Open houses are often a necessary part of selling your home, especially if it isn’t getting much attention on the listing market. But preparation is key. Here are the best open house tips you can follow to gain more interest among buyers and maybe even secure an offer.

Stage your Home

Give your home a thorough cleaning before the big day. If you haven’t already, put away excess family photos and decor items, and lock away any valuables. You may even consider hiring a Las Vegas-based home staging company. Wash all windows and uncover them to bring in more light and highlight the views they have to offer.

To create a welcoming ambiance, put out fresh towels and soap in the bathrooms, and add freshly cut flowers and bowls of fresh fruit to the kitchen. You can also use scented sprays to freshen up the rooms, but make sure they’re not too powerful or overwhelming. Baking comfort foods like cookies or a pie right before the open house will also make your home smell great throughout the day, but do make sure you clean up after yourself.

Spread the Word

While your agent is doing his or her best to advertise your open house through various marketing channels, there are a few things you can do within your own social circle. Let friends, coworkers, and neighbors around the Valley know about your open house. Oftentimes, they know a friend or relative who is looking to move closer to them and may be interested in your neighborhood. 

Offer Incentives

One of the most forgotten open house tips is offering incentives. Talk with your agent about offering some sort of commission bonus for agents who bring clients on the day of the open house. You may also want to advertise a drawing for a gift card or electronic item for people who sign in at the door. For higher-end listings, consider hiring a caterer or specialty food truck for the day. Don’t forget to ask for feedback from open house visitors to find out positive and negative comments about your home.

Put Safety First

If your house is in a gated community, make sure get a special code for open house visitors (and give it to your real estate agent) and arrange with the guard gate to have visitors admitted. Be sure to greet visitors at the door, and don’t show your house when you’re alone.

If you have pets, the best thing to do is have a friend or family member watch them for the day, or put them in an animal daycare. Even if they’re very well-behaved around visitors, keep in mind that some people may be allergic, and others may just be intimidated by certain pets. It’s best to not wait and learn that when it’s too late.

Give Guests Plenty of Space

If you follow any of these open house tips, let it be this one — leave visitors to themselves! You may feel the need to talk a great deal and give them detailed information about every room, but don’t do it. Potential buyers need to get a feel for what it would be like to live there, and they can’t do that at the if you’re hovering close behind them. 

Just follow these simple open house tips and hopefully you will round out the day with an offer!

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