Inviting people you don’t know into your home can be nerve-racking, especially when you don’t know what to expect. But as real estate agents, we’ve seen open houses get results.

Of course, the success of your event will come down to great planning and careful execution. It’s all in the details. With the right advice, you can create an open house that wows potential buyers. Here are five tips to help you get there.

 

1) Perform a deep clean

Buyers are going to put your home under a microscope. They’ll open your cupboards, look inside your dishwasher, get down on their hands and knees to inspect your baseboards—you name it, we’ve seen it.

Of course, we understand the impulse. It makes sense that a buyer would want to inspect every nook and cranny.

Make sure your home stands up to the scrutiny by tackling commonly-neglected areas.

Look up high

You’ll probably find hidden dust on your ceiling-fan blades, and on the tops of your window and door frames. Don’t forget to check those light fixtures for dead bugs!

Make your bathroom sparkle

Scrub the grout in your shower and in between your bathroom floor tiles. Use distilled white vinegar to remove mildew from your shower door.

Find hidden kitchen grime

Clean out the insides of your kitchen cabinets, descale your faucets, and scour those dirty stove drip pans. Remember to polish your sink and any stainless steel appliances.

Lastly, you might want to consider bringing in reinforcements. Professional cleaners are trained to get homes looking their best.

 

2) Don’t neglect promotion

Start promoting the big event a few weeks in advance. You can go the traditional route by placing an ad in your local newspaper or having flyers printed. But you should also harness the power of social media.

Specifically, be sure to create event pages on Facebook and LinkedIn. Don’t forget about Pinterest, which is a great tool for event promotion. Pinterest will allow you to showcase high-quality photos of your home, and your event will receive exposure to a targeted audience of users who may be using the platform as part of the home-hunting process.

No matter which promotional channels you use, be sure to include the following:

High-quality photographs

Photos will capture your audience’s attention first, so make sure yours look professional.

Event information

Ensure all relevant event information is added, including a short set of directions if your home isn’t easy to find.

A well-written home description

Add an in-depth (yet concise) description of your home. Read some online listings to get a good idea of the kind of details you should include.

Lastly, don’t forget to promote your open house on the day of the event by placing signs around the neighborhood, including at the nearest busy intersection. These signs should be eye-catching, and they should feature arrows that point potential attendees in the right direction.

 

3) Remember the takeaway brochure

Life can get chaotic, which is why interested buyers can sometimes become distracted in the days and weeks after an open house.

A takeaway brochure will help attendees remember what they loved about your home. Your brochure should feature the same key details you’ve included in your listings and past home descriptions, as well as one or two of your best photographs.

With the help of a mortgage lender, you can even add information about potential financing options.

Remember: the goal is to make it as easy as possible for buyers to follow up.

 

4) Stage for success

Most of the open house ideas you’ve heard have probably related to staging. That’s because creating a pleasant environment is key. You’ve worked hard to get buyers to attend your open house—now’s the time to make sure your home is unforgettable! Here are a few tips to get your space show-ready.

Create an inviting exterior

If you have a front yard, make sure your grass is trimmed. Plant greenery or flowers to make a great first impression. Make sure your address is prominently displayed, and adorn your front door with a new welcome mat.

Refresh your surfaces

Would your hardwood floors look better if they were refinished? Perhaps your walls could use a new coat of paint. Think about refreshing the surfaces in your home that are looking the worse for wear.

Dress your home to impress

Replace worn-out towels, bed linens, and drapes. Throw pillows can also make a decorative statement—just make sure to use neutral colors, which provide a clean look.

Let the light in

Open up those drapes and blinds to ensure attendees can get a good look at your pristine space. Turn on your lights, and do a final check to make sure all of your lightbulbs are working.

Ditch the strong scents

You may have heard that you should light scented candles or have something simmering on the stove. But not everybody likes strong smells, and in some people they can even cause allergies to act up.

These are just a few of the open house ideas that buyers love. Could you use more help planning your big event?

 

5) Work with the right professionals

Planning an open house is simple in theory, but it’s much harder in practice. To ensure your event goes off without a hitch, you could benefit from the services of professional cleaners, stagers, photographers, marketers, and event planners.

That said, there’s no need to involve a large team. The right real estate agent will have the experience to market your event and help you get your home in pristine condition. We also have the professional connections to find top-notch experts for jobs that don’t fall within our areas of expertise.

 

Let us help you create an unforgettable open house. From planning and marketing to staging and hosting, we know how to make your event a success. To discuss your needs, call us at 202.270.1081, or send an email to anslie@thestokesgroup.com.

 

 

The Stokes Group is a team of dedicated professionals who have passion for the real estate business and will advocate for our clients with the utmost honesty, integrity, and confidentiality. We believe in building solid relationships with our clients and that starts by getting to know who we are. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.