Tag archive for "Open House Tips" | Blog.PropertiesOnline.com

How to Help Your Buyers Win a Bidding War

Be Prepared to Field These Hard to Answer Questions at an Open House

Real estate marketing can sometimes leave you feeling a little hot under the collar – especially during open houses when negative aspects of a home are brought to light with a few creatively formulated (or intelligently devised) questions. How well-prepared are you for your showings?

How you handle these questions could make or break a sale:

How much interest have you seen?
Here, buyers may want to take part in (or avoid wasting time) on a home that could potentially undergo a bidding war, or be fishing for leverage. Longstanding listings offer a better chance at price negotiations, whereas a home with an offer (or multiples) indicates fierce competition and a need to act fast.

Any recent improvements?
Those fishing for improvement info or ‘the shape’ of the home are attempting to foretell potentially expensive maintenance and improvement needs. Keep in mind that some aspects of building condition will be part of disclosures and due-diligence, but buyers may use this as a litmus test for your ethics.

Could you tell me more?
Be careful what you mention first. Always keep in mind that what’s NOT said can indicate weaknesses. (Are you harping on a magnificent location to mask home condition?)

When do the sellers need to close?
A major sticking point in the buying process, you need to know this information. There’s no ‘right’ answer – but you need the honest truth.

What do utilities run?
Essential to avoiding budgeting pitfalls, this information can only be provided by the owner. If the numbers are good, bill copies (sans personal information) may be a great tool.

How’s the neighborhood?
The Fair Housing Act, prohibits discrimination based-on race, religion, sex, or family/economic status, making this one especially tricky. Point buyers to trusted realty search engines to decide if the home meets their personal demographic essentials.

Feeling the heat? Chill with some of the best real estate marketing tips in the business from PropertiesOnline.

How to Sell Your Home When Children are Home for the Summer

Tips for Selling that Hot Property with the Seller’s Kids Out of School

Getting a house ready for showings involves educating your sellers on the ins and outs of staging a home but what happens when the seller’s children are home from school for the summer?

You want the property to appeal to the widest variety of buyers, including buyers with children and ones without children. Use our following real estate selling tips to ensure the home is portrayed in the best possible light

Declutter

Buyers prefer to see a house with the bare necessities in order to be able to picture their own belongings in it. The less clutter on countertops and in rooms the better.

Neutral, Neutral, Neutral

The sellers may think their kid’s pink and purple paint job is adorable, but chances are a potential buyer will just see more work for them. Sellers should paint any room with a neutral color before listing.

Depersonalization

Your sellers will be best advised to remove as many personal effects as possible from walls, including family photos and children’s drawings. Have sellers fill in the holes with putty and paint.

Empty House

Take the sellers and children out of the picture during open houses or showings. Buyers generally feel more comfortable when the homeowners are not there in order to voice their opinions about the home.

Daily Upkeep

It is easier to keep a house in show-worthy condition if the sellers keep it picked up. Ensure daily sweeps are made and sellers keep their children motivated to keep their rooms clean.

Having sellers with children home from school doesn’t have to be an issue. Your objective is to make sure the house appeals to a broad range of buyers by ensuring the children are part of the solution.

Are you keeping up with the latest real estate selling tips? Find out on Properties Online today.

First Impressions are Everything: Draw Potential Buyers in with a Welcoming Interior

Open Houses It’s the Attention to Detail That Sets You Apart

Having open house déjà vu? If your open houses are getting a little blah, it may be time to raise your game with these real estate selling tips for breaking up open house boredom…

Do a bang-up job…
Setting the stage for a slam-dunk open house begins with selection. Legwork is necessary to determine the best listings for an open house. If you don’t want to apologize through the entirety of a showing, avoid homes that make you say “yes” to the following criteria:
- Does the house have obvious negatives?
- Is it a home that for whatever reason, just doesn’t show well?
- Will the price make buyers balk?

Blow their senses…
A warm, inviting atmosphere helps buyers better envision themselves in the home your showing. A little extra effort and attention to detail will go a long way in making you stand out as an agent. When staging an open house, heed these real estate selling tips for engaging the senses:
- Sight:
  Turn on lights, fluff pillows, adjust drapes, and do some light surface cleaning.
- Sound:
  Play soft music.
- Touch:
  Adjust the temperature for the weather.
- Smell:
  Light a scented candle, or better yet, grab a pre-made roll of cookies and toss some in the oven.
- Taste:
  Offer cookies and drinks to eat or take home.

Shatter expectations…
Buyers are often resistant to open houses, feeling like you’re pushing the soup de jour. Switch it up. Listen to the concerns of your prospective buyer, and have alternate listings on hand that may better suit their needs. For any number of reasons, your open house may not be right for a prospective buyer. Taking buyers elsewhere shows them you’re in it for them, not a single listing.

Don’t take a pie in the face. Crush the competition with the latest in real estate selling tips and tools from Properties Online.