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Mastering Open Houses: A Comprehensive Guide for Sellers

When you're getting ready to sell your home, it's often beneficial to hold an open house. This gives potential buyers a great opportunity to see the character in your home, fall in love, and make an offer. However, you can't just let them walk in the way it is. Get your home in prime shape to make sure buyers see it as ready for them to move in. Here are some tips from CreativeJigsaw for getting your home open house ready.

 

Depersonalization

The first thing to do before an open house is to remove any of the things that make this house your home. When potential buyers come in, they should be able to picture themselves living in the house, and that's hard to do with photographs of your family, your collectibles, and your style showing through everywhere. Get a head start on packing by boxing up any nonessential items. For the bathroom, keep all your personal hygiene items in a small tote or basket with a lid.

Decluttering

It's important to declutter before your open house — buyers want to be able to imagine themselves living in your home, and that's difficult to do when they're surrounded by your personal belongings. So take some time to clear off surfaces, straighten up closets, and put away anything that might make your home look cluttered or messy. This includes your home office — if you have excess papers and supplies, consider purchasing a file cabinet or bin to store them. When you declutter, this will create a sense of open space and help buyers focus on the features of your home that they really love.

Upgrades

Once most of your belongings are out, you may see a few simple upgrades that can be done inexpensively to make the space look better. This could include patching small holes in the wall, cleaning carpets, or repainting a room. Especially consider a new layer of paint in a room with very bright or bold colors. Lean more toward neutral beige and gray; if you want to make a focal area, consider adding wallpaper in an elegant pattern.

Contracts and Contractors

As you prepare to sell your home, hiring contractors for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades is a smart move to boost its appeal and value. It’s essential to ensure that all work is formalized in a contract beforehand to protect both parties and set clear expectations. For homeowners unfamiliar with contract details, using an online resource for how to write a contract is a good starting point to draft simple yet effective agreements that cover scope, timelines, and costs, ensuring a smooth and professional process.

Curb Appeal

Before a buyer walks into the front door, they're already judging the house; their first impression is the exterior of your home. Update curb appeal by making sure lawns are mowed, clean up any trash or debris, make small repairs, or repaint woodwork, trim, and other decorative elements. Adding flowers and plants to the yard, even using containers, adds charm and sets the tone for a relaxing and homey space. Keep your property well maintained and looking its best by hiring a landscape company.

Staging Your Home

When staging your home for an open house, create small vignettes in different areas. A pile of books and a pair of reading glasses sitting next to a comfortable armchair beside built-in bookshelves let the visitor know this is a spot to relax and enjoy. Highlight the selling features of your home this way, but don't overcrowd it with too many distractions. You want the house to look like it came off of a magazine cover, not a before picture.

Marketing

When your home is ready for sale, effective marketing is key to attracting potential buyers. Video consistently stands out as the most compelling medium, showcasing your property in a dynamic and engaging way. CreativeJigsaw specializes in crafting captivating property videos that highlight your home’s best features, helping it reach its top market value. With the right visual appeal, you can ensure your listing stands out and draws serious interest.

Seeing strangers meander through your home, passing judgments on your personal tastes and possessions, can be unsettling. It's essential, however, to take a moment to inhale deeply, gain some perspective, and trust that your home will make its own impression during the open house. Keep in mind that their comments are not personal critiques but part of the process of finding a new owner for your home. Embrace the opportunity for feedback, as it can offer valuable insights into how others view your space.