When NOT to hold an Open House
If your property is fresh in the market, an open house can be very important. You never know whom in your neighbourhood is looking to buy a home like yours.
There has been some instances where the actual buyer came from a Open House visit. Although this isn’t always the case.
In fact, most visitors who come to open houses rarely buy the house. A lot of them don’t even know the price of your home when they stop by to visit; they probably just followed an “Open House” sign, got curious and came in. It will be the agent’s job to quickly screen the visitors and to identify them as “Potential buyers” or “Lookers”. (Your listing agent should know how to do that)
You might be wondering:
what is the purpose of holding an open house?
Basically, an open house performs a similar function to the neighbourhood announcements, informing the local community that your house is now for sale, it’s an invitation to come in and visit and an opportunity for some word of mouth advertising.
When not to hold an open house:If you live in a High Rise Condo complex in a busy area.
Having to buzz people in can be quite a hassle, as well as finding parking in a busy street. Most buyers will be interested to see a place with a front yard, back yard, etc. Since there are none of these features to retain the potential buyer, the visits are usually extremely short.If you have been in the market for a long time.
Most of the neighbours already know your house is for sale, and other ¨Open-house¨ visitors rarely buy them.If the weather conditions are unfavorable.(Extreme weather conditions)
Check the weather network before planning and advertising an Open House. Snow storms, rainy days and other temperature related issue will affect the outcome of your Open House.If you are planning on having friends visit.
There’s nothing more uncomfortable than trying to do an open house with a full house of non-buyer’s. Most people walk into an open house expecting the home to be quiet and organized. Having friends over not only makes the prospective buyer feel like they are interrupting, but also distracts them from looking at your house as a potential home. On their way out they will most likely remember the conversation your friends were having, rather than the color of your walls.
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* Ten expert tips to prepare your home for sale
* First Impressions Count!
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* Viewing an Open house with Open eyesÂ
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