Showings are the main method by which homes are sold; people who take time out of their day to schedule and attend a showing are generally serious buyers. To make the most of each showing, you want your house to be clean and neat—but there are also a few other things to consider. Here are a few things you will want to remove from your home to ensure it shows at its best. Pets And Pet Items Yes, it is hard to get pets out of your home every time someone wants to see it, but it’s an important step to make sure the showing experience is pleasant for buyers. Take dogs, cats, and any other pet that moves freely about the house with you when you leave during a showing. Fish tanks are fine, but if you have an unusual pet like a snake or a spider, you may want to remove them as well, as buyers may be squeamish about such creatures. Along with your pet, remove any pet accessories that you can. This means the dog’s bed, cat toys, and other items that may be lying around. If possible, move cat litter boxes to an outdoor, hidden […]
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If you are thinking of putting your home up for sale, or already have your property listed, you may want to consider hosting an open house as part of your marketing strategy to get your home sold. An open house is still one of the most effective methods for getting a quick and profitable sale, and here are a few tips to hosting a successful open house that won’t eat into your profits. Clean And De-clutter This is probably the simplest and most inexpensive way to make your home its best for an open house. Be sure the kitchen and bathrooms are spotless, all the beds are made, and messes tidied up. Also remove any personal items and photos that may make it more difficult for potential buyers to see themselves in your home. Smell Is A Powerful Tool There have been countless studies done that have shown having pleasant, homey smells present during an open house has a positive effect on potential buyers. Baking cookies or sticky buns leaves an inviting smell throughout the home, and placing flowers in the hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms can leave a lasting sensory impression. Clear Out Your Pets And Yourself Though your pets […]
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If you have already moved out of the house you are selling, you generally have two choices. You can do home staging—either on your own or by hiring a professional—or you can let the house be shown empty. There are pros and cons to both, although many will lean toward the staging option. Consider the possible benefits of showing an empty home, however, before you spend money and time on staging. A Blank Slate When a buyer comes into an empty home, it is easier to visualize their own items in the home. They can picture just where their couch will fit, where to wall mount the big screen TV, and which wall will best showcase their favorite painting. The blank slate that is provided by an empty home lets the imagination of the buyer take over, allowing them to see the house as they would make it and not as you have made it. A Cost Savings Professional home staging can be expensive. So can renting furniture on your own. Leaving the home empty saves you all of those potential costs, and if it means the house takes a little longer to sell, you have still come out on […]
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An open house can be a great tool for showing your house and getting it sold. On the other hand, it takes a lot of work to prepare for one, and requires that you be out of your house for most of the day. It also guarantees you will get a lot of people just out for a look who aren’t serious buyers. So how often should you hold an open house when your home is on the market? It depends on a few factors. The Effort Versus The Benefit Getting your home ready for an open house takes some effort. You will need to make sure everything is clean, clutter cleared away, and possibly even make some changes to the décor. Even if you are keeping your home showing-ready as much as possible, it does take some extra work. There’s also the requirement that you find a place to go for the day. You can’t spend every weekend imposing on friends or family or finding activities to occupy you. It’s important that the benefit of an open house outweigh the effort put into setting it up. How Long On The Market The longer your house is on the market, […]
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An open house is one way that REALTORS® attempt to expose a home to multiple buyers at once. Not only is an open house designed to market the home in a way that differs from a simple listing, but it also opens the door for competitive offers as more than one buyer could potentially fall in love with a home on the same day. Step # 1: Make Your Home Shine A successful open house begins with cleanliness, so make sure that your home is ready to be shown. This means the clutter should be removed and the home should be “staged” to allow potential buyers to envision themselves living in a beautifully decorated home. Step # 2: Cross Your T’s & Dot Your I’s Your next step to an open house is making sure that the price is right. If the day is successful, you may be fielding offers within hours, so be ready to make a deal. Most open houses are advertised locally in order to attract buyers looking to move into the area, which means a newspaper ad may have a lot of potential. The advertisement should feature a photo, along with text that outlines all of […]
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Open houses are a great way to check out what’s for sale, and also a chance to interact with the seller’s agent, which you likely won’t get to do at a private showing. That interaction can get you more information than you could obtain from the listing—and here is what to ask to get that knowledge. Ask About Offers, Asking Price Changes, And Time On The Market Three simple questions can get you a lot of information: Do you have many offers? What price changes have there been? How long has the house been on the market? While the agent might not be totally truthful regarding offers, you may glean from his or her reaction whether a bidding war is anticipated on the property. If there is an offer in, you might be able to get an idea of where you need to come in to put your offer ahead. You can track pricing changes and length of time on the market online, but you won’t be able to discover the reasons why. The agent might divulge that a previous offer fell through, or that something has changed in the seller’s timeline forcing a price drop. Ask About The Seller […]
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