Open houses are a useful tool in the real estate industry. The benefits of an organized open house are a reduction in the overall marketing costs, creating a relaxed setting that eases buyer tension, providing an opportunity to showcase the home’s amenities, and giving buyers an opportunity to get a strong feel for the neighborhood. Best of all, a well-attended open house creates a sense of competition that encourages prospective buyers to make a higher offer than they would following a scheduled home tour.

Good organization is an important key to a successful open house.

Prep the Home

During the open house, the general atmosphere should be welcoming and relaxing. That won’t happen if the house is dirty or cluttered. Use the weeks leading up to the open house to clear out the clutter. The trick is to remove enough personal items that the home appears spacious and uncomplicated but to stage the home in a manner that makes it feel warm and homey.

Use the few days prior to the open house to deep clean the house. This includes scrubbing counters and draws that aren’t normally cleaned, shampooing the carpets, mowing the lawns, and weeding the flower beds.

Promote the Open House

Yes, the idea of the open house is to lower marketing costs, but that doesn’t mean completely skipping marketing the home. If no one knows about the open house, prospective buyers won’t show up. Promote the open house in the paper, on local social media sites, and with signs in the yard.

Encourage Prospective Buyers to Relax

The goal of the open house is to make every visitor feel at home. Two ways to do this is by playing soft music throughout the house. The music should be turned down so that it is little more than ambient noise. Choose a nice, relaxing instrumental selection.

Put out some snacks and refreshments. These don’t have to be elaborate, simply items that encourage guests to unwind and check out the house. Good choices include lemonade or sweet tea. Food items should be simple appetizers.

Promote The House

Prior to the open house, arrangements should be made to print high-quality, attractive brochures that guests can take home with them. These flyers should have some attractive photos of the interior and exterior of the house. The flyers should be full of bullet points that highlight the home’s key features and unique points.

A well-organized open house can be both enjoyable and profitable.