Sarasota Real Estate Blog

Step 1: Pick a day to have the open house

The most typical time you’ll see most open houses are Sunday afternoons. The reason is simple: Most people have free times on Sundays. While this may not come as much of a shock, it is pivotal information to know if you’re looking to buy or sell a home. This doesn’t mean you absolutely must schedule your open house that day, but it will certainly help. Know your area and ask your local Realtor about what time most open houses are.

Step 2: Stage your home the right way

If you’re new to the home-selling game as a first timer, it’s imperative to let your Realtor stage your home or let them partner with a professional interior designer/home staging company to create the best possible ambiance for your walk-ins. Letting a professional handle this part of the open house process can make or break a potential sale. People want to have a sense of shock and awe when entering your home. Of course, you still want that shock and awe to fit into the same space as a comfortable and inviting feel.

Step 3. Create marketing materials

Not only are these the very first thing most customers see before entering your home, but it’s also often the only tangible thing they have when they leave. Again, the importance of having a professional create a brochure and other marketing materials is key. It’s usually recommended to have professional photos taken to ensure customers can have the best possible impression of your home after viewing it in person. They are only in the home for a certain amount of time before all they have left is what they see online and what strikes them in the brochure and other marketing materials.

Step 4: Advertise!

Have you ever seen Mad Men? If not, do not mistake advertising for marketing. They are two completely different things, yet go hand-in-hand. Most open houses (dating back decades) have used yard signs to harness street and neighborhood traffic. Other modern-day forms can include posting about your open house on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Team up with your Realtor to come up with a strategy for advertising your home.

Step 6: Follow up with open house guests

While this stage is clearly post-open house, it’s the most critical step in executing a proper open house. After all, the point of all this is to reach out to people who are interested in your home. Call, email and text all of your guests in the guest book or who you’ve talked to during the event. Make sure you and your Realtor have a follow up game plan for this process.

Good luck!