The moment has arrived for you to showcase your efforts and present your home to potential buyers. Although showing your home probably takes less than a half hour, the more time you spend getting prepared, the greater the impression you’ll make.

Work the Phone

The combination of your newspaper ads, Internet listing, professional signs, MLS listing and other marketing efforts will surely get your phone ringing. Because you can’t always have someone available to answer it, make sure your phone message is an effective marketing tool when you’re not at home. It should include enticing information about your house so people are encouraged to leave their name and number. Whether you speak with them directly or let your phone message do the talking, describe your house well enough so potential buyers can determine if it’s what they’re looking for.

Remember: Selling your house is like running a business — you must provide excellent customer service if you’re going to successfully sell your product. So treat potential buyers as customers, and accommodate their individual needs
and schedules. Your phone manner and the message you leave on your answering machine must convey your professional approach to selling your property.

Tips for a Phone Conversation or Message

• Be warm and friendly.
• Include the price.
• Mention the number of bedrooms and baths.
• Describe special features, such as remodeling.
• Ask for the caller’s name and number.
• Schedule an appointment or tell the caller you’ll call them later to schedule one.
• Keep your fact sheet by your phones for easy reference.
• Make sure family members know who should handle house-related calls. Don’t let anyone discuss the home or set an appointment who’s not fully informed.

Open Houses

An open house is a specific time that you set aside for potential buyers to visit your home without an appointment. (A showing, on the other hand, occurs when one party views your home by appointment.) An open house is a great opportunity to show your house to many people at once and to tell them about its qualities and features. You can also make a good impression on potential buyers by welcoming them graciously and making your house a showplace.

• Here are other benefits to holding open houses.
  
• You control the time of the week when you want to show people your house, so
  you don’t have to upset your schedule.
  
• The house will be cleaned for the event. You can make a nice presentation of
  your home by setting a warm and welcoming tone; create special touches such as a fire in the fireplace.
• You’ll have the greatest number of people coming through at one time,
  increasing your word-of-mouth and sales potential.

Strategies for Making Your Open Houses Successful and Productive

A. Plan Your Open House

• Schedule open houses for two to four hours
  on a weekend, preferably both days. If you must choose only one day, make it Sunday.
• Find someone to care for your kids and pets
  away from your house.
• For safety reasons, always have at least two
  people showing the house.
• Place open house directional signs in your
  neighborhood and on well-traveled roads just before the open house.
• Include open house information in your ads.
• Advertise in the open house directory.
  

B. Ready Your Home

• Be sure the exterior of your house makes a great first impression.
• Clean your house thoroughly.
• Create a warm, relaxed atmosphere, so people don’t feel pressured into talking with you.
• Pack away all your valuables, breakables, and items that can be stolen.
• Open the shades and turn on all the lights so the interior is cheerful.
• Bake something or put out potpourri so the house smells pleasant.

C. Open Your Doors

• Make your visitors comfortable with a warm greeting, a fire in the fireplace,
  and pleasant aromas.
• Give everyone a fact sheet with the details of your house, and then leave them alone to browse.
• Ask potential buyers for feedback and request that they sign a guest registry form with their name, address, home and work phone numbers, and agent’s name, if they have one. Use this information to confirm that the potential buyers are motivated and to make follow-up calls.
• Be relaxed and have a positive attitude.
• As you answer questions about your home, tailor your responses according to visitors’ interests.
• Ask questions about what they’re looking for and what types of homes they’ve seen.
• Present a photo album with pictures of your property taken during the four
  seasons.
• Don’t come on too strong or describe every detail in the house; some deals are lost by sellers talking too much.
• If you hear comments that upset you, don’t get angry or into a verbal sparing match. Just take a deep breath and walk away.
• Don’t verbally negotiate. If someone offers you less than what you are asking, tell them politely that you consider only written offers from qualified buyers.
• Rehearse your house tour with family and friends, so you feel more comfortable.

  Don’t discriminate against buyers
  Remember, the Civil Rights Act prohibits you from rejecting an offer based on race, religion, color, gender, or national origin. The Fair Housing Amendments Act also says you cannot discriminate due to disability (mental or physical) or familial status (families with children under age 18).

Safety First

• To ensure your security when showing your home, ask interested parties for
  their names, addresses, and phone numbers when setting up an appointment,
  so you can determine if they’re motivated and qualified potential buyers. Confirm the information they provide by looking them up in your telephone book or calling them back to confirm the appointment.
• Instruct children who answer the phone to never discuss details about the house. Women and children shouldn’t tell a caller that they’re home alone.
• Never show your house after dark. If someone drops by without an
  appointment, politely ask for his or her name and phone number and say you’ll call and schedule a more convenient time to see the house.
• Never show your home alone. Ask a friend or family member to join you.

You’ve shown your home at its very best and impressed potential buyers. Now, get ready to… Accept an Offer