Late spring is the perfect season for an open house. The weather is breezy and beautiful, kids are nearly out of school so families are ready to move, and you don’t have to worry about your curb appeal getting mucked up by buckets of slush and snow. Spring open houses also mean more competition. Here’s how you can stand out and ensure your clients are the ones walking away with the win while also working to secure your own commission advance.
1. Spruce Up the Landscaping
This is your one chance at a first impression, and patchy grass or a muddy sidewalk could set an unfortunate tone. Put some potted flowers on either side of the front door, give the porch a quick sweep, hide the hose around the side of the house and park the kids’ bikes in the garage.
2. Host a Backyard Bash
If you’re listing a property with an incredible backyard or outdoor living space, highlight those top-of-the-line features by staging an alfresco gathering. Fire up the grill, squeeze some fresh lemonade and string up some twinkly fairy lights for added atmosphere after the sun goes down.
3. Open Up the Windows
Sometimes winter lingers a little longer than normal, but by May, temperatures should be pleasant enough to allow you to shut off the AC and open up the windows. Let the smell of freshly cut grass and newly bloomed flowers spread throughout the house. That little touch of ambiance combined with tons of natural light will make the property seem infinitely more inviting.
4. Schedule Your Open House to Coincide with Community Events
Before you pick a date to show your listing, see what else is going on in the neighborhood. Is there a community garage sale coming up? A neighborhood block party? Does everyone gather in the central green on the first Sunday of every month for a farmer’s market? More people on the move means more foot traffic and more people poking around your property. Even if no one bites, the extra exposure could mean an increase in word-of-mouth marketing, and that’s never a bad thing.
6. Update Your Listing Photos
Don’t advertise a spring open house using photos from fall or winter. That just punctuates the fact that the property has been loitering on the market a little too long, and that’s not something you want to advertise. Take new snapshots that showcase the home in all its springtime glory and use those on social media, on the MLS and for your next batch of flyers.
6. Spend Some Time Spring Cleaning
Buyers want to imagine themselves in the home they’re touring, not be assaulted by the smells and sights associated with the current owners.
- Get rid of any litter boxes and empty the garbage cans (all of them, bathrooms included)
- Clear appliances off the kitchen counter and clean up any dirty dishes
- Make all the beds
- Check pets into the kitty or doggy day spa
- Tuck pictures and refrigerator art into drawers or a closet
7. Get Creative with Your Parting Gifts
Some agents leave branded bottled water by the front door, while others stack trays of chocolate chip cookies. Play up the spring angle and offer packets of flower seeds or a paper kite alongside your printed listing flyers.
Homes tend to sell faster during the first half of May, and they sell for a higher price, too. Are you ready to nab your clients a quick, full-price offer? Use these tips to stage a memorable open house and you may have your commission in your hands before summer hits.
