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These open house tips can help sellers maximize the opportunity.

An open house can feel a little nerve-wracking. Opening your family home and putting it all on display is not typically a seller’s favorite part of selling their home. If possible, replace your nerves with excitement, because an open house can be a great selling opportunity! To help prepare for an amazing open house, we’ve put together a few tips.

Make a great first impression.

Curb appeal matters! Spruce up your front yard and lay down a nice, NEW welcome mat. For extra “wow-factor”, consider giving your front door a fresh coat of paint, new front door hardware, and put planters filled with colorful blooms on either side of the door.

Stage it to sell.

Declutter and depersonalize your home. It might feel sad to remove what makes the home “yours,” but selling is all about helping your potential buyers see the house as “theirs.” Consider the buyer’s experience, does it look appealing, smell appealing, sound appealing?  Could you improve the experience with professional staging?  Should you add a nice candle scent or fresh fragrance?  Could you have music on during showings?  Fresh flowers on display?  Ask your agent for specific suggestions so you can make your home appeal to the biggest pool of potential buyers.  

Hide your valuables.  

While it would be great to trust everyone, it’s just not possible or prudent. Don’t leave any easily nabbed valuables (e.g. jewelry, electronics) in plain view. If you have a home safe, it’s a good idea to lock these valuables up. If not, at least move or hide them in less visible places like a high shelf in a cabinet.

Leave.

This is a pretty simple step, but it’s important. When you’re home, potentials buyers won’t feel free to poke around. That could mean they come and go feeling like they don’t really know what they’d be getting if they put an offer on your house! During your open house, make yourself scarce and take your pets with you.

These tips will help you start your open house prep, but it’s helpful to have a real estate expert look at your specific situation and guide you. For a successful open house, and all of your home selling needs, contact Jenn Blake Real Estate Group at Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty in San Diego, California at 858-663-6788.