Some Lafayette real estate properties will sell without an open house, but most realtors agree that they are a helpful tool with several possible benefits. If you’re planning to host an open house soon, you have probably thought about how you can attract a greater crowd and generate more interest in your home. This article will give you a few additional ideas that you may not have considered yet. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly what you need to do if you want to have the most successful open house possible.
1. Use yard signs
This tip seems obvious and perhaps even slightly outdated. However, most people don’t fully understand how effective this method can be to draw greater crowds to an open house. If you choose not to use yard signs, you’re making a major mistake. First and foremost, yard signs let your neighbors know that your home is available for sale. If your neighbors know that your home is on the market, they may share the information with their family and friends. They might even post about your home on their social media account and invite their friends and followers to come and be their new neighbors. In addition, putting up yard signs can lead to greater foot traffic on the day of your open house. Sometimes, an individual or family will be driving around or running errands and will see a sign for an open house. They might not be thinking about buying a home, but curious about your property, they will choose to stop in. Once they arrive, they may see something that piques their interest and leads to them asking the selling agent questions or considering the possibility of making an offer. As you’re thinking about putting up signs, don’t limit yourself to your own front yard or your neighborhood’s entrance. There are several other locations where signage could be helpful. For example, maybe you can put up a sign at your local coffee shop or community center.
2. Pay for Facebook ads
Nearly two billion people log into Facebook each day, so it represents a tremendous opportunity for you to engage with more potential attendees for your open house. Of course, you’re probably thinking about the large percentage of those two billion people who don’t live in your area or who aren’t shopping for a home. That’s fair, but Facebook allows you to tailor your ad campaigns to people within a specific age range and who live within a certain radius of your home’s location. This way, you can reach more people who may have an interest in purchasing your home. Also, when someone interacts with your ad, their information is stored, and they are more likely to see the same ad in the future, even if they don’t reach out to you directly or share their information with you. This is all a part of Facebook’s expertly-designed algorithm.
3. Post a teaser video
Speaking of social media, you should use short-form video content to your advantage when selling your home. Because of popular social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, people’s brains are geared towards engaging with this type of material easily and effectively. In the days leading up to your open house, consider taking a short video of your home that promotes your upcoming open house. You don’t want to show too much - this may leave people feeling like there’s nothing left to see at the open house. However, choose your home’s best indoor and outdoor features and show enough in the video to capture the attention of potential buyers and make them want to come to see your home in person. Mention that the home won’t be on the market for long since this will increase your viewers’ sense of urgency. Finally, don’t forget to explain clearly when and where the open house will take place. You can also include this information in the caption or description underneath the video.
4. Understand the local market
This has less to do with your open house itself and more to do with how you’ll prepare your home to sell. Work with your realtor to make sure your home is priced well, and think about what amenities you should add or improve in order to attract buyers’ attention. One way to do this is to look at other homes for sale in Lafayette in your price range and see what is featured in the online listing. If all of the other homes for sale in your price range have updated outdoor living spaces, but your home doesn’t have a deck or patio, you stand at a disadvantage. This is especially true because outdoor living spaces are a top concern of many modern buyers. Take time to size up the competition and understand what buyers want so that you can make sure your home appeals to their needs and preferences.
5. Time your open house well
Most open houses take place on Saturday or Sunday afternoons between 12 pm and 4 pm. People’s schedules are generally open during these times, which gives you the best chance to attract as many visitors as possible. The exception is if you’re listing a luxury property. Open houses for luxury homes can sometimes generate better attendance if they take place on a weeknight. Also, make sure you schedule your open house at least one week in advance. Not only does this give interested buyers time to make plans to visit your home, but it also gives you adequate time to prepare and promote your open house on your own.
Kelly Crawford Team loves helping buyers and sellers navigate through the constantly-changing Bay Area housing market. He has over 20 years of experience helping people like you buy and sell Lafayette real estate, and when you work with Kelly, you can trust that he’ll be in your corner throughout the entire process. Give Kelly a call at 925-998-5599 when you’re ready to take the next step toward buying or selling your home.
Kelly Crawford Team loves helping buyers and sellers navigate through the constantly-changing Bay Area housing market. He has over 20 years of experience helping people like you buy and sell Lafayette real estate, and when you work with Kelly, you can trust that he’ll be in your corner throughout the entire process. Give Kelly a call at 925-998-5599 when you’re ready to take the next step toward buying or selling your home.
