Maximize Your Open House Results

1. Send a postcard invitation to everyone in the immediate neighborhood.

2. Walk and personally invite the 25 closest neighbors. Do not forget to ask them to invite their friends who have need of an agent as well.

3. Advertise the open house on your website and in the local media.

4. Make certain the house is spotless and all the clutter has been removed. This is the most important thing you can do if you really want to sell the house you are holding open.

5. Plan ahead so the outside looks as good as the inside. Some fresh flowering plants are an inexpensive way to improve a boring landscape.

6. Prepare and hand out information packets explaining the entire house buying process. Many people who attend open houses are just beginning their search for a home and are trying to understand what is involved. Make sure you include a few business cards and your personal brochure if you have one.

7. Do not forget to prepare a package for potential sellers as well. People who intend to put their house on the market often attend open houses to get an idea of what sort of house is selling at what type of price. In fact, this is so prevalent you might even start by asking your guests if they are planning to buy or are they getting ready to sell.

8. Do not sit and read a magazine while waiting for your guests to arrive. Be ready to greet them at the door. Be excited about the home and your enthusiasm will infect the people who stop by.

9. Work with a partner, if possible. This way one can be showing the house and talking to visitors while the other is available if someone else comes in. This is also safer than having one person working the house alone.

10. Be prepared with other homes on the market. Prepare a handout you can give your visitors showing additional homes for sale. You will want to vary the selection slightly up and down by the number of bedrooms and baths, the square footage, and the price.

11. Provide small snacks, coffee, and soft drinks to your visitors. Baking a few trays of that ready-made cookie dough will make the house smell great. Prepare the cookies on baking sheets before you leave your home so there is no mess at your open house.

12. Send a handwritten thank you card to all of your visitors. Fill them out and drop them in the mail immediately after you close the house.

It is common knowledge that holding an open house rarely sells the home that is open but it can, and does, happen so be prepared with blank contracts. It is far more likely, however, that you will meet buyers and sellers to work with in the future so make sure you are doing everything you can to make them want to work with you. After all, this is the only chance you will almost certainly get to convince them to do so.

About the author:
Aldar Nagy is the author of several informational type websites. These include The Real Estate Marketing Blogger, which offers free marketing ideas and daily tips to agents to help you list more sellers, find more buyers, and increase your earnings through better customer service. Real Estate Marketing Blogger can be found at: http://www.realestatemarketingblogger.com