Opening the door can help towards successful sale

Common sense says it’s smart to expose your home to the largest number of buyers, and getting buyers inside to preview a property is a huge hurdle to jump.

While many property searches start on the internet, websites alone don’t sell homes. They can’t convey how a home feels, and photos can deceive. Any serious buyer is going to want a viewing.

Some buyers prefer not to make an appointment with an agent to visit a home that interests them. Open houses give these people a chance to browse without any pressure.

Open houses can also increase the perceived value of a property, triggered by the levels of interest noted when visiting. A sense of competition can encourage a potential buyer to offer the asking price or more, in fear of losing out to another bidder.

Other advantages to the seller include minimising disruptions - by grouping viewings, the seller does not have to deal with individual visits. Open houses tend to increase the exposure of the property as open house advertisements are carried along with standard property marketing.

In addition, should an agreed sale fall through, the seller and agent have a list of potential buyers or offers to revisit, increasing the chances of a successful sale.

Some may argue that an open house attracts nosy neighbours and bored Sunday drivers. That may be so, but you never know who is going to wind up falling in love with your house, or talking it up to someone else who will.

Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing – even if it is by someone who dropped in out of curiosity. It is also impossible for the serious buyer to distinguish between those viewing that are serious and those that are curious. They will just see competition a threat to their chance of securing their dream home.

Some properties are more suited to open home style marketing than others. Generally, properties that are individual; that are not part of an estate where all of the homes look the same, are more likely to draw interest through an open home. In addition, properties off the beaten path are more suited to individual viewings, as are properties that are hard to find.

Finally, as inclement weather discourages potential buyers from venturing outside, keep your fingers crossed for a fine day.

For further information on how Fine & Country can help you move, call 01926 455950.