Open houses all but disappeared during the height of the pandemic. Now they are back. We have had as many as 17 open homes in just my office some recent weekends. You do need to put in some work to make an open house an effective selling tool. An open house is a public showing (not a private showing) to allow potential buyers to view the home. You may get buyers who are not particularly serious about your home but are checking it out because it’s convenient. So, in order to sway them, your house must be in its absolute best and most appealing shape. Here are some vital preparation tips for open houses in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas.
Neutralize and Depersonalize
For open houses in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas, the first step is the buyer preparing the home for sale. This means cutting the emotional ties to their home. You have to remember that this is a business deal. You can’t let emotional attachment to your home cloud the issue.
Letting go of your home can be difficult. You need to see it as an asset that needs to be sold, separate your prior emotions from future financial gains.
Preparing for open houses in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas, also means you need to depersonalize your home. The idea is to create a blank-palette effect that allows potential buyers to envision your house as their home and imagine themselves living there with all their belongings in place.
So, pack up your personal photographs, family heirlooms, and other objects and clutter that might distract potential buyers. You want to present buyers with an impersonal, clean environment so they can imagine the home themselves in the home. Depersonalizing your home makes it easier for potential buyers to visualize how the home might look filled with their own items.”
If you’re not sure how to proceed that’s ok. We offer staging consultations on all new listings. Cleaning and subtle changes make a huge impact. Just call 917-608-7277 for more information.
Declutter
For truly successful open houses in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas, the preparations to sell need to go beyond depersonalizing. You also have to declutter – ruthlessly. You want your home to look clean, inviting, and spacious.
Please don’t feel like everything has to go to the landfill. You can “discard” items in a useful way by donating them to a charity or nonprofit organization such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Or you can also simply pack them away and they will be ready to make your new place feel like home when the time comes.
You can start by removing excessive books from bookcases and other knickknacks. Clean everything off your kitchen counters. Essential items that you use daily can be tucked away in small boxes that you can place in a closet when they’re not in use.
Make Necessary Repairs
Then make necessary repairs, especially all the minor ones. This may not seem important for open houses in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas, but buyers will be looking for any and all flaws in your house.
You don’t have to go all-in and perform major renovations for updates (though in some cases these are needed). Just take care of all the minor and more obvious issues, for example:
- Replacing cracked floor and counter tiles
- Patching holes in walls
- Repairing leaky faucets
- Replacing burnt-out light bulbs
- Installing new outlet covers and switch plates
- Repainting/touching up paint where needed
- Recaulking/regrouting bathrooms
- Replacing dingy or outdated light fixtures
Work on Curb Appeal
First impressions at open houses in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas are immensely important. This means that you need to work on curb appeal to make the exterior and yard as attractive as possible. Flowers, fresh mulch, and general clean-up will make a huge difference.
“A potential sale is lost quickly,” according to real estate experts, “if a buyer won’t even get out of their agent’s car because the exterior of your home turns them off. Make the exterior more appealing and welcoming by painting your front door and, perhaps, adding a wreath of dried wildflowers, or placing one or two flower pots on your front porch. Hire a landscaper to clean up your lawn and add a few shrubs or flowering plants. Consider hiring a contractor to fix any cracks on your front steps or walkway. Also, make sure visitors can clearly see your house number.”
We Can Help With Open Houses in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas
The trick to preparing your house to sell and preparing for a successful open house is seeing (or trying to at least) things from a buyer’s perspective. You simply have to imagine how your house will look to prospective buyers. This is much easier said than done. We can help you plan and prepare for an open house by helping you see your house from a buyer’s-eye point of view and prepare it accordingly in the Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas, contact us today at 917-608-7277.