How To Plan an Open House Event

The goal of an open house is to secure interest from potential buyers. Rather than having separate viewings spanning weeks or months, open houses take place on a specific day over a few hours. Here are some tips on preparing for an open house in Plymouth to help you get it right and hopefully achieve a quick sale.

Decluttering

When selling your home, remember that it's the house you want to show, not its contents, so declutter thoroughly beforehand. You have several options when deciding what to do with your items. You can sell some by posting a free classified, particularly if you downsize and no longer need those items.

Another option — one that can decoratively enhance your home's appeal — is to store your items in bins adorned with eye-catching labels. You can create striking labels using an online label maker complete with templates that allow you to customize them to your taste.

Cleaning and Depersonalizing

Clean everything, leaving nothing untouched from floors to ceilings and everything else in between. Ensure bathrooms and appliances sparkle and windows are free of smudges or smears. If your house is clean from top to bottom, it shows potential buyers you've taken good care of your home.

Buyers want to envision themselves in your home, so remove family photos, keepsakes, and children's artwork from the refrigerator. Other personal items, such as clothes, toys, or anything else that has a solid connection to the current occupants, should be stored away.

Curb Appeal

While it's crucial that the inside of your home is clutter-free, you're unlikely to get many buyers through the front door if the outside looks shabby. Curb appeal is a vital part of hosting an open house. Some of the more popular and cost-effective curb appeal projects include:

•          Painting the front door. Add new hardware to enhance your door further. Just be careful what color paint you use.

•          Paint the shutters. Do this particularly if the paint is peeling away or the color no longer matches the rest of the exterior of your home.

•          Install window boxes. Window boxes or planters embellished with colorful flowers are a great way of enhancing the look of your home.

•          Upgrade your mailbox. You can replace your mailbox or even give it a makeover.

•          Pressure wash your driveway. Pressure washing adds curb appeal, but it also impedes weed growth and reduces the prevalence of harmful mold and mildew.

•          Trim overgrown bushes and trees. Fall is the best time to prune trees. Avoid doing it in spring.

•          Lawn maintenance. Lawn care is a big part of maintaining curb appeal. You can make your lawn stand out from the crowd by following simple guidelines. 

Most of these tasks can be done without the need for a contractor. You can find a handy person in Plymouth for larger or more complex projects by searching online.

A Sense of Accomplishment

It may seem like a lot of hard work, but imagine the sense of accomplishment you'll feel when all the work you put into decluttering, painting, and cutting back bushes and trees pays off, and all those offers start pouring in.

If you're thinking of buying or selling a property in the Plymouth area, visit Scates Real Estate.