| Historically speaking one of the most visible aspects | | | | and that you are open to them bringing their |
| of selling a home is the open house. There has been | | | | customers in to have a look. This is a huge market |
| a lot of talk lately in the real estate world about the | | | | and one that should not be overlooked. Usually |
| validity of open houses as many who come to these | | | | agents are working with qualified buyers who are |
| events are not qualified buyers, rather they are just | | | | serious about purchasing a home and any interested |
| people who want to look around the home. But this | | | | buyers are good buyers. |
| has always been a reality of open houses and yet | | | | Secondly, there is the good old "everyone welcome" |
| they continue to be held. One might think that there | | | | open house. Now the main thing to remember here is |
| is some actual value to them. Let's differentiate | | | | that it is unlikely that you will see a lot of qualified |
| between the two major kinds of open houses that | | | | buyers at an open house. What it does do is help to |
| one can hold and how you can pull them off if you | | | | spread the word about your home sale. People that |
| are representing your own home and not engaging | | | | come and see the home may know people who are |
| the services of a real estate agent. | | | | looking for a home and word of mouth is a powerful |
| The first kind of open house is one that is typically | | | | thing. In preparing your home for an open house, |
| held by a listing agent before or shortly after a home | | | | make sure that your neighbors know about the |
| is listed. This is also one that you will want to | | | | event and have a emergency plan ready to go if |
| consider if selling your home yourself. Hold an open | | | | necessary. There are some unscrupulous individuals |
| house for the area's real estate agents. Call their | | | | who prey on FSBO open houses so be careful about |
| offices and let them know that you are interested in | | | | who you let in and only show the home to 1 group |
| holding an "agents only" open house. This is to let the | | | | at a time. After all your safety is paramount. |
| agents in the area know that your home is available | | | | |