How to Prepare for an Open House

Unless you're Martha Stewart, you've got to do a lot of planning and work to get ready for an open house.

You can't just pluck a date off the calendar and circle it. First, you want to make sure the day you choose is an appropriate day and time -- not a holiday or a day that conflicts with major sports events or community celebrations. The weather should be perfect, too. If snow, rain or extensive heat is in the forecast, buyers will stay away. Some sellers draw a lot of traffic by holding a twilight open house, in the early evening, often on a Thursday, accompanied by food and music.

After you select the day and time, try to give yourself enough time to get the house in order. It's easy to become overly enthusiastic once you decide to sell, and it's difficult to be patient, lining up all your ducks in a row before that first buyer enters your home. But studies show the first few weeks on the market are the most crucial, which means you might not get a second chance to showcase your home if you don't do it right the first time.

Here are tips and a schedule to help you prepare for a successful first open house -- not the make-believe TV way, but a time-tested action plan for selling your home today . . . read more

More Articles by Elizabeth Weintraub, click below:

• Hosting an Open House
  
• Open House Etiquette
  
• Top 10 Home Showing Tips

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