Open House Tips for FSBOs
Advertise your open house. Ideally you
should advertise both the weekend before and the weekend of the open house.
Check with the local paper to see when their ad closing deadlines are.
Create a property summary sheet. This sheet gives prospective buyers an
overview of your home. Include dimensions for each room, copies of a property
survey, summaries of utility costs and property taxes, and a list of when
capital items such as roofs and furnace were added.
Develop a sign-in form for prospects’ addresses. You’ll ideally want both
phone numbers and e-mail addresses to follow up with prospective buyers.
Put up signs. One or two days before the open house, place directional
signs at major intersections within three to four blocks of your house. Be sure
you check on anti-sign regulations in your area.
Get your house ready. Remove clutter, clean your house, wash your
windows, add flowers, turn on lights, open draperies and blinds, remove
valuables and breakables, confine pets, turn on soft music, and set up a table
for your property fact sheet near the entrance.
Develop a follow-up sheet. Getting feedback on your home from prospects
who attended your open house will give you a better understanding of how to make
your home more appealing to buyers.