5 Easy Ways to Have a Successful Open House in Chevy Chase

When it comes to selling luxury Chevy Chase real estate, you have to pull out all the stops to stand out from the crowd. The market in Chevy Chase is notoriously full of high-end real estate, so it takes a lot of expertise and attention to detail to ensure that your home sale goes off without a hitch.

The open house, naturally, will need some special attention if you’re going to pull in high-end offers and attract the kind of motivated buyers that your property deserves. That’s why we’ve compiled five essential open house tips for sellers if you want to have that successful home showing. Let’s dive in!

As is the case with most of the pivotal moments in life, getting the timing right is half the battle. The difference between a successful open house and a subpar showing may hinge simply on scheduling the event on the right weekend. In most cases, you and your agent will plan the open house for a weekend, preferably on a Sunday when the majority of buyers have an open schedule to attend showings in your area.

An afternoon date will generally draw in more people, especially as we move out of spring and into the summer and Chevy Chase residents start to fill up their schedules with events. Talk with your real estate agent well in advance of the showing date to nail down a time and coordinate the event.

Another tip to help bring in the maximum number of buyers is to plan an event or party to accompany the official showing. Pairing a casual block party or meet-and-greet in the backyard with the open house is a great way to pique the interest of locals. Many of them may not have attended the showing without the universal allure of barbeque, fresh hors-d’oeuvres, and cocktails.

If other sellers in your area are hoping to market their open house at the same time, there’s an even better chance you’ll meet your ideal buyer if you link your showings on the same day. The National Association of Realtors estimates that the average buyer attends about five open houses before they decide on their new home. With multiple open houses going on in the neighborhood at once, you’re giving yourself a much better chance to engage with a buyer who’s in the mood to make an offer.

Now that we’ve covered the timing and overall open house event planning, let’s head inside to see how we can best prepare the home for open house day. The first step is to remove as many errant objects, toys, paperwork, and loose items from view. Decluttering the house is a relatively easy way to boost the interior’s visual appeal without undertaking a major renovation or home repair. Try to clear off all the kitchen counters, clean the surfaces of tables in high-traffic rooms, and spend some extra time tidying up your storage space.

Next, it’s time to “depersonalize” the house. Basically, the theory goes that buyers want to be able to imagine how their life could look in the home. They would prefer not to be distracted by family mementos, photo walls, or cherished heirlooms when they walk through the front door.

Not only do these personal effects distract the eye, but they can also make it difficult for a potential buyer to visualize how they would fill the space with their own family photos and artwork. Remove any art or displays that are overly personal. Doing so will increase the likelihood that you appeal to a broad range of buyers and achieve offers quicker.

In the weeks before your open house, make sure to eliminate any odors from the home. These include pet smells and any scents that remain from cooking. Hire a professional carpet cleaner to eliminate pet odors or stains that may have accrued over time. If the weather allows, open the windows the last few days before the showing to encourage more airflow.

Place fragrant candles in the kitchen, and purchase a few large floral arrangements for the living room and foyer so that guests are greeted by a pleasant smell and gorgeous colors when they arrive. On the day of the showing, it’s best to take your pets to the park or have them stay with friends or family so that visitors aren’t distracted by their presence.

There’s no better way to keep your showing in the mind of your buyers than by offering them something physical to take home with them. Produce a few dozen high-quality, full-color handouts with the basic property description and several large photos. If a buyer isn’t interested, they can turn down the free literature. However, a highly motivated buyer will take your brochure and refer to it regularly if they have a feeling your Chevy Chase home for sale is right for them.

The National Association of Realtors revealed in a survey that most buyers find it helpful to have photos of a piece of real estate on hand when deciding on their next purchase. When you greet open-house guests with a paper handout, you’re ensuring that they’ll always have those photos ready to view.

With that, we’ve come to the end of our guide to organizing a successful open house in Chevy Chase. If you have any questions about Chevy Chase real estate or want to learn more open house tips, reach out today! Contact The Tom Buerger Team for more information.