Holding an open house is one of the best ways to sell your home, especially if you know a few tips and tricks to help get you started. An open house allows either agents or prospective homebuyers to walk through your home without making a formal appointment. It also allows agents and brokers to determine how much interest in the home there is.

There are different open house strategies that are traditionally used for brokers and homebuyers. For example, most open houses for brokers are held right after the property goes on the market and are usually during the week. Saturdays and Sundays, on the other hand, are typically reserved for potential homebuyers. You might want to be a little atypical to generate more interest and sell your home. Try holding an open house on weekdays for buyers. It may be easier for many to make an early morning or after-dinner open house than commit to a weekend.

An open house gives sellers and real estate agents the opportunity to make a good impression by ensuring brokers and homebuyers feel as comfortable as possible. To get started, walk through your home and making sure everything is clean and presentable, including the attic and the garage. Avoid strongly scented cleansers so a strong smell is not the first thing homebuyers notice. Next, consider what kinds of drinks and snacks you’d like to serve. If your open house is around dinner time, it might be a good idea to serve something substantial like cheese, bread and vegetables. Finally, you want to sell your home, but not at the expense of your family’s security. Make sure your financial documents and valuables are kept in a safe, locked place for the duration of your open house.

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