Good Reasons to Hold an Open House

There are two different schools of thought about holding Open Houses. Some sellers see them as a necessary part of marketing their home, while others view them as a major inconvenience that disrupts their lifestyle and just gives nosy neighbours a chance to poke around your home. While it is true that the vast majority of buyers are delivered through showings by appointment, that doesn’t mean that Open Houses don’t yield results. So if you’re a seller, does it really pay to hold an Open House on your property? Here are some points to consider:

• While neighbours may represent some of the visitors to your property, the vast majority of Open House visitors are people seriously interested in buying a home.
   
• Seeing an Open House posted creates a ‘buzz’ in the neighbourhood, and gets your property talked about.
   
• Neighbours viewing your property may not be interested in buying your home themselves, but they may spread the word to family and friends who already know and like the neighbourhood.
   
• Open Houses offer an informal way for viewers to see your property even before they feel ready to make the commitment to set up appointments to view properties with an agent. Without an Open House, you may never have connected with these potential buyers.
   
• Even if your viewers aren’t thinking of buying right away, if your home meets all their ‘must have’ criteria, they may be tempted to move sooner than they’d originally planned. Finding their dream home is a great motivator to turn viewers into buyers.
   
• Getting your home in tip top shape for Open Houses helps keep it ready to show at its best for those last minute appointments too!
   
• Open Houses give your sales professional an opportunity to really promote the strong points and showcase the great features of your home. It’s much easier to create some excitement and counter objections in person, than on a telephone call from a listing ad.

The bottom line is you never know where buyers may come from. Don’t underestimate the power of positive word of mouth. Open Houses make a great addition to any home marketing plan, and can put you in touch with prospective buyers you might never have connected with through other means. Ask your Coldwell Banker professional for their expert advice in creating a great Open House event.