Every seller should have their house ready for open houses and private showings. Your real estate agent is probably right when they say that the more people look at your home, the more money you may expect to get for it. Indeed, recent statistics show that residences that host open houses sell for an average of $9,000 more and take much less time to sell. Seriously, who wouldn't want that? Here are the best tips for preparing your Florida home for an open house.
Curb appeal
First impressions matter most. In other words, the outside of your property ought to be flawless. It's amazing how many potential buyers "sell themselves" on your property from the moment they pull up to the curb. We call this "curb appeal." Improving curb appeal is as simple as keeping the grass cut, trimming the shrubs, mulching the flower beds, and concealing the garbage cans. Putting a new coat of paint on the exterior of your home may increase its value by several thousand dollars. Retouch the trim and get the house in tip-top shape.
Declutter and clean up
Decluttering - The second stage in getting ready for an open house is getting rid of any unnecessary stuff sitting around. Spend some time sorting through your belongings and getting rid of everything you no longer need. Getting rid of items you seldom use will make your house feel more open and simplify packing and relocating. Of course, you shouldn't let various types of moving boxes sit around, either. How many of them you'll have depends on your items, but keep them out of sight if possible. Additionally, too much decor can detract from the appeal of a property and make it harder to sell.
Cleaning - The next step to preparing your Florida home for an open house is cleaning. When holding an open house, ensure your property is immaculate. When hosting an open house, expect every room to be on show. That calls for thorough cleaning of the entire house. If you want a thorough cleaning, investing in a professional cleaning service may be worth it. Make sure every inch of your home is spotless before holding an open house, from the ceiling fans to the floor.
Keep your pets away
Pets, and especially dogs, are a major distraction and should be relocated, ideally to another property, before or during an open house. Why? Due to the fact that your dog may get aggressive and bark at visitors to your home. The dog should not be present during the buyer's inspection of the home. But don't take the easy way out by just putting the dog next door. They might be deterring potential buyers since their barking could make them assume the neighbor has a particularly noisy dog.
On the flip side, if you have a cat, you should take special care, too. The prospective buyers might be allergic to cats. So make sure to ask in advance and take necessary precautions to keep everyone comfortable.
Always be ready
During the open house, prospective buyers and renters will have questions about the home, the area, and the real estate market. Buying a home in modern times means people will inevitably ask things such as, "What kinds of upgrades have been made?" or "What's the square footage of the garage?" so be prepared with the relevant replies. If they ask you a question that you don't know the answer to, write down their information and say you'll get back to them with further details if you learn anything.
De-personalize to prepare your Florida home for an open house
Personal objects such as photographs, diplomas, and souvenirs might prevent potential purchasers from seeing your house as their future home. If a property isn't properly arranged for an open house, visitors may get the impression that they're invading. In addition, it is prudent to conceal valuables before holding open houses. Keep your money, papers, and prescriptions hidden and safe. It’s vital to remove anything of value from your house that strangers could find by searching through drawers and cupboards. Open houses are sadly inviting to thieves, so make sure to stay safe!
Make your house smell like home
To have a spotless home free of unpleasant odors is an investment well worth making. Guests will be assaulted by smells that they may be used to, such as those left behind by pets, pee on the carpet, cigarette smoke, and other things. If you feel the need, refresh the air with an air freshener. Having a sense of smell can make pleasant aromas all the more enticing. Make some treats like bread, cookies, and pie and put them out for guests to enjoy before the open house begins. Reorganize your pantry and add some nice-smelling spices in there. This will put out some pleasant aromas in the place.
Give the house a paintjob
Whether it's the front door, exterior trim, a dated bathroom, kitchen cabinets, a bedroom, or another room, the odds are good that you'll need to paint before selling your home if you've lived there for any length of time. It’s recommended to use a light neutral paint color in the bedrooms, especially if you have children. It's important that these spaces be as gender-neutral and age-neutral as possible. This helps potential buyers imagine your home as theirs.
Get out of the house
Unless you're selling your property on your own, you should have your real estate agent host the open house. In the absence of the owner, potential buyers will feel more at ease discussing their thoughts about the house and the neighborhood.
All in all
Trying to prepare your Florida home for an open house can be stressful. Fortunately, real estate brokers are trained to handle all aspects of the listing process, so you may delegate most of these open house duties and the subsequent private showings to them.
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