Open House Tips

1. Clean and repair your home. It should go without saying, but clean your house as if you were going to eat off the floors. Also, consider making minor cosmetic repairs and upgrades such as touching up paint and planting fresh flowers.

2. De-clutter. Put away the ceramics collection, toys and things lining the bathroom and kitchen counters. A crowded house makes it look smaller and makes it harder for buyers to imagine it as their own.

3. De-personalize. Take down family photos, trophies and other personal touches, even that book on your nightstand. Buyers need to imagine the house as a blank slate, ready to be occupied and personalized by them.

4. Consider holding an early viewing just for the locals. For instance, if you are having an open house from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., invite your neighbors from noon to 1 p.m. It will make them feel good and allow the agent to focus on the most interested parties when the real open house starts.

5. Promote heavily. Make sure your open house is listed on the MLS and on other Internet sites such as Realtor.com, Expo or Craigslist.com. Post lots of pictures, send out fliers, put up lots of signs and advertise in your local paper.

With everyone gearing up for the spring selling season, sooner or later, home buyers, sellers and real estate agents will have to start thinking about having or attending open houses.

Sellers literally open their homes certain times on certain days and invite the public to walk through the home. Sellers and their agents hope they'll attract a wide range of buyers who can preview several homes within a few hours.

While seeing as many as a dozen homes in a single day can be confusing (not to mention exhausting), it gives buyers an opportunity to see if the house is worth going back for a second, more formal showing. If nothing is appealing, the buyers don't have to waste valuable time during the week. Open houses give sellers the opportunity to maximize their cleaning efforts - one cleaning for an open house can reap a handful of calls for a second showing.

Agents and brokers like to hold open houses because it helps them gauge how much interest there is from the public and if they have the home priced it correctly: If no one comes to the open house, it's a fairly good indication that the home may be overpriced for its condition and location, or there is stiff competition in the marketplace.

Here are some things you should think about before hosting or attending an open house:

Sellers

When home buyers plan a tour of open houses, they intend on spending a very short time in each one. Unless they immediately fall in love with your home, don't expect anyone to stay more than 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your home. However, buyers will want to see all of the essentials. That includes all rooms, the basement, an attic (if it is easily accessible), the garage, and closets.

Before an open house, walk through your home. Make sure every room has been cleaned and is free from clutter. Countertops should be clear and clean. Go easy on the potpourri -- it's best if your house simply smells clean.

One of the most basic rules of a successful open house is this: Unless you're selling on your own, you shouldn't attend. Buyers won't feel comfortable having you watch as they peek in your cupboards. If you are there, answer questions simply. Don't volunteer more information the buyer asks for. Hand out listing sheets which detail the home's address, sales price, and specifications. You may want to add a photograph, so that the buyers will better remember your home.

Buyers

While walking through an open house doesn't obligate you to anything, there are a few things to remember.

First, you could find yourself in a pickle if you don't sign in under your buyer broker's name. Listing brokers often act as dual agents, and if you sign in under your own name, the listing broker may be able to claim you as a client if you decide to make an offer for the home.

Next, don't track mud onto the seller's clean floors. If your shoes are dirty or wet, offer to take them off before you walk through the front door. It's considered impolite to gossip about the home as you walk through. Should the seller be there, try to refrain from making unkind comments. They could come back to haunt you should you end up making an offer on the home.