Philadelphia Open House Best Practices

Philadelphia Open House Best Practices

Philadelphia Real Estate Blog – Philadelphia Open Houses

(UPDATE: A buyer client of mine who we can simply call Large Marge has asked that I disclose that i just put a property under contract that was found as a result of an open house)

Open houses continue to be an area of debate in the Philadelphia real estate community. Some real estate agents and home sellers feel they provide great marketing exposure and others feel they are a waste of time or just provide networking opportunities for the listing agent. No matter what side of the fence you fall on open houses are hosted every single weekend in Philadelphia and it makes sense to know what steps can be taken to increase the odds of selling the property.

First and foremost, the property should be priced right, show well and be in a location that is amenable to hosting an open house. Condo buildings, especially those that restrict open house signs can be tricky. Assuming price, condition and location all make sense, here’s a list of steps to take to get the most of out of an open house:

• Advertise EVERYWHERE. We all know that print advertising is an absolute waste of time and money but do it anyway. Online advertising must include blogs, Trulia, Zillow, Craigslist, realtor.com and any other local websites that prospective buyers check

• Email/fax blast to other real estate agents and client database

• Strategically place at least 2 and preferably 4 open house signs that direct traffic to the home. Balloons and such are optional.

• Open all window treatments, turn on all lights, crack a window and make the house look and feel welcoming and comfortable. On football Sunday’s I’ll even put the Philadelphia Eagles on so buyers can get a feel of what life in the home is like.

• Provide visitors with picture filled, color flyers and also recent sold comps or available comps that show what a great value the property is. Cooperating with a local lender so financing options and payment amounts are included can be helpful for potential buyers.

• Include any recent appraisals, inspections, upgrades, repairs, floorplans etc… that may be useful for the buyer.

• Put out a sign in sheet and ask the buyers to sign in and provide a real name, email and phone number so you can get feedback.

• Occasionally, “twilight opens” or open houses held during the week between 5pm and 7pm can make sense. Serving wine and cheese is popular with hungry consumers walking home from work.

To search Philadelphia Real Estate listings for condos, homes and apartments click here.

Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Frank L. DeFazio, Esquire
Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors – Society Hill
530 Walnut Street, Suite 260
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.521.1623  Direct
610.636.4364  Cellular
888.308.1148  Fax
[email protected]
www.CenterCityTeam.com