Market your home for sale in various ways, including a "for sale" sign on the front
yard and an ad in your local newspaper.
Step 3: Prepare and stage the home
You've probably heard of "staging" -- the process of preparing a home for sale via
de-cluttering, depersonalizing and neutralizing, among other techniques. Keep these
in mind:
- Your home must be spotless and clutter-free. Model homes get offers. Dirty homes
get lowball offers or none at all.
- Fix what's broken.
- Make smart updates based on what buyers want and what's standard for your neighborhood.
- Place furniture in such a way to maximize the spacious feel of every room.
- Learn the four steps to making your home open-house ready.
Step 4: Spread the word
Top real estate agents tap their extensive networks to target buyers and get them
into their clients' houses. Unless you too are well-connected, getting the word
out about your open house can be a challenge. Try these tips:
- Tell relatives, friends, neighbors and colleagues that your home is on the market.
Use all methods of communication: phone, email, postcards, etc.
- Tap into your social networks, including schools, churches, community groups and
online services like Facebook and Twitter.
- Place a professionally printed "for sale" sign and a flyer holder in your front
yard so passersby can pick up a property description sheet.
- Create a Web site to promote your house for sale.
- Advertise online on Craigslist.org, FSBO help sites and your local newspaper and
community sites.
- Post flyers on public bulletin boards at grocery stores, gyms and workplaces.
- Include quality interior and exterior photos in all promotional material.
- Post a video tour of your home on a video sharing site like YouTube.
- Advertise in your local Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
- On open house day, place signs at nearby intersections to direct people to your
home.
Step 5: Be a gracious host
Normally, buyers are turned off by a seller hanging around the open house, but when
you're a FSBO, they expect to work directly with you. The key is to maintain a professional
attitude and give them the freedom to see the place on their own. Also:
- If you have pets, consider leaving them with a friend or a boarding house for the
day.
- Hide all valuables, medication and other personal items.
- Prepare a sign-in sheet for guests to fill out their name, phone number and email
address.
- Greet each guest with a smile, hand them a property sheet and point out the most
attractive features of the home.
- Invite guests to tour the home at their leisure and offer to answer any questions
they may have.
- Get feedback from each guest, including their level of interest in the home, other
homes they've seen and how the home is priced compared to others on the market.
- Offer light refreshments, such as cookies and bottled water.
Step 6: Follow up
The day after the open house, send a "Thank You" email to everyone who attended
the open house with a link to your Web site or online ad.
Within the following week, call each person and ask if they have any questions about
the house and if they are considering it. If not, thank them and ask if they have
any suggestions on how to make the house attractive to other buyers.
For a step-by-step guide, print out
FrontDoor's Open House Checklist for Sellers >>
<< BACK To Open House Guide
Clifford Cassis contributed to this article.
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