Anna's Blog

Are open houses worth doing? Well, it really depends on the market and the house.

When I first started in real estate, it was a great way to market a house and to meet potential buyers, but now with so much on the market and with so many open houses to look at it seems that the traffic has really waned at open houses.

I typically recommend my seller-clients to do an open house the first week the house is on the market, see how many folks come through and decide whether to do a second one. It is a good intro to the market, but frankly an open house will rarely sell a house. Buyers are mainly finding homes through the Internet or through their buyer’s agent. So virtual online tours are a must! But if you are planning an open house, here are a few tips:

1. Hire a cleaning service – make your house sparkle!
2. Clean up the yard: mow your lawn, put away lawn equipment, & water the plants!
3. Lock up your valuables, jewelry & money – your Realtor cannot watch everyone, all the time, so be safe!
4. Turn on all of the lights – it makes a huge difference!
5. Take your pets with you!