22 December 14  |  Living   |  

Open House Ideas

BY JANET FETTERMAN, BROKER ASSOCIATE, CAM

In the world of real estate there is a lot of controversy over the effectiveness of an Open House. I must admit over the years, I have only sold one house as a direct result of an Open House out of the hundreds of Opens I have held. So while it may seem to many agents a “waste of their time”, I can tell you what a properly held Open Houses can achieve…synergy.

  1. the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc.; synergism.
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These open house ideas can give you a big jump in selling your home quickly!

Price Your Home Appropriately

Throughout the years I have often been the 2nd or 3rd agent to list a house. This is because most often the houses were not properly priced the first or second go around. The initial listing agent made the mistake of taking the over-priced listing. This doesn’t do the seller any favors because NAR statistics support that the bottom line selling price of that home is negatively affected the longer a house is on the market.

How to Produce Synergy

My approach to selling your luxury home is to include an Open House as part of the marketing strategy, but I do it differently. Here are a few of my ideas that have produced synergy. These ideas got the community talking about my listing, increased showings and resulted in a shorter marketing time.

  1. There’s power in numbers. I have contacted all the agents in my listing’s neighborhood and we created an open house tour. We collectively joined our advertising efforts to open on the same day and time to send Buyers to see the “rest of the tour.” When someone is looking at a community, they like to see what their money will buy. In other words, they want to receive the most value for their dollar. If your home is part of this tour, staged to show and priced properly, your home will be perceived as the best deal.
  2. There’s power in being unique! In the middle of a week, I have held an Open House-Come for Coffee after work hours. I served Starbucks and light snacks. During winter hours, on the way home from work when it is dark outside, homes with unique and beautiful outdoor lighting are a surefire way to show off a home’s bling! During the holiday season, when weekends are taken up with shopping and holiday festivities, this mid-week open house will get serious buyers and not just folks who are out to see the pretty houses for decorating ideas.
  3. Sunset Open House Events- When your home has that breath taking view enhanced by the light of the setting sun, this event will showcase your house at its best. Inviting Agents and Buyers to experience this event while a Chef prepares goodies in your gourmet kitchen is sure to impress and get people talking and sharing the experience.
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Mid-Week Open Houses bring in the most interested buyers.

The Goal of Marketing Your Home

The goal of any marketing activity is to drive qualified Buyers to tour your home. We must get them inside so we can engage their senses and ignite their imagination so they wonder what life would be like living in that space.

These are just a few of my ideas on showcasing your home and creating marketing synergy. If you would like to discuss the value of your home in today’s market, please consider Royal Shell Real Estate. No one knows Golden Ocala like we do. Give us a call at: 352-369-6969.

For more information on Golden Ocala Real Estate, visit our living blog.