How to Have a Unique Open House

According to the National Association of Realtors, total inventory has been growing for six months straight, as has the number of buyers looking to find their dream home. In a market where inventory is increasing, you want to stand out in the crowd! 

This quote from Grandscope puts it well:

“You can differentiate from competition by WOWing or exciting customers, not just trying to compete on price.”

What better way than to be creative with your Open House!

Here are a few ideas for how to do this in this era of technology.

1) Facebook Live Virtual Open House

This can also work as a ‘preview’ before an official Open House. Let your agent walk potential buyers through your home using a webcam or cell phone, highlighting the unique features of your house and taking questions. This can be of great benefit, especially for those out-of-state buyers looking to relocate to your area.

2) Youtube Live Virtual Open House

YouTube is forecasted to have 187.8 million video users in 2019 in the United States alone! One of those users might be the buyer you’re looking for! Like Facebook Live, allowing your agent to have a virtual open house will make it available, especially for all those first-time homebuyers house hunting on their phones! This allows access to your home from the comfort of their own. Broadcasting at peak time (during lunch between 12 and 2 P.M.) also prevents buyers from having to leave work.

What if you do not want to show your house online?

3) Have a Garage Sale at The Same Time

This serves two purposes. First, you can start getting rid of some of the clutter inside your home. This will help it to show better and make packing a little easier. Second, people will come to a garage sale. Whether it’s the neighbors or bargain-hunters, each garage sale attendee is a potential “salesperson for your home”. They could be looking for themselves or talking to someone else in the market. The more people who are aware that your house is for sale, the better.

4) Go With Off-Peak Times

Why not host an Open House during the week when people are on their way home? This works especially well if the home is convenient for commuters. Add a little wine & cheese as a transition to going home for dinner! Or, why not have an Open House at 9:00 in the morning? After parents drop their kids at school, they can stop by your Open House for coffee & cake. Promote the Open House in community chats. Maybe one of the neighbors has a family member that wants to move to the area.

Bottom Line

With new inventory coming to market, you need your house to stand out from the crowd! Contact a local real estate professional to see what alternatives will work best in your area.

Looking to Buy, Sell, or Invest? Contact:

David Demangos - Keller Williams Realty
Cell: 858.232.8410 | Realtor® BRE# 01905183
www.AwesomeSanDiegoRealEstate.com
Our Team Goes to Extremes to Fulfill Your Real Estate Dreams!

San Diego Real Estate Expert | Global Property Specialist
Certified Luxury Marketing Specialist | CLHMS Million Dollar Guild Agent
Green Specialist | Certified International Property Specialist
2016, 2017, & 2018 Recognition of Excellence Award Winner SDAR

5 Myths About Real Estate Reality TV Explained

Have you ever been flipping through the channels, only to find yourself glued to the couch in an HGTV binge session? We’ve all been there… watching entire seasons of “Love it or List it,” “Fixer Upper,” “House Hunters,” “Property Brothers,” and so many more, just in one sitting. 

When you’re in the middle of your real estate themed show marathon, you might start to think that everything you see on TV must be how it works in real life, but you may need a reality check.
Reality TV Show Myths vs. Real Life:

Myth #1: Buyers look at 3 homes and make a decision to purchase one of them.

Truth: There may be buyers who fall in love and buy the first home they see, but according to the National Association of Realtors the average homebuyer tours 10 homes as a part of their search. 

Myth #2: The houses the buyers are touring are still for sale.

Truth: The reality is being staged for TV. Many of the homes being shown are already sold and are off the market. 

Myth #3: The buyers haven’t made a purchase decision yet.

Truth: Since there is no way to show the entire buying process in a 30-minute show, TV producers often choose buyers who are further along in the process and have already chosen a home to buy. 

Myth #4: If you list your home for sale, it will ALWAYS sell at the Open House.

Truth: Of course this would be great! Open houses are important to guarantee the most exposure to buyers in your area, but are only a PIECE of the overall marketing of your home. Just realize that many homes are sold during regular listing appointments as well.

Myth #5: Homeowners make a decision about selling their home after a 5-minute conversation.

Truth: Similar to the buyers portrayed on the shows, many of the sellers have already spent hours deliberating the decision to list their homes and move on with their lives/goals.

Bottom Line
Having an experienced professional on your side while navigating the real estate market is the best way to guarantee that you can make the home of your dreams a reality!
Looking to Buy, Sell, or Invest? Contact:

David Demangos - Keller Williams Realty
Cell: 858.232.8410 | Realtor® BRE# 01905183
www.AwesomeSanDiegoRealEstate.com
Our Team Goes to Extremes to Fulfill Your Real Estate Dreams!

San Diego Real Estate Expert | Global Property Specialist
Certified Luxury Marketing Specialist | CLHMS Million Dollar Guild Agent
Green Specialist | Certified International Property Specialist
2016 Recognition of Excellence Award Winner SDAR

The Ultimate Open House Checklist

You know what they say about the master bedroom: “This is where the magic happens.” It’s certainly a top priority for buyers-after all, this is where they’d spend a solid eight hours of their day. So, for your open house, make sure your master bedroom is a peaceful place that makes buyers wish they could snuggle up and take a nap right away.checklist of everything you need to do to get your master bedroom open-house-ready.

Make the bed. You’d be surprised how many homeowners leave without making the bed. This is not your real estate agent’s job. (Unless you’re 13 years old and you hired your mom as your agent, but even then, come on!) Your bed should be made for every open house and every showing.

Make the bed beautiful. Now’s the time to match your sheets, pillows, blankets, and duvet. Think Pottery Barn or West Elm. And fluff those pillows!

Create a  seating vignette. If you have the space, try staging a plush chair with a small side table and reading lamp. It will allow buyers to picture themselves there, taking a much-needed timeout.

Paint a neutral color. Your real estate agent will always urge you to paint your whole house a neutral color—and this tip is more important in the master bedroom than anywhere else. Add pillows, throws, and rugs for pops of color.

Spin it to win it. A slowly rotating ceiling fan helps create a relaxing mood—but make sure to clean the blades first.

Breathe deeply. The only scent in the air should be that of a clean, fresh room. We’re not big on air fresheners, but a simple diffuser can add a subtle fragrance. A potted orchid can also add a sophisticated touch.

Light it up. Yes, you sleep in the dark, but don’t greet buyers with a dull, dim space. That single overhead light is not enough. Put a lamp in the corner and a couple next to the bed.

We said: Light it up! It’s great if you've got serious drapes, but please open the blackout shades before leaving the house. Buyers love natural light.

Stage the bedside tables. Ditch the unread US Weekly and tangled iPhone cables, and replace them with a simple clock, a decorative vase, and a book or two. Reading “ The Liar“? Set it next to the bed. It might be that one thing that helps you connect with your buyer.

Sweep/mop/vacuum/dust. Basically, clean the bedroom from top to bottom.