Essential Open House Tips for Home Sellers

You’ve cleaned and staged your home, engaged a professional photographer and created an intriguing online description. However, a beautiful online presence alone won’t sell your house. You want to get buyers in to see it for themselves. 

Sometimes, prospective buyers hesitate to book a private showing. In other cases, a buyer might not have a real estate agent yet if they are in the early stages of the process. Holding an open house is a way to expose more people to your home without the pressure of scheduling a home tour.

“Each home is unique depending upon location, price point and layout, which makes it critical for the buyer to see it for themselves,” says Sandi Polinsky, broker and owner of Goldilocks Real Estate in Mineola, New York. “An open house is your time to shine.”

As a seller, you need every advantage to stand out from the competition. Inviting potential buyers into your home gives you the opportunity to highlight your property's best features. 

• Clean: This is your home’s time to shine, so make sure it sparkles. Remember that people will be looking in cabinets and closets, so make sure these spaces are cleaned and organized.
• Put away personal items: You want buyers to be able to imagine themselves living there, so it’s important to depersonalize. While you’re at it, hide your valuables or remove them from the house.
• Leave the house: Let your real estate agent handle the showing. You want buyers to imagine themselves living there, and they can’t do that with you there. If you have pets, take them with you as well.
• Keep the driveway and street clear: Visitors will need a convenient place to park, so make sure the driveway is open and the street in front of your house is clear.
• Invite the neighbors: If they come to the open house, they can share their knowledge of the neighborhood with potential buyers and make them feel welcome.

Timing is important when preparing for an open house. As with many things in real estate, determining the right time to host your open house can depend on various factors. 

“Each home has its own rhythm,” Polinsky says. “Some work better on Saturday, others on Sunday, and for some, the ideal time might even be late afternoon Friday.” You’ll want to pinpoint the time when the most people will attend the open house. 

Most open houses are held on the weekend, and with good reason. An open house that’s held on Saturday or Sunday typically draws more potential buyers since many people are off work. This increases the odds that families and couples are more likely to be able to attend together. 

It may also allow potential buyers to view the house with friends and family members. This increased foot traffic can create a sense of urgency among buyers, potentially leading to faster offers. 

However, weekends also come with increased competition from other open houses, making it harder for your home to stand out. Furthermore, weekends may attract tire kickers or curiosity seekers, which can be frustrating for sellers.

Hosting an open house on a weekday can be a strategic move, as it may attract serious buyers. These days, more people tend to have flexible schedules, making a weekday open house easier to fit in. 

Holding your open house during the work week can provide some unique advantages. It may allow potential buyers to explore the property in a less crowded setting. That will make it easier for potential buyers to explore your home, which likely means your real estate agent can provide more personalized attention when buyers have questions. However, weekday open houses can naturally be less convenient due to work and school commitments. 

According to Polinsky, the most popular times for open houses are typically 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. 

However, she notes that you might consider 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. That timeframe is particularly good in the summer to highlight your home’s outdoor space. “However, avoid those times once the days get shorter,” she says. “Preferably buyers are experiencing the home during daylight.” 

Another consideration is the timing of significant events. Think about big football game days or long holiday weekends. For some communities, that could include a weekend event that draws the whole town. 

You’ll want to find the best time to maximize traffic. Discuss the pros and cons of scheduling around local events with your listing agent.

First impressions matter when selling your home. An open house event lets buyers experience your home's charm and character firsthand. You’ll be well-represented, too, with your real estate agent there to point out the key selling points of your home and answer questions. 

Thorough preparation is crucial to ensuring a successful showing. Here’s what you need to know to enhance your home’s appeal. 

Buyers want to establish a personal connection with your home, so ensure no traces of you are left. That means removing family photos and other items specific to your hobbies and interests. You also want to ensure no one sees your dirty laundry, literally or figuratively. 

If you still live in the home while it’s on the market, remove all your personal items before leaving. Polinsky says, “That includes anything valuable, like jewelry and collectibles, but don’t forget important documents like your passport and financial papers, as well as medication.” 

This is especially important as you likely won’t know many of the people in your home during an open house. 

You want your house to be extra spick and span for an open house. Ideally, you’ve already deep-cleaned and removed excess items from closets and cupboards. You should also do a walk-through before you host an open house to ensure that it sparkles.

Focus on high-traffic areas, paying particular attention to: 

• Entryways: Ensure the front door, foyer and hallways are spotless. Remove any mail, magazines or clutter.
• Bathrooms: Wipe down sinks, toilets, showers, bathtubs and mirrors. Stow all personal care items.
• Kitchen: Focus on counters, sinks and appliances to ensure there are no fingerprints. Sweep or vacuum to whisk away crumbs and remove any strong-smelling food from the refrigerator. Don’t forget to take out the trash.

Walk through each room to ensure beds are made and fluffed, floors are clean, and all papers and personal items are put in drawers (if not taken offsite). Check for any odors and eliminate the source.

As potential buyers approach your home, you want it to welcome them in. A well-manicured exterior can boost your home's attractiveness and increase its perceived value. 

Ideally, you’ve already done the heavy lifting of cleaning up the yard and landscaping. On the day of the open house, you can make a few last-minute touches:

• Sweep the porch, sidewalk and driveway.
• Hang a seasonal wreath on the front door.
• Add outdoor throw pillows or blankets to outdoor furniture for color.
• Remove any trash or recycling bins.
• Hide any unsightly exterior items, such as hoses, tools or kids’ toys.
• Set out a colorful welcome mat for visitors to wipe their shoes.

When potential buyers walk in, you want them to feel at ease and in the right ambiance immediately. Some elements to consider:

• Lighting: Polinksy recommends turning on all the lights and opening shades to let in natural light.
• Aromas: Use subtle air fresheners to create a pleasant scent. You might consider baking some cookies, allowing the smell of baked goods to waft through the home.
• Background Music: Play soft, neutral music to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone. Your listing agent is the expert at the selling process and the best person to walk potential buyers around during the open house. “That’s why we recommend the seller leave the home for a few hours so we can do our job,” Polinsky says.

Your real estate agents will advertise your open house to entice buyers. This includes promoting the open house on social media, sending emails to clients and promoting it through their network of real estate agents. 

They might suggest you promote it to your friends and neighbors as well. Many real estate agents post signs around the neighborhood directing people to your door. 

The listing agent’s primary job when hosting an open house is to answer questions and help guide buyers through the home. “They will make sure people do a thorough sign-in so they can follow up after,” says Polinsky. “They try to engage and take notes about each buyer’s needs, and most importantly, they follow up in order to help keep momentum building.” It’s not uncommon for attendees to call your agent later for a private showing. 

A big part of your real estate agent’s job is helping with offers, whether they come at the open house or later. “During negotiations, we have a large role in countering offers back-and-forth between buyers, sellers and other cooperating agents,” says Polinksy. “Once accepted, the listing agent will put together the transaction sheet coordinating between the two attorneys, buyers and sellers.”

Your real estate agent will collect feedback when the open house is over. They will follow up with visitors who left their contact information and the agents who represented them. A proactive agent will actively solicit concerns and suggestions from attendees, providing insight into the home's strengths and weaknesses. This feedback might inform pricing adjustments, staging modifications or repairs. 

A successful open house is one of the best ways to boost interest in your home. You can leverage the power of the open house to increase your chances of selling your home quickly and at the price you want. Work with your agent on proper preparation and execution for your open house. This includes scheduling it at the right time and ensuring the house is ready to shine.