Holding an open house is an effective way to spread the word that your house is for sale, and to show potential buyers or their friends what a great home you have. When you are selling your own home, you don't have to leave  for agents to show or clean it every morning before leaving.  You know when people are coming, and can prepare accordingly.    When a buyer makes an offer you can sit down and negotiate the contract, and try to make the sale while they have an interest..  It can be done in a short time and in a friendly fashion with a smile between home owner and new purchaser. 2.  NO ONE KNOWS OR HAS THE ABILITY TO REPRESENT YOUR HOME BETTER THAN "YOU":  You know your home, the schools, the neighborhood, what is special about the area and the house, as well as other details about the property. A well-maintained home, priced right will sell itself. 3. YOU HAVE TOTAL CONTROL: Remember to be a good listener.  Don't elaborate on your likes and needs.  Your life style will be totally different than your buyers. Simply answer questions.  You can advertise when & where you want, have open house any time or even pull the signs when it is not   convenient to sell. After all, 50% of home sell from the sign. You make the rules, call the shots, work out the time schedule and are not obligated to a contract. Make sure you advertise your open house to as many people as possible. We strongly suggest advertising in the newspaper classifieds. Tell as many friends as possible. Consider posting notices at work, church, neighborhood public areas like libraries or coffee shops. Have a place where visitors can sign in so you know how many people visited and can follow up with interested parties. Ask people for feedback as they leave or if you call them to follow up on their visit. This feedback really helps you evaluate your price, and how buyers view your property. Pets should not be present as they make many people uncomfortable. Buyers are most comfortable when they can walk around your house without being followed, at their own pace. Don't be a tour guide, let the buyers observe at their own pace and wait for them to ask questions. If there are some important "hidden" features, you may want to highlight them with little notes that attract attention, such as "New windows" or "this window is always sunny" on a window, "New furnace" near the thermostat, or even "hardwood floors under carpet." Don't use more then a handful of notes, and limit your "sales pitch" to your visitors. << Back To Seller Tools