It’s an ancient Realtor® secret: freshly-baked cookies makes a house smell like home, and clients with tummies full of delicious cookies are just plain happier and willing to overlook the fact that the cookies are in a really small kitchen. Ah, but cookies aren’t the only tricks of the trade. There are other ways to make an open house awesome.
Avoid Staging Faux Pas
Make sure the seller has decluttered but not to the point of leaving an empty room with just a lamp and wadded up pair of socks. Also ask that they remove any kind of “out of the ordinary” decor such as a room full of taxidermy, velvet Elvis paintings in the dining room, dirty dishes in the bathtub, or creepy dolls on the master bed.
Ixnay on the Petsnay
If you’ve got an open house scheduled, have the seller arrange for Kitty and Fido to enjoy a little getaway at Grandma’s house. Pick up toys, clean up fur balls, put away food bowls, and for pete’s sake make sure there is no sign of feces! Oh, and this goes for all types of pets, not just cats and dogs. Want to lose your clients’ interest right away? Show ‘em Penny the pet Python.
Don’t Underestimate Curb Appeal
The goal is to show off the house which is tough if people don’t even want to go inside. Avoid the driveby home shopper by having the seller break out the weed whacker, plant flowers, put out a new welcome mat and maybe even spruce up the front door with a fresh coat of paint. Fix, replace or just plain get rid of anything broken or resembling abandonment. A nice yard is typically on the top of buyers’ must-haves list and it’s your chance to make a positive first impression. Any possibility of acquiring poison oak or spraining your ankle on your way up the front steps is pretty much going to lose clients not win them.
Use Sun Title
Sure, it’s a shameless plug, but we are seriously obsessed with providing nothing short of an excellent closing experience. Clients don’t want delays, nor do they want hassles or surprises, which is why using Sun Title is your best choice. We are committed to proactively solving problems every step of the home buying/selling process, so you and your clients can enjoy smooth sailing from open house to closing day. Call 616-458- 9100 and we’ll be happy to tell you how great we are. Better yet, we’d be happy to prove it to you.
