National Open House Weekend 2015 !

The spring weather has finally arrived and it is just time for National Open House weekend ! Whether your home is listed with a Realtor or if you have decided you are doing FSBO this is a weekend to take advantage.  This blog will be dedicated to making your home stand out and getting the buyers to stay at your open house !

Signage ! 

• With so many open houses you may think your Realtor might not need as much in the way of signs but it actually means the opposite ! I suggest discussing what strategy your Realtor plans on taking BEFORE the open house weekend.  If you are doing FSBO than you will want to make sure whichever main road is nearest to you has visible signs directing the buyers not only into your area but make sure the sign will get them to your home ! 
• Speak with your Realtor see if they have any sign riders that will have the day & hours of your open house.  This is a great way to market you home if you are not having your open house on a Saturday because it will give your home the added exposure that buyers might notice while they are at another open house in your area.  
• Another great piece of exposure is social networking - share your open house with friends & family.  This is a tool that you can use whether you have a Realtor or you are doing FSBO.  This is free advertisement and you never know who is looking to buy a house until they see yours ! 

Give Them The Information ! 

• Buyers will be seeing a lot of homes this weekend, you want to make your memorable not only in their mind but also in the paperwork.  Personally I always have "Buyer Packets" it not only contains information about the house but also the community information like entertainment & school information, a small informational packet about buying, and things like Home Warranty information.  This helps buyers remember all that your community & home offers ! 
• If you are doing FSBO than this information is the most important - give them the information but do not hover over them ! Buyers generally feel they are imposing when a homeowner is their during a showing, so you do not want them to feel free to stay and walk around since not only are you their for a showing but you are who they will be negotiating with ! 
• Also giving buyers options on what information they would like to take is often helpful. With so many open houses it gets them to stand still take a breathe and peruse what they would like to take rather than be shoved another hi-lite sheet and dragged around the house for a quick tour before the next buyer walks in.  

Refreshments & Food 

• Many homeowners will bake before/during an open house to give the buyers a nice aroma, but on a weekend like this I suggest my homeowners do NOT.  First for safety reasons with so many buyers and children attending open houses a hot stove, or the temptation of a toddler and fresh baked cookies can spell disaster.  Simple solution is to open up those windows or get a scented wax tea light - it gives you the smell without the risk ! 
• Just because fresh baked goods are out - I will often bring small bottles of water and chips for buyers to take.  There is never any harm in offering the buyers something that they can take on the road or while they are walking around your home with no risk of making a mess ! 

Turn On The Charm ! 

• I recently wrote a blog about getting your home ready for the spring selling season, this is the weekend you want to make sure you take those tips and use them ! Make your outdoor area as welcoming as your indoor area, lighten up the curtains and put out some colorful potted plans for curb appeal ! You can find the full blog on Staging Your Home For The Spring Here.