Does location still matter most? Should you remodel your home to suit your tastes or for resale value? Are starter homes still a thing? We all have plenty of questions about the ever-changing world of real estate. In our Ask an Agent series, we’re partnering with experts at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate to answer your biggest questions about finding, buying, and selling a home.
Between social media and online listings, open houses might seem like a thing of the past. But are they still worth the effort if you want to sell your home faster? A real estate agent weighs in on why open houses still matter, plus shares her best tips for attracting buyers and making your home stand out.
Related: Should You Buy a Home Now or Wait for Rates to Go Down? Here’s What a Real Estate Expert Says
Credit: Kristen Wehner Jacobsen
For this installment of Ask an Agent, we spoke with Kristen Wehner Jacobsen, an associate broker, realtor, and CDRE with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | The Good Life Group in Omaha, to find out if open houses still help sell homes today.
Meet Our Expert
Kristen Wehner Jacobsen is an associate broker, realtor, and CDRE with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | The Good Life Group in Omaha. She’s been a full-time realtor for 25 years.
Are Open Houses Still Worth It?
Absolutely—I think open houses are important in today’s marketplace because they can put the whole house in front of many buyers at once. With my clients, if the house stays on the market long enough, I’ll host the open house within the first three weekends it’s listed.
We advertise the event for six full days, and I’ll make the open house an hour and a half long. This signals to buyers that it’s only available to see for a finite time, which we’ve seen increase activity and traffic.
Most importantly, because we advertise it six days prior, buyers can get prequalified in this time. This way, everyone coming in can feel confident and educated in their decision before they even see the home.
What Sellers Can Do
Before the house goes on the market, we have sellers consult with my home stagers and go over what they need to do to properly show the home. These steps include a deep clean, making sure all the blinds are open, all the lights are on, beds are made, and pillows on the couch are fluffed. Those little things make a big difference.
Lastly, although it may sound weird, smell matters. I personally don’t like any overwhelming plug-in scent, and potential buyers might think, “What are they trying to cover up?” So some of my clients bake cinnamon rolls or something else that feels homey. I always recommend a simmer pot; it’s clean, and it smells good without being overpowering.
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens
