One of the many differences in selling your home FSBO (for sale by owner) is that you are solely responsible for impressing potential home buyers that come to view your house. Since you don’t have an agent to constantly remind you of what you should do before buyers come over, here is an open house checklist, courtesy of RealEstateABC.com, to keep in mind.
- During the day, open all the blinds and allow natural light to stream in. In windowless rooms or rooms where natural light doesn’t do enough justice, turn on the light. If it’s a cloudy day, turn on all the lights. At night, turn on the lights inside and out. Lights make a room appear homey and lived in, and turning on lights proves that you have nothing to hide.
- Lighting a bunch of candles or spraying fragrances before potential homebuyers show up will make it seem like you’re trying to hide a nasty smell. Not to mention that you could overdue it and trigger a person’s allergies. Instead, light just one candle, or use freshly baked cookies or freshly brewed coffee as an aroma.
- Plan ahead with your pets. If you’re leaving while your home is being shown, take your non-caged pets with you in the car. If you are remaining home, designate an area of your backyard for your dog, and designate one room of your house for your cat. These areas should be easily and quickly accessible for surprise visits. Clean litter pans and cages regularly, and provide a designated place to store toys. Owners with pets should even sweep, dust and mop more often, so that potential homebuyers with allergies aren’t miserable while viewing your home.
- Empty out the trash more often. Depending on how much trash you acquire, every other day should be sufficient. If your kitchen or bathroom garbage doesn’t have a top, change those everyday. A clean garbage bin will decrease odors, and it will not distract buyers from what is important.
- Make it a habit to clean up after yourself. Wash dishes right away, and don’t leave any dishes around the house. Make your beds. Put away toys in bins. Designate an area for the TV remotes. Put away video games. Keep shoes in a box and coats in a closet or on a coat rack. Don’t allow any object to look scattered or misplaced. The buyer will notice it, even if it’s second nature to you.
For more ideas, here are some articles that give great open house tips!
Knowing What to Do With Sellers’ Remorse
Why does it happen? Though uncommon, sellers’ remorse occurs among sellers who lack good reasons for selling. They may have wondered if they could sell or how long it would take, or they may have changed their mind about moving during the selling process. Regardless, an unmotivated or no-longer-interested seller could get all the way to closing and then decide to withdraw the property.
What should you expect as a seller? If you’re listing your home and have found a buyer but suddenly get cold feet, you probably will be able to cancel the deal. Sellers who work with agents/brokers may be liable for commission fees, but sellers going the FSBO way may not owe anything.
What should you expect as a buyer? Each situation should be evaluated specifically, but in a general sense: the seller will probably be able to take back the deal. In some cases, you may be able to pursue damages and sue the seller.
Don’t underestimate the importance of bathrooms to a potential buyer. Bathrooms are necessities, conveniences, and potential retreats: their beauty (or lack thereof) will be noticed.
When you’re pressed for time, either chronically or in a specific instance before a showing, force yourself to make this clean-up possible.
1. De-grime those walls!
Tools: A spray bottle with one part bleach and one part water.
Plan of Attack: Spray the walls, and say goodbye to mold!
2. Scour the shower!
Tools: A bucket with one part muriatic acid about 10 parts water; steel wool.
Plan of Attack: Take the glass shower door out, and clean it with the mixture and scrub it with steel wool.
3. Kill Clutter!
Tools: A pair of hands and quick follow-through.
Plan of Attack: Neatly put away anything and everything that you possibly can. Leave out only a few select decorative items to spruce up or add color to the room.
This article at Zillow told the truth about agent-planned open houses.
Did you know?
“The actual purpose of a Realtor open house is to placate an antsy seller with an illusion of activity actually devised to attract buyers. If your house happens to sell, so much the better, but the goal is to sell something, somewhere, to those buyers.”
Wondering who will come to your open house? Most likely, your visitors will fall into the following categories:
1. Favor Shopping: Friends are moving to the area, so these people are helping them look for a new home. They primarily want to scope out the property for someone else.
2. Nosy Neighbors: Locals who have always wondered about the inside of the home see this as a perfect opportunity to get their wish. They primarily want to satisfy curiousity.
3. Decorating Divas: Some people will visit just to get a look at the interior decorating, including furniture type and placement, window treatments, color choices and so on. They primarily want new ideas for their own homes.
4. Bored Browsers: Any number of reasons could prompt someone to come visit who has no intention of buying: looking for a cheap thing to do on the weekend, thought it would be fun, etc. They’re just wanting something to do.
5. Potential Buyers: Obviously this group is the one you are working for, the one you’re trying to bring in. They are actually interested in your home and are considering buying it. They primarily want to see if this home is the right fit.
(For more information on holding a successful open house, go here.)
When your open house date arrives, after you’ve put in the prep work, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Here are a few last-minute reminders, to make sure everything runs smoothly.
- Are there strategically placed signs pointing to the home?
- Have I marked the open house date online, well in advance*?
- Is the home priced correctly?
- Is the home attractive from the curb?
- Is the interior spotless and ready to be shown?
- Do I have flyers printed and ready to hand out?
- Have I put out some coloring books, crayons, etc. to keep kids occupied?
- Have I put out water, juice and/or snacks of any kind? Make it easy for prospective buyers to linger.
I’ve spent the past week walking you through the most important steps in preparing for your open house. Following these tricks will improve your home’s appearance and ensure buyers see it in its best light. Your home’s buyer may be at this open house; isn’t it worth the extra time to impress that someone?
In case you missed something, here are the steps, in order:
1. Clean Everything
2. Think about Smells
3. Declutter
4. Rid Distractions
5. Stage Furniture
6. Brighten Up
This is the final tip, and I think it’s the easiest. You’ve cleaned, you’ve decluttered, and you’ve worked hard preparing for your open house. Now, you just need to brighten things up. Turn on any decorative track lighting you may have. In fact, turn on lights everywhere. It will make your home seem larger, brighter and more spacious. Pull up window blinds and open curtains. In this crisp fall season, you might want to have a crackling fire prepared for the open house, as well.
Supply the bathrooms with fresh, clean towels and nice hand soap. Put an impressive potted plant by the front door and give that door a fresh coat of paint as well. Decorate your dining room table with an attractive centerpiece, and set it as if for a dinner party. Add similar touches elsewhere throughout your home, paying attention to increasing space and removing clutter.
Being a proactive seller means thinking ahead to what problems might come up during the showing. To remove all distractions, consider asking a friend to watch your pet(s) during the open house. Not only will this help visitors relax, it will keep you calm, too.
