Sellers: What You Should Know About Open Houses

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"The more potential buyers you can get to view your home, the better chance you have to sell it," Eric Potts, owner/broker of Assist 2 Sell in Fort Myers, Fla., told the News-Press in a Jan. 15 article.

Open houses can provide instant feedback to sellers, as well as word of mouth once neighbors know it's on the market. And if the seller's agent finds a buyer through an open house -- although rare -- they save money on commission.

But open houses also have their drawbacks.

"You get Lookie Lou's trying to pick up some decorating hints and curious neighbors who always wanted to know how your house looks on the inside," say Eric Tyson and Ray Brown in their book House Selling for Dummies (Hungry Minds, Inc., 1999). "You also get real buyers who were attracted by your open house sign, but need a home in a different size or price range."

The other downside to open houses is ensuring the security of your possessions.

"Leaving small, easily portable valuables lying around during open houses is an open invitation to thieves," Tyson and Brown say. "Either put expensive jewelry, precious coins, rare stamps and your other small valuable items into a safe deposit box or figure out another place to put them so they are out of harm's way."

That has prompted some Realtors to limit the number of open houses they hold.

"I (hold an open house) when I have a nice house in a nice area," Realtor Violet Johnson of Southfield, Mich., told the News-Press. "I don't like to hold them for homes when people are still living in them. I don't want to have to watch their stuff."

Johnson said she holds open houses about five percent of the time.

Meanwhile, if you or your agent think holding an open house is a good idea for your situation, there are a number of things to do before the big day, including:

• Boost your curb appeal. Mow the lawn, manicure the landscape, plant a few colorful annuals among the landscape or in large containers. Make sure your walkway and front porch are clear from any clutter, debris, leaves, ice or snow. Spruce up the front door, whether it's with a fresh coat of paint, a seasonal wreath, or new hardware.

• Clear the clutter. Nothing turns off prospective buyers -- or will get neighbors gossiping -- more than a house in disorder. Clear the counters, get rid of the knickknacks, limit the number of family photos and personal items on display. If you have too much furniture, put some of it in storage. Don't crowd your closets -- the fewer clothes hanging in them, the larger the closets will appear.

• Get down to the nitty gritty and clean every corner from the kitchen to the laundry room to the kids' rooms. And don't forget the windows. This is the one time you'll want to be sure the windows are sparkling.

• Turn on some soft music.

• Make sure everything is working properly. If that door handle has been loose or the dishwasher isn't functioning, now's the time to make the fix.

• Pretty it up. Place some fresh flowers in several locations throughout the house. If it's fall or winter, have a fire roaring in the fireplace.

• Make it smell good. Nothing is more welcoming than the smell of a freshly baked apple pie or chocolate chip cookies. Bake something yummy just before the open house gets kicked off.

• Have somewhere to go. The sellers shouldn't be there.

Finally, ask for others' advice before the open house. Get suggestions on what can be improved. Is there too much furniture? Should the carpets be cleaned first, etc. It's sometimes difficult to look at our own homes objectively when we see it day in and day out.