Hello Friends,
When we were in the process
of selling our home, I was surprised to learn
from my real estate agent that open houses are not typically thought to be
effective in selling a house. “They’re just for the neighbors” is the going
logic. But there are plenty of reasons to attend open houses, whether or
not you are looking to buy. Here are eight reasons to check out those
weekend open houses near you.
1. Get to know your local
housing market before you sell. This is something I wish we had done. Simply
attending a few open houses in your neighborhood can give you an education
about the housing market in your area beyond what your real estate agent
can tell you. The prices of comparable homes, features that are popular and
attendance levels at open houses can be valuable data to gather before you put
your home on the market.
2. Get ideas for staging. Whether you are
looking for a professional to help you stage your home or want to do it
yourself, attending open houses is a great way to pick up ideas. Notice wall
colors, furniture arrangements, styles and accessories, and use this
information as a jumping-off point for your own staging process.
3. Gather design
inspiration. On
the other hand, if you’ve recently purchased a home and are looking for
decorating and remodeling ideas, local open houses can show you what other
homeowners have done. It’s especially helpful to look at homes that have
floor plans similar to yours.
4. Get comfortable in a
home you are considering buying. If you’ve been seriously looking to buy for a
while, and you have narrowed your prospects down to a few favorite homes,
attending the open house can be a nice way to explore the home further and hear
what other open house attendees are saying.
5. Get referrals for pros. If you live in the
neighborhood and are looking for a good contractor, designer or other
professional, scoping out open houses can be a good way to view that pro’s work
firsthand. Most agents have established relationships with pros they know and
trust, and are happy to share recommendations. But if you are there without any
intention of buying, don’t take up the agent’s time during a busy open house.
Wait for a slow stretch and be honest and upfront about what you are looking
for.
6. Be a fly on the wall. If you’re thinking of
selling your home soon, having some idea of what buyers are looking for in your
neighborhood can be incredibly helpful. There’s no need to pretend that you’re
a potential buyer while attending open houses. Most agents realize that neighbors
like to attend open houses, and it’s best to be honest (or at least quiet) and
not waste an agent’s time with pretense.
7. Meet your future agent. Seeing an agent in action
is a great way to get a feel for his or her style and consider whether you
would work well together. We met our buyer’s agent at an open house she was
working. We didn’t really mesh with the house (and weren’t quite ready to buy),
but we were impressed with the agent, so when it was time to get serious about
house shopping, we looked her up.
8. Think of it as a
practice run. We’ve
all heard stories of the “love at first sight” home purchase. But if you’re
buying a house for the first time, it can be a good idea to get in a few
practice runs before you begin your search in earnest. Once you’ve viewed 10 or
more houses, you won’t be as thrown off by the process.
Thanks so much,
ERA Skyline Real Estate
3376 Harrison Blvd.
Ogden, UT 84403
(801)627-6500
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