How to Prepare for a Successful Open House in Lakewood

September 21, 2016

When you're trying to sell your home, you'll face a situation a lot like a game show. Contestants vying for a chance to purchase your Littleton, Colorado home that's for sale will appear one after the other to check out the place. Of course, your realtor should do whatever is possible to ensure that your home is sold in a realistic time frame -- whether it's through an open house, or with the use of other marketing tactics. Unfortunately, you home cannot just sit on the market with the expectation of an immediate sale, even if it does happen in some markets. The experienced realtors at Colorado Home Sales can help you through every step of the way if you follow some of the following suggestions. 

The Listed Home
Once the home is listed on the real estate market, the realtor should consider having an open house since it provides the opportunity to strategize and plan ways of winning over home buyers in a shorter period of time. Even when the real estate market is strong where sale is quick, it is still of utmost importance to hold several open houses as many times as possible until the home is sold. Why? Well, one of the main reasons is that even when the buyer has a real estate agent, the buyer still tries to view homes for sale without having the agent present. A lot of buyers do not have agent representation either, and look to open houses as a route to owning a home.

The Seller
As a seller, you need an agent to plan your open house, which usually includes offering baked goods, preparing the right signage, and employing tactics such as home staging. However, there are things that the seller must do to depersonalize the home. Some of these things include:
  • Removing personal photographs
  • Removing religious emblems
  • Making sure that the house is clean for impromptu viewings
  • Eliminating clutter
Eliminating Clutter
As you are depersonalizing the house, the removal of clutter is one of the most important things to do. Buyers will take you more seriously and once inside the home, they will start to visualize themselves in the home. A cluttered house is not going to receive a second thought from buyers. Clutter does not necessarily mean an untidy house. It means removing specific artwork and photos from the walls, removing items from shelves, and counters, which could give the appearance that the house is cluttered. In other words, the place should be organized as much as possible so that the buyer can easily walk through without stumbling or feeling claustrophobic. If you have to hire maid service, by all means do so.

The Exterior
Like the interior, the exterior is just as important. To improve curb appeal, the lawn should be mowed and edges maintained. Weed flower beds and add mulch to get some color to the garden area. Check to make sure that the paint job outside is up to par. If not, you may need to do a little painting.

The Finalizing
After checking to make sure that door handles are in place, there are no missing fascia boards, and that all repairs have been handled, it is time to do a walk-through inspection with the agent. Last, but not least is securing your valuables and personal items. These may include heirlooms, jewelry, checkbooks, and even prescriptions. Lock everything in a safe, away from prying eyes.

There are Lakewood homes for sale that buyers may be interested in. If you are a Lakewood homeowner and you want to put your home up for sale, talk to one of the capable individuals on the real estate sales team at Colorado Home Sales. You will be able to start the planning phase and get prepared for a successful open house.