More Open House Tips

Questions Buyers Ask

Here are some more open house tips when you are selling for sale by owner. Buyers will ask questions similar to what they might ask a real estate agent. Be careful with your answers.

Many of us want to be honest when we answer questions that someone else may ask us.

When it comes to selling your own house, you have no obligation to answer questions of a personal nature including your reason for selling.

You do however, have an obligation to the buyer to answer questions truthfully, when asked about the house and property itself.

An example would be: "Have you ever had water in the basement?"

If the answer is yes, you can affirm that and if repaired, you might say that the problem has been addressed and solved by a certain action taken.

Tips for Some Common Questions

Buyer: Why are you selling?

You: When we sell, we are looking at purchasing another house.

You: We are hoping to find a larger or smaller house.

You: We have our eye on another property.

Do Not Say

We bought another house and have to move by the end of the month.
I lost my job and can't afford the mortgage payments.
We are in the process of foreclosure.
My husband/wife has been transferred to a different city so we have to be out of here by the middle of next month.
We are getting a divorce so we have to sell to settle.
Due to ill health.
Any other answer that puts you in a negotiation disadvantage.

Here is one of many great open house tips: All the answers above will ensure you of a low-ball offer. Buyers don't care what your problems might be. They are only concerned about what kind of "deal" they can make.

Buyer: Are You Open to Offers?

You: If you put an offer in writing, we most certainly will take a serious look at it.

That is the only answer to that question, period.

Tips on What Not to Say

What kind of offer are you thinking?
Sure, we can move on the price.
Why don't we sit down and see what we can hammer out.
No, we want full price.
No, we have to get $xxx so we can purchase our next house. Pssst! The buyers don't care! Sorry.

Only one answer: "If you write up an offer, we most certainly will take a serious look at it."

Buyer: We are working with J. B. at "We Sell Lots of Houses Realty". Are you cooperating with real estate agents?

You: We are open to agents that have an interested buyer. Are you in a written buyer's contract with J. B.?

This question and answers can go in several directions so we'll cover it on a different page than this open house tips page.

More Tips on What Not to Say

No
I know J. B. He's a %$#@&.
If you buy direct through us, we'll get you a better deal. This one is tempting but please take my advice and don't say that.

It's to early, and you don't have enough information.

Any negative response that indicates a no, or is a put down to the real estate agent or their company.

More important open house tips: There is no advantage for you as a for sale by owner in saying anything negative about the real estate industry as a whole. You have nothing to gain and a real possibility of loss.

You Should Ask Questions Also

If you have a buyer that seems to show interest in your house, open house tips includes asking some base questions.

Remember, the party that ask the questions, controls the conversation. We covered some of that on the Handling Inquiries Main Page Here are some more real estate open house tips:

Ask a question, wait for an answer, either say nothing for a short time or just talk about something benign for a bit then throw in another question.

Watch, observe, listen. Ask another question. The questions should be said in a matter-of-fact voice, and softer questions should be first than harder ones.

You: Have you been looking for a house to purchase for very long?

Wait for answer. Pause......small talk.

You: What area do you live in now?

Wait for answer. Pause.....small talk.

You: Do you have your present house on the market now?

Wait for answer. Pause.....small talk.

You: Have you found any houses you really liked yet?

Wait for answer. Pause....small talk.

You: Are you working with a real estate agent?

Buyer: Yes we are working with J.B. at "We Sell Lots of Houses Realty".

You Oh, J.B. I've heard some good things about J.B.

Open house directional sign at T section

Tips When the Buyer is Working with an Agent

You: If you buy a for sale by owner would you purchase directly through the owner, or go through J.B.?

Buyer: We would go through J.B.

You: That shouldn't be a problem. Would you like to set up a time with your agent to view the property a second time?

These conversations can go in so many directions that I'm not even going to attempt to go further on this page of open house tips and real estate open house ideas. How to handle different scenarios will be covered later.

Quick Overview of Open House Tips

Ask questions.
Listen to the answers.
Watch, observe and listen.
Don't just throw question after question.
Do not say anything negative about a real estate agent or their company. Later I'll show you how to deal with the real estate agent.
Leave the door open to all possibilities.

and the most important of the open house tips?