Open House Weekend

A Great Marketing Tool if Used Correctly

Open House Weekend covers the planning, when to have, why have them at all, and how to conduct the open house for the best results when selling for sale by owner.

I Highly recommend that you have some open houses when you are for sale by owner.

We'll start with 2 important reasons why, when you say you want to "sell my house".

Why? Two Good reasons are:

* Eliminate Buyer Fear

* Springboard Effect

Eliminate Buyer Fear

When a potential buyer of your house has to call you and set up a private viewing there are some who will hesitate. They may even talk themselves out of viewing your property.

The open house eliminates this problem. Now the buyer can view your house and property in comfort and ease.

There is no pressure. Think about it. You opened the house up for viewing. They feel no obligation to you.

The very buyer you are looking for might just show up at your open house because they didn't have to make that private viewing call.

Springboard Effect

Where are the Real Estate Agents?

Many real estate agents do an open house weekend. The day and time varies depending mostly on where you live. Some do more Saturdays, some Sundays or both.

You make the choice depending on your competition. This is the time you follow what the real estate agents do.

If the real estate agents do most of their open houses on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00-4:00 follow suit.

When a real estate agent is doing an open house, the buyers they are working with are on their own. Many of these buyers will take advantage and scout out homes that might be of interest to them.

They will circle open house ads that are of interest to them and go out for a look.

What happens if they find your house the perfect match? They may just buy direct from you, or go back to their agent and tell them about the home they found. If there is a real estate agent doing an open house in your neighborhood so much the better.

Make sure you put your open house directional signs that when a buyer sees the real estate agent's sign, they also see yours. If there is an open house on your street even better!

This is what I call the springboard effect. You take advantage of the real estate agents doing open houses to lead those same buyers to your house.

Think about what you would do. You are looking at open houses in a certain area and you see a open house directional sign in the same neighborhood pointing to another open house.

I know my wife and I could not resist the temptation to go have a peek!

Open House Weekend Advertising

* The local newspaper

* Your web-site

* At your place of work

* Bulletin Boards at the local supermarket with permission

* On your yard sign for the full week before your next open house. (Open House This Saturday and Sunday 2:00-4:00) for example

* Print up flyers and distribute in your neighborhood or in a “target” neighborhood.

Use your imagination. Write down any ideas that come to mind. Prepare your house for showings in exactly the same way you prepare it for individual viewings.

You should have your directional signs in place to guide people from main street arteries to your house.

In most cities and towns that I'm familiar with, putting a directional sign on city property for a couple hours for an open house weekend, is OK. Make sure you remove them all when your open house is completed.

Place an open house sign in front of your property that is clearly visible from all directions.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly

With an open house weekend, you will have the curious neighbors, the real estate agents, and the decor idea seeking folks. You will also have genuine buyers seeking a new house to live in.

I'd like to make a confession here. Every time any of our neighbors in our general area puts their house up for sale, my wife and I go for a look when they do their first open house. :-)

Remember your ad for an open house follows the same rule as every ad you place. Always include the price, the address and your phone number. I have actually seen open house ads without the address!

While we are on the subject, the price should also be on the sign so you don't have buyers coming through your open house that can't afford to buy your house.

You Can't and Won't Win Them All

Keep in mind that you need one qualified buyer. ONE. That's all! Don't worry about people going in and out the door without showing interest. Relax. Keep a smile and watch and listen. Separate the lookers and the potential buyers.

Don't try to "sell my house" to everyone on an open house weekend. It's a numbers game and it's all about exposure, exposure exposure. Pure and simple.

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