What is a professional OPEN HOUSE?

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Homes for Sale: The Real Estate Agent is responsible for your home while the open house takes place so they must be in control of people coming in the front door.  A professional way to handle visitors to the home is to simply put a sign on the front door that states:

“Welcome to the open house. 
Please ring the door bell upon arrival and wait…the agent is showing the home and it’s features. 

We will be with you shortly.  Please be prepared to show ID when you enter. 
Thanks!”

The door should be locked especially if it is a large home that could take the agent a few minutes to show the whole house and that way people will not wander in the front door and then proceed on their own around the house.  Many agents allow Buyers to look at the home on their own BUT a professional agent takes them on a tour of the home and has a conversation with the Buyers and that way finds out information about their pending move, when they want to move, what is important to them in features, locations, price or do they have special needs such as an in-law suite or they might want a swimming pool or walk out basement or ravine lot. IF an agent allows other people in the home at the same time then the agent can not concentrate on the Buyers they are taking on a tour.  The purpose of an open house is to find a buyer who likes the home and is capable and ready to buy a home so the only way to start to qualify a buyer is to ask questions and gather information.

Homes for Sale and Open Houses:  Being prepared is important for AGENTS and SELLERS.
AGENTS: A few days in advance of the open house marketing should be done such as an ad placed in the local paper, on-line web site notice of open house date and time, deliver invitations to neighbours or in a lower price range OR if the agent has a data base pick those people that might be interested in that price range or location and call or email them an invite.

The day of the open house the agent should be prepared to take materials with them such as maps, transit and school information, comparable homes listed and sold in the area.  IF possible the agent should view other listings in the area so they can talk knowledgably about the open house they are showing to Buyers.

SELLERS: An agent should prepare the Seller BEFORE the open house and leave them with a set of instructions.  The Seller should not be there either as Buyers find it less intimidating to look at a home and the size of closets if the owner is not there.  Pets should also be removed because not everyone is an animal lover and dog poop should be picked up in the yard just in case people want to wander outside.  Lawns cut, gardens trimmed and bathrooms cleaned are a must.

Many homes for sale Buyers look at the paper and internet to find Open Houses advertised but some people are just driving by the area so they have to see a SIGN to bring them to the house.  The more open house signs go out to major roads the better.  Imagine a maze that is square and you are in the middle and you want to attract people to come to you…best thing is to put directions out to all four sides of the square and to follow a route into the middle…well the same applies with open houses.  The more signs the better.

Security is always an issue with agents who do open houses for your homes for sale.  You want your home to be safe but the agent must make sure they are safe too.  Several agents do open houses in TWO’s as this allows more people into the house to view at one time BUT also allows the agents to feel safer.  Always put your valuable jewellery away. Do not leave money on a dresser for example.  Make sure valuable ornaments will not be knocked over if a table is nudged or a person takes off a coat in the winter and knocks a table.

Follow up with the Buyers that came through the open house is also part of the process AND after doing all the work mentioned above by the Agent and the Seller the results are important.  Thank you notes either by mail or email are important along with continuous contact and then feed back to the Seller makes YOU the Seller informed about your home and what people are thinking about it.

In a slow market or a BUYER’s Market an open house can sometimes be the only way to get people to look at a home.  People do not always want to call an agent to look at a home but they do not seem to mind looking at a home during an open house.  It is less threatening and they do not feel like they are wasting an agent’s time if they are in the first stages of looking for a home or trying to decide if they want to move at this time of year.

In addition to open houses, a marketing tool that is absolutely required is having a platform to showcase your home–above and beyond the small limited ads on MLS. This website is one such way to do that. The company that helps manage this website believes firmly in this as well, which is why they run a number of informational portals across Canada–to help people find information and showcase their homes. This includes information and a display network about condos for sale in Regina, Winnipeg, Mississauga, Hamilton, Edmonton and more.

Get a full service AGENT.  Ask questions when you are interviewing agents and ask for references. This is your biggest asset so trust it to a professional agent who works for you.

Call The Wilding Team with any questions.  We are here for you.  UNLOCK YOUR DREAM WITH THE WILDING TEAM.