If you’re new to real estate and are unsure of how to conduct an open house, keep in mind that there are a few tried-and-true strategies that will make you seem more experienced as a novice as well as help you increase your Return on Investment (ROI) even as a seasoned professional.
An open house is a tour of any property that a potential customer might be interested in. These tours can be conducted for any type of property listing, whether it is for a rental, sale, purchase, or other type of property.
Anyone who has contact with the homeowners or who is authorized to use the property’s keys as the key agent may host an open house. If you have the opportunity, hosting an open house for another agent is also a smart (and legal) idea to gain experience.
But in the majority of situations, it will be your responsibility as the real estate agent to get the owner’s keys and set up and host the open house yourself.
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Declutter and clean up
Beyond the bigger tasks you should complete to get your house ready for visitors, don’t forget to depersonalize, take things out of the closets and off the surfaces, and give the whole thing a thorough cleaning.
Vacuum the floors, clean the baseboards, and wipe the windows. Dishes, laundry, and shoes ought to be hidden. Any valuables should be removed from the house or stored securely.
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Leave a positive impression
It’s crucial to present your best self. Keeping your business casual game strong can make you appear to be a serious buyer. You don’t have to dress for the catwalk, but your appearance should. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be polite to the representative.
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Let others know
People must be aware of your open house in order for them to attend. Your real estate agent will probably take the lead in promoting the open house by placing signs in front of your home and around your neighborhood, posting on the local multiple listing service, and using consumer-oriented listing websites like Zillow, Trulia, and realtor.com.
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Identify the questions to ask.
You are aware by this point that an open house is more than just a casual get-together of prospective buyers, sellers, and real estate agents. It gives you a chance to “kick the tires,” so to speak, and learn anything you might not have learned from the listing.
It is wise to prepare a few questions in advance because the open house may be the quickest way to get the answers. Other potential buyers might be looking to submit an offer soon if the house is in high demand. In order to decide whether or not to move forward with the project, you should gather as much information as you can during the open house.
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Bring a personal Real Estate Wealth Advisor
Try to attend open houses with your real estate wealth advisor, if you already have one, just as you would a private showing. If you’re intent on making an offer, your agent must communicate with the listing agent on your behalf.
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Online listing promotion
When it comes to being a real estate agent, online marketing is here to stay. Knowing how to get commercial real estate leads from social media is a big plus in the modern digital age, whether you’re using Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or even Craigslist—posting listings on social media is where it all starts.
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Highlight the top three characteristics
People don’t typically read lengthy lists of details; instead, they prefer concise summaries of any pertinent information. To help potential buyers better understand the home’s value, only highlight the top three appealing features when marketing your listing.
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If the house is empty, try staging it.
Finding a few key pieces of furniture to place inside can have a great impact on your open houses, especially virtual tours. You might not always want to take on fully furnishing an empty home just to rent or sell it, but doing so can have a great impact nonetheless.