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It would be a rare moment if someone walked into your open house and said ‘let me sign on the dotted line’! However, just having someone walk in to your home means that your open house is succeeding.

There used to be a time when open houses were the chance to see how others made the best of their home, and sometimes they were even used for Sunday afternoon entertainment ( i.e. let’s drive around some open houses!).

Nowadays, however, we are all a bit blas’e and it is more difficult to drum up enthusiasm for an open house. The enthusiasm starts with you. Your attitude can really help. Plan your open house to be successful - you are also involved, a successful open house is not some magic that your real estate agent will drum up single-handedly, he or she will really appreciate your input!

Before you even think about advertising - think about the accidental visitors - the ones who saw your sign and ‘decided to pop in’! In order to hit the maximum traffic you need to find out what is happening in your neighborhood and on what weekend. Plan your King of Open Houses to coincide with a King of Local Events happening.

If there is a local flea market, a three family garage sale or a carnival nearby and even your local service- there will be large numbers of vehicles driving around the local streets. Grab ‘em! Put your signs everywhere! On busy street corners, intersections and your own street corner. At least half a dozen signs!

Sell your great neighborhood - coffee helps here! Hire a large coffee maker and plastic cups and be sociable about it! Have lemonade for the kids and toys in the back yard so that mum and dad can relax for a minute - and associate your home with relaxation!

Spend five bucks on a few cookies (but do not put them all out at once!), your hospitality will add to the pleasant ambiance that people will remember from your house.

If a neighbor has a garage sale the day before, stick your sign up in your garden to advertise your ‘open house’ happening on the next day! (Put tomorrow in big letters!), where you will be selling your crystal bead jewelry.

Well, now we come to the obvious part of having a king of open houses: advertising. Do not be content with a sign on the corner of your road, go out and find those people and capture their interest. For instance, advertise it in the classifieds under the ‘houses for sale’ column.

When you are advertising it - use every choice available: the Internet, your local newspaper and of course, the signs. Pinpoint its uniqueness on every advertisement. ‘Open House’ says nothing much but ‘Open House with Luxury Bathroom’, or ‘Open House with Outdoor Kitchen’ or ‘rowing machine available’ could pique the interest enough to turn the steering wheel around.

Your visitors may not be looking for a house, but their grandson may be, or their neighbor’s daughter. Treat each visitor with courtesy and warmth, enjoy them - and remember - they may be the pathway to your house sale.

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