Sellers aren't always crazy about Open Houses, and this one will be a big event. So, it's important to prepare them properly.
Call them a week before the Open House Event
"Mr. Seller, I wanted to remind you that we'll be doing an Open House Event this Sunday from 12 - 4. We're going all out to make this a success, and we'll need to work together to make sure it goes as planned. Fair enough?
(Seller: Well, OK, Ken. What do we need to do?)
Well, to be honest, the first thing I'm going to ask is for you to find an afternoon activity so you won't have to be at your house during the event. Buyers sometimes feel uncomfortable looking at your home or asking questions if you're sitting right there, ok?
Then, I need you to make sure the house is even better than it usually is. I have a checklist I'll mail over to you that may have some reminders of what you'll need to check before the public comes to the event.
Bob, we're going to have a special preview for your neighborhood. You might have experienced yourself that neighbors sometimes want to know what you're asking for the house, maybe even compare any updates or upgrades you've made. Sometimes they're just curious, but a lot of times, they'll have friends or relatives they'd love to have move into the area and your house might be the one they want them to buy. Sometimes, your neighbors are even renting and you don't know it. More importantly, we want all the feedback we can get. I'm going to be asking every single person that comes through the open house how they feel about the house, how it compares to others they've visited - both price and condition. The more feedback we can get, the better armed we'll be to do whatever it takes to sell your house, agreed?
At any rate, we're going to invite the neighbors to come in from 12-1 and I just wanted to let you know why we do that.
So, can I count on you to have everything all set?"
