I know, I know. Despite the slick and cinchy chances to click and browse on-line virtual tours of listed homes, sometimes traditional, front lawn and curbside signed open houses do work. From The Oaks in Osprey, Lemon Bay in Englewood and Palmer Ranch in Sarasota to The Venetian, The Plantation and the many ‘burbs and subdivisions in Venice, the jury’s out about all the fuss and prep work it takes vs. bottom line and actual end value of open houses.
Although there are no columns of hard stats — and according to Kathy Roberts, the CEO of Sarasota Association of Realtors, the Association doesn’t even track area open house activity — some experienced real estate pros insist that any exposure is a good thing whenever owners are hoping to sell. It’s also possible that a vast majority of Sarasota real estate open houses are just a smilingly sneaky way to snoop through other people’s homes, without having to bring wine, prepared veggies and dip and the ordeal of sitting around making small talk about the weather, Obama, terrorists, calories and the price of gas.
Go ahead! Fess up. You’re guilty. Harmless, but guilty. Without the slightest intention of buying and moving, not even remotely for real estate reasons—maybe because it was a cloudy, ho-hum day or just harmless curiosity—you have walked through an open house door, maybe did or didn’t remove your shoes, grinned at the agent-on-duty, politely took a feature sheet and walked around for a thorough snoop.
Browsing. Getting ideas. Judging. Critiquing. The paint color. The floors. The clutter. The nicks, dents and other telltale signs of wear and tear that the owners obviously don’t notice or take for granted. The stuffed closets. The symmetrically arranged and token, big, never-opened coffee table books. The plush duvet or the stale and corny bedspread and matching shams. The kitchen counter exhibit of popcorn maker, juicer, blender, waffle iron, George Foreman grill and other rarely used gadgets.
The way the pictures are hung. Guessing if, “that’s them and those must be the grandchildren. Wasn’t that taken in Disney World?”Some high-hopes and anxious vendors go with their gut-feel and ignore basic open house do’s and don’ts such as avoiding clutter—in the kitchen, on shelves and (yes, browsers do look inside) closets, cabinets and even bathroom vanities. And don’t forget. You’re known by the shampoo and deodorant you use.
Some area real estate pros mention subtle or subliminal pre-open house touches. Rid every room of clutter. Sorry, all the souvenirs and memorabilia from random, long-ago trips and vacations are only warm ’n fuzzy for you.
Turn on all lights and make sure there are no missing or burned-out bulbs. Purge cobwebs or dead spiders from the front door. Clean the windows. Open the curtains and the blinds. Make the house bright and airy.
Some agents swear by a magic drop of vanilla on a stove burner a half hour before the open house. It wafts a homey fragrance through the house, although some vendors are convinced that potpourri, cheapo Ocean Breeze or apple and cinnamon air fresheners are inoffensive and do the trick. Some savvy open house vendors know, and some real estate agents preach, that some touch-ups and little things are proven open house clout.
Dated tiles and tired carpeting are discouraging turn-offs. Whether it’s in the selling-the-house budget or not, experts agree that flooring (traditional hardwood, engineered hardwood or laminate options) gives the open house signal of a clean, fresh renovated space.
Simple little updates do matter at show time. Replacing relatively inexpensive items like worn and drippy faucets, sinks, toilets, cabinet and drawer knobs do get noticed. So do cracked or dingy switch plates. New ones are about 49 cents but work subtle open house magic.
The rule about bathrooms? If it’s pink or blue, rip it out! Pastels, seashell tiles and fuzzy toilet seats are 21st century no-no’s. For anxious vendors, serious browsers, potential buyers (as well as idle snoopers), there is one forever valid fact of the open house: you only get one chance to make a first impression.
