? Any open house can occur at anytime during the week, but generally happen on the weekends. Some developers will have a “open house” or model home available for viewing for months at a time. |
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| What do I need to do to host an Open House? |
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- Advertise on WilmingtonOpenHouses.com. Be sure to write a colorful and descriptive ad.
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Map Your Open House Signs
- Attach balloons to each open house sign
- Find the busiest intersection closest to your home and put an open house sign at that corner.
- The open house sign arrows should point buyers in the right direction.
- Place a sign every few blocks until you end up at your house.
- Remove all vehicles from the driveway. Ask your neighbors to help out by not parking in front of your house.
- Open all the drapes, blinds and window coverings –– let in that light.
- Do not put spices on the stove to simmer without offering cookies, and do not, under any circumstances, use an air freshener because many people are allergic to synthetic odors.
- Turn on every light in the house, except lights that produce noise such as exhaust fans without separate on / off switches.
- Turn on soft music on each floor to help set a mood.
- Have available four-color flyers filled with quality photos and reasons for a buyer to purchase your home.
- Put out flyers that contain financing options so buyers can readily determine their monthly mortgage payment. If you need assistance, please consider contacting Oleander Mortgage Company for a rate sheet.
- Serve refreshments and snacks or, depending on your budget, maybe a catered lunch.
- Consider creating a bulletin board of seasonal house photographs so buyers can see what the home would look like at another time of the year. This is especially helpful to showcase gardens during the winter.
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Set out all documents pertaining to the house:
- Inspection Reports
- Appraisals and/or Comps
- Major Repairs and Warranties
- Blueprints for additions and future improvements
- Be upbeat, cheery and greet each buyer who enters the home. Find out what the buyers are looking for and, if possible, show them why your home fits those requirements.
- Ask for feedback. You can learn a lot from what a non biased party may perceive.
- Security: Be sure that you have prepared a secure environment for yourself as people you don’t know will be coming in your home. Don’t host an open house alone!
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