Once you have placed your house on the market and have started advertising it via online listings or other forms of marketing, the next step is to think about inspections. Both private and open for inspections are valid options to allow buyers to come through the property, but open for inspections may not be suitable for every situation. Although some real estate agents will tell you that an open for inspection is right for you, you should take this with a grain of salt. Remember that open houses can benefit the agent more than the seller, giving them an opportunity to find buyers for their other listings and sign on new sellers at the same time.
This is why it’s important to work with a qualified agent who has your best interests in mind. It’s a good idea to compare agent qualifications before you hire any individual. You can get started with this by registering your details at LocalAgentFinder, which is a free, no-obligation comparison tool. In some cases, your property may not be ideal for an open house.
Reasons why an Open House May Not be Right
In some cases, a real estate agent will discourage you from holding an open house. The following are a few reasons why they may suggest avoiding this strategy:
- Your house is not in the right condition: If you have a small house or one that is in need of obvious maintenance, you probably won’t attract any buyer at an open house inspection. This is one instance when it’s better to undertake repairs to the home before you put it on the market.
- Your home is difficult to locate: If you live in an area that’s too out-of-the-way for potential buyers to find, it won’t help your house sale to hold an open house. The last thing you want is to have frustrated buyers lost in the countryside.
- Bad weather: Inclement weather conditions will keep buyers away. This could end up being a big waste of time for you and your agent.
- Unavailable real estate agent: If your agent is too busy with other listings, they will not have the time or the inclination to chaperone your open house event.
- Real estate agent can’t be bothered: Unfortunately, in some cases your agent may simply not have the desire to hold your open house event for you. This could occur if they are not really motivated to sell your property. Be sure to find a good real estate agent who is willing to go the extra mile to help you make a sale, even if it means giving up the occasional weekend afternoon. You can ensure that you find a real estate agent to best match your needs by using the no-obligation comparison service at LocalAgentFinder.
Tips for a Successful Open for Inspection
If you and your real estate agent have decided that your house is conducive to an open house, you can then help improve your chances of success by keeping the following tips in mind:
- Advertise the Property: Use advertising whenever possible. This could include online advertising on listings sites. Be sure to include as many photos as possible when you place online ads. Another way to advertise is with the appropriate signage in front of your home. Decorate the sign with colourful balloons to attract the attention of local traffic, and use signs to lead buyers from nearby high traffic roads.
- Prepare your Property: Make sure that your house is ready to impress visitors by ensuring that it looks its best, both inside and out. This could include moving cars from your driveway to give buyers plenty of parking space, and preparing your home for sale by fixing flaws and giving it a thorough cleaning. On inspection day, brighten up your home by switching on all of the lights and opening the curtains. Avoid any artificial air fresheners that could trigger allergies, instead option to open up the windows to air out the property. Freshly baked treats and hot coffee or tea will help buyers feel comfortable and cosy when they arrive.
- Follow Safety Precautions: Remember that open for inspections open up your house to any stranger who chooses to walk in off the street. If you are holding your inspection without a real estate agent, ask a friend or family member to stay with you so that you’re not alone. Be sure to lock up any valuables or important documents. It’s also a good idea to ask visitors to sign in with ID and contact information before they enter the house.
- Make your Home more Memorable: Buyers will be seeing dozens of potential houses. Make yours stand out with colourful flyers and pamphlets. These should include plenty of photos, as well as contact details, property specifications, and the house sale price. You can leave these marketing materials out for buyers to pick up on their way out the door, helping them remember the home after the inspection has concluded.
- Showcase the Property’s Versatility: You can display photos of your homes throughout different seasons to give buyers a better idea of how it looks during every time of year. If a room could be used for multiple purposes, make this clear. For example, if a buyer is looking for a home that can accommodate a growing family, show them how the study could potentially become a nursery or playroom.
- Talk to Buyers: It’s not a good idea to be overly pushy. You’ll want to give the buyers adequate space to examine your house in peace. However, you can still engage in conversation with the buyer when given the opportunity to do so. This can help you gain a greater understanding of what they are looking for in a property, and can allow you to engage in more personalised marketing.
- Request Buyer Feedback: As you speak to buyers, take advantage of this opportunity to gain valuable feedback on how your home is presented. This information can be used later to fine-tune your marketing strategy or fix any minor flaws that stand out to buyers. In addition to speaking with visitors, you can also leave a guest book or questionnaires near the door. This allows those who are shy to give you feedback, as well as buyers who may not have had the chance to speak to you in person.
Open for inspections may not be right for every property and situation, but they can often be used as a way to expose your property to many potential buyers at once. Another benefit of open houses is that you may only need to hold one or two of them to find the right buyer, saving you time and money. It’s worth discussing this option with your real estate agent, to find out if it could be right for you.
What’s next?
You can get started by finding a qualified local real estate agent to work with. Compare agent qualifications and start receiving proposals today by registering now at LocalAgentFinder. This can help you narrow down what your options are, and find the right agent to help you maximise your profits.
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