Preparing for an Open House and for the Market

Hi all,

I responded to the previous post about open houses and it inspired me to post my tips

I've been a Realtor in the San Francisco Bay Area for 16 years and I thought I'd share my open house tips. I've worked on a multitude of properties: entry level condos, multi-million dollar luxury homes, fixer uppers and land value. The rules are the same for every property.

First and always foremost: declutter! I cannot stress this enough. Kitchen counters should be clean and have only a few select items as an accent (same for bathrooms). Pack up the smaller items on all your surfaces (counters, bookshelves, built ins, mantles etc). You are going to be moving anyway, start packing away some items (including from your closet).

Clean: seems obvious but it is still important. Make the beds, put away laundry. Clean your windows, refrigerator (yes, they will look), toilets and your front entry and door knob/hardware. Remember, the people will be standing at the door waiting for the Realtor to get the key out of the lockbox. This will be their first impression. You want it to be tidy and welcoming.

Trim: Look around your garden and trim back over grown shrubs, bushes, trees etc. Add some color. It is best if you can do this step a week or two in advance so that the plants have some time to recover.

Furniture: if possible, remove some items from every room. The way we live doesn't always show well for showing off a room. Take out a few items and re-evaluate the layout or design.

Paint: If you can afford to paint the interior, it goes an amazingly long way in making a home seem fresh and well cared for. It you can't do a full paint job, do touch up work in the most needed areas.

Lights & fixtures: Replacing outdated fixtures such as lights, door handles, cabinet knobs, faucets can also go a long way to update a space. If you already have new/newer fixtures, make sure they are clean and operational.

Repairs: Look around and make any minor repairs that you can. Every seller and property has different needs, you don't need to rebuild the whole house or remodel the entire kitchen but minor fixes will go a long way. It will be well worth the time and money.

Scents & Odor: people are very sensitive to scents and I think the best thing in an open house is just 'fresh'. I highly recommend airing out the home as much as possible before an open house. I think this is far better than air fresheners and sprays. And as much as I love cookies, it is even better than fresh baked cookies! lol. If you have pets, be extra diligent. We all become immune to the scent of our own pet and there are lots of people who are highly sensitive to the scent of pets. So, if you have a dog bed for instance, wash it and move it to the garage for the open. Remove cat litter as well during your open.

Safety: Thankfully, I've never had anything stolen from an open house and I would hate for anyone else to. I always advise my clients to put away small valuables, jewelery and to secure personal information. Prescription medications are also important to secure. If you have any guns in the house, either put them in a safe or remove them from the house during the open. Lastly, if there is anything you have in the house that means so much to you that you would be devastated if it were broken or stolen, remove it. Pack it away and take it to a family members house if necessary. It's not worth risking.

Last tip for a successful open: Leave Leave early and come back late. I had an open in Dec that was scheduled from 1:30 to 4:30. I arrived at 1:10 and someone drove up just as I did. Then I had people arriving at 4:45. I was thrilled to have them visit and it is important that they do not feel like they are inconveniencing the sellers. As a seller, you want them to feel as comfortable as possible in the house. The longer they stay, the more they can envision themselves there.

I hope this helps a little. I realize that you can't do everything, everytime. The most important thing I strive for is 'clean and neat'. I want people to feel comfortable. If I've overlooked anything or you have a question, let me know.

Good luck everyone and happy hunting!