Some Orangeville realtors believe that open housing is a thing of the past and belongs in the 20th century because here in the 21st century, we have the Internet, which has taken away a lot of the reasons for an open house with web sites that show virtual tours, plans and YouTube videos, you can almost see every inch of the place.

But it is because of the Internet that Open Houses in Orangeville can be so successful. What a great way to spread the word rapidly. Buyers appreciate the opportunity to see the home first hand. Many buyers are already working with an agent and hate to bother their agents to see every house on the market and may miss yours.

Realtors in Orangeville who believe in Open Houses work very diligently to make the Open House a huge success. It is not the goal of the good realtor to use an Open House for self-promotion or make the sellers feel like they are doing something, but rather to SELL your Orangeville home.

Open houses provide a stress free way for potential buyers to view many different properties and be able to compare homes amenities, locations and pricing. Much like a buffet, potential buyers are able to sample everything on the buffet and know exactly what they like and don’t like before buying.

The number one determining factor in deciding to have an Open House in the Orangeville area is location. If your home is in a very remote location and quite difficult to locate, then there is no point in having your agent host an Open house. If it is an area that is quite scenic and tends to have a great deal of traffic, such as Mono, then an Open house may be warranted.

One negative aspect of an Open House is not knowing if the potential buyers have been prequalified. In the past, people may have decided to go to Open Houses for something to do. But typically in today’s society people are much too busy to waste their time touring homes they have no intention of buying or can afford. Buyers are very savvy and have very good understanding of pricing of neighbourhoods and tend to look in areas they are seriously interested in and can afford. Even if some lookey Loo’s happen to stroll through, they may know someone who really is looking for your particular home. What is that saying, “ Everyone knows a ten.”

Getting the Word Out

Your realtor’s job is to get the word out to as many people as possible. The Internet is an excellent way to promote Open Houses in Orangeville. Agents use their own personal websites, company websites, Realtor.ca, YouTube, Facebook and many other social networks to promote the location and date.

Another excellent place to promote your Open House is in your neighbourhood. Realtors sometimes send out post cards to neighbours or place sign toppers on your For Sale sign. It is not expected that your neighbour is going to move two blocks away but people like to have their friends in their own neighbourhoods and will tend to invite their own friends to come.

Stage and Price it Right

It goes without saying, but…. Your house must be clean. It should have curb appeal, so trim those bushes, cut the grass and clean the windows. As for the inside of the house, you don’t have to hire a home stager, but the more expensive the home and the more money on the line, the better the idea it becomes.

Typically your realtor can offer a fresh set of eyes to point out areas you may not have noticed that potential buyers will be looking at. Realtors will often ask you to try to depersonalize your home to some degree. It’s not meant to be totally bare, but enough that potential buyers can envision themselves in your home.

You can do all the magic of promoting your Open House in Orangeville from hiring a sky writer and to stage it to the nines, but if it’s priced too high it won’t matter. A too high sale price pretty much guarantees a low turnout which is bad, because it is a numbers game. Buyers are too savvy and have done their research on the Internet and are not going to waste their time looking at overpriced homes.

The choice is ultimately yours if you wish to have Open Houses or not. Speak with your realtor and find out what their philosophy is with regards to Open Housing and what exactly they will be doing to get the word out. Make sure you have your home in top notch condition and priced right and you are sure to improve your odds of finding the right buyer!