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Since
MLS*
listings
began
being
featured
online
around
1996,
the
transparency
of homes
for
sale has
improved
exponentially.
Through
the
use
of
multiple
photos,
360-degree
virtual
tours,
and
video,
home
buyers
can
go
inside
each
home
virtually
with
all
the
convenience
of
choosing
a
car
or a
pair
of
jeans.
So
why
have
an
open
house?
If
you’re
trying
to
sell
your
home,
you
want
to
employ
all
the
ways
home
buyers
choose
a
home.
An
open
house
may
help,
or
you
may
decide
it’s
not
for
you.
Here
are
a
few
ideas
to
consider.
Where
and
how
do
home
buyers
shop
for
a
home?
The
Internet
is
the
first
place
home
buyers
shop
for
a
home.
One-third
of
home
buyers
start
their
search
for
a
home
online.
In
2007,
only
4%
of
first-time
home
buyers
and
5%
of
repeat
home
buyers
began
their
search
by
visiting
open
houses,
according
the
2008
National
Association
of
REALTORS®
Profile
of
Home
Buyers
and
Sellers.
However,
as
buyers
get
deeper
into
the
home
buying
process,
open
houses
become
more
important.
Of
all
home
buyers
who
purchased
a
home
in
2007,
48%
used
open
houses
as a
source
of
information,
and
40%
of
all
home
buyers
found
open
houses
to
be
“very
useful,”
said
the
study.
But
you’re
not
here
to
educate
buyers,
you
want
to
sell
your
home.
How
can
an
open
house
be
right
for
your
marketing
plan?
The
study
found
the
answer
in
buyer
follow-up
behavior.
In
2007,
15%
of
home
buyers
found
the
home
they
purchased
from
a
yard
sign
or
open
house
sign,
unchanged
from
2001.
Meanwhile,
32%
of
buyers
found
their
home
on
the
Internet,
up
from
8%
in
2001.
But
when
they
picked
their
home
online,
77%
of
them
drove
by
the
home,
and
63%
of
them
walked
through
the
home.
While
the
information
doesn’t
explain
how
they
walked
through
the
home
-
either
by
appointment
or
at
an
open
house,
it
does
make
clear
that
home
buyers
use
the
Internet
as a
selection
tool,
but
they
usually
make
their
choice
in
person.
Risks
and
rewards
of
open
houses
An
open
house
is
an
invitation
to
neighbors
and
strangers
to
walk
through
your
home.
You
might
not
like
your
privacy
invaded,
and
sometimes
you
might
find
small
items
missing
after
an
open
house,
like
drugs
from
the
medicine
cabinet,
or
small
collectibles.
The
upside
is
that
it’s
a
chance
to
showcase
your
home
to
potential
home
buyers
who
may
have
seen
your
home
online
and
want
to
take
the
next
step.
An
open
house
could
seal
the
deal.
Open
house
do’s
and
don’ts
1. Clean
the
home
thoroughly,
so
that
the
home
looks
and
smells
terrific.
2. Clear
out
clutter.
Clean
tabletops
and
neat
bookcases
makes
the
home
appear
roomier.
3. Empty
medicine
cabinets.
Lock
away
jewelry,
collectibles,
and
your
personal
papers,
including
credit
card
and
utility
bills
to
prevent
identity
theft.
4. Depersonalize.
Don’t
leave
out
mementoes.
Home
buyers
want
to
imagine
themselves
as
the
occupants.
5. Don’t
leave
pets
on
the
premises.
Make
sure
their
beds,
bowls
and
boxes
are
put
away
for
the
open
house.
6. Make
sure
your
listing
agent
doesn’t
conduct
your
open
house
alone.
Having
two
people,
one
to
show
the
house
and
one
to
take
information
from
open
house
visitors,
which
discourages
“lookie-loos”
and
petty
thieves.
7. Don’t
hang
around
the
open
house.
Owners
discourage
buyers
from
making
honest
comments.
8. Make
sure
your
listing
agent
collects
contact
information
from
people
who
have
visited
your
home
for
feedback.
9. Be
willing
to
act
upon
the
feedback
you
receive.
If
some
number
of
potential
home
buyers
said
they
hated
the
paint
colors,
prepare
to
repaint.
10. Use
the
Internet
and
open
houses
together.
If
you
make
a
change
to
the
home,
such
as a
lower
price
and
new
improvements,
announce
the
changes
online,
and
those
previous
open
house
attendees
may
come
back
with
an
offer.
Your
listing
agent
can
also
email
the
attendees
with
any
new
information.
*multiple
listing
services
are
cooperatives
through
which
real
estate
brokers
share
their
listings
for
sale
with
other
brokers
in
order
to
widen
the
pool
of
buyers
for
their
sellers.
Invite
Me
In,
I
can
Help
I can help you with every
aspect of buying or selling your home because I’m
experienced, because I am a Better Homes and Gardens
Rand Realty Real Estate Professional . . .and because I
care.
As
your
Better
Homes
and
Gardens
Rand
Realty
Sales
Professional,
I
will
provide
you
with
the
information
you
need
to
make
an
educated
decision.
The relationship between a home buyer or seller and their agent is based on trust, shared goals and understanding. I strive to continually improve and to do this I listen and take the needs and wants into consideration.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you. |
