With prospective buyers traditionally taking more time off work during the holidays, it may be wise to hold an open house during this time to bring more traffic to your listing. Some buyers may even be looking to purchase a home before ringing in the new year. But in this colder season, use these tips from RISMedia to host an open house during the holidays.
Shovel the sidewalk. Keep a shovel and a bag of salt in your car in case you need to clear walkways and stairs of snow and ice at a moment’s notice.
Heat up the home. Turn up the thermostat so prospective buyers step into a warm, inviting home from the cold outside. But make sure to crank the heat well ahead of your open house so the home has enough time to warm up.
Check the weather. You want to make sure people actually come to your open house, and the weather is bad, you won't get much foot traffic. Schedule your open house on a day that calls for fair weather.
Write an enticing listing description. “You need to engage your clients to feel excited about the home, especially about what the joy of purchasing a new home during the holidays will mean for them,” RISMedia notes. “Try to capture the excitement of the holidays to drive interest.”
Channel the holiday season. Play soft, classical music in the background. Offer treats like homemade holiday cookies and hot cocoa to encourage potential buyers to stay. To create an inviting aroma, RISMedia suggests simmering orange peels, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg on the stove with some water. If snow is on the ground, you may even consider building a snowman outside the front door to greet guests.
Source:
“7 Dos for Open Houses During the Holidays (and 4 Don’ts),” RISMedia (Dec. 2, 2018)
