Open House: 15 Things To Do Before Holding One

Here’s a list of key things to do before you hold an open house. Feel free to add your favorite tips!

1. First impressions count, so make a good one! If your front door is chipped, sand it, fill it and paint it. If your hardware is chipped or rusty, replace it. For less than $100 you can really spruce things up at the entrance.
2. Get a new doormat for each door. Buyers will go in an out to look at the view or the deck.
3. Get your carpets shampooed. Even if you don’t think they look bad, they may have odors that you don’t notice, especially if you have pets! Make sure everything is sparkling clean around the home.
4. Remove all medications from your bathroom closets. People have been known to steal medications at open houses! It’s not a bad idea to bag up your meds and take them with you when you leave if you don’t have somewhere to lock them away.
5. Make sure every light bulb is working, and switch on all the lights just before the open house.
6. Clean (or replace) light switches. Old, grubby light switches are a “No” for buyers.
7. Declutter as much as possible. Remember you may be competing with builder’s model homes, so you want as little clutter as possible, and definitely remove any person items such as photographs, the framed portrait of George Bush etc.
8. Especially try to declutter your closets as much as possible. Cluttered closets look smaller than they are. If you can’t find a place for all of your clothes, organize them by size or color to make the closet seem larger.
9. Mow the lawn two days before the open house so you don’t have grass flying around and follow this advice on curb appeal.
10. Make sure all check books, correspondence, valuables and keys are either locked away securely, or taken out of the house. Either put them in the trunk of your car or take them to a friend or neighbor.
11. On the day of the open house set the dining table as if for a special occasion dinner.
12. Stow away any personal items from the bathrooms and counter-top appliances in the kitchen.
13. Hang new towels in the bathrooms.
14. Bake some cookies just before you leave, so the house smells of cookies.
15. Just before, open all the curtains and blinds to let as much light in as possible.