Comments on: Is Holding an Open House For Your Los Altos Home Going to Help it Sell? The Pros And Cons of Open Houses! http://siliconvalleyrealestateinfo.com/is-your-los-altos-open-house-going-to-sell-your-home-the-pros-and-cons-of-open-houses.html Los Altos Realtor Serving Silicon Valley Buyers and Sellers by Combining Local Insight With Professional Representation Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:30:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dave Blockhus, Los Altos CA Real Estate Specialist, Coldwell Banker http://siliconvalleyrealestateinfo.com/is-your-los-altos-open-house-going-to-sell-your-home-the-pros-and-cons-of-open-houses.html/comment-page-1#comment-837 Dave Blockhus, Los Altos CA Real Estate Specialist, Coldwell Banker Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:36:53 +0000 http://siliconvalleyrealestateinfo.com/?p=1031#comment-837 Pam, The house in question has been pulled off the MLS for the holidays - yet the "For Sale" sign still is in the front yard. I would have pulled the "For Sale" sign as well and brought the property on as "fresh" in late January. Pam,

The house in question has been pulled off the MLS for the holidays – yet the “For Sale” sign still is in the front yard.
I would have pulled the “For Sale” sign as well and brought the property on as “fresh” in late January.

]]> By: Pam Buda http://siliconvalleyrealestateinfo.com/is-your-los-altos-open-house-going-to-sell-your-home-the-pros-and-cons-of-open-houses.html/comment-page-1#comment-835 Pam Buda Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:48:16 +0000 http://siliconvalleyrealestateinfo.com/?p=1031#comment-835 Hi Dave--really good summary of the pros and cons. I agree that overexposure is a negative, not a positive. Sometimes it helps to change up the timing of an open house as well. For example, if a property is in a good commute location--holding it open from 4-6 pm might make sense, especially when the days are longer. Also, the most important open house is probably the broker open when the property first comes on the market. Broker tours are an efficient way for agents to review new listings without having to make appointments in advance. It is the perfect time for the listing agent to present their detailed knowledge of the home which is especially important in my area, Sonoma County, when country properties make up a large share of our market. Each has different zoning, lot size and shape, and well and septic configurations, so it helps to get an overview from the listing agent prior to any possible client showings. At one country property listing I had I wanted agents to stay and explore the many buildings in a beautiful hillside setting so I hired a massage therapist to offer mini-chair massages and had a favorite lender serving hot mulled cider and wine. It worked, the property sold in a week with multiple offers, at full price. Hi Dave–really good summary of the pros and cons. I agree that overexposure is a negative, not a positive.

Sometimes it helps to change up the timing of an open house as well. For example, if a property is in a good commute location–holding it open from 4-6 pm might make sense, especially when the days are longer.

Also, the most important open house is probably the broker open when the property first comes on the market. Broker tours are an efficient way for agents to review new listings without having to make appointments in advance. It is the perfect time for the listing agent to present their detailed knowledge of the home which is especially important in my area, Sonoma County, when country properties make up a large share of our market. Each has different zoning, lot size and shape, and well and septic configurations, so it helps to get an overview from the listing agent prior to any possible client showings. At one country property listing I had I wanted agents to stay and explore the many buildings in a beautiful hillside setting so I hired a massage therapist to offer mini-chair massages and had a favorite lender serving hot mulled cider and wine. It worked, the property sold in a week with multiple offers, at full price.

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