There's more to holding a successful open house than just preparing the home, placing an ad, and planting open house signs. Careful planning and advance effort can help guarantee that your open house gets results.

The first question to ask yourself is: "What results do you expect?" While a primary goal, of course, is to sell the home, an open house is also an opportunity to further other objectives. For example, an open house can help build your visibility in your farm area. It can generate buyer prospects and even deliver listing prospects. It also creates a good reason to follow up with past prospects still in your database and to contact former clients and customers.

Send an open house invitation to at least 50 neighbors. A printed postcard, door hanger or a handwritten note helps build traffic and enhance your visibility as an area expert. Enlisting the aid of a neighborhood teenager is a cost-effective way to get envelopes addressed, notes written and invitations distributed.
When inviting area residents to the open house, your pitch might be: "here's an opportunity to choose your neighbors! If you have friends or relatives that you'd like to have as neighbors, please tell them about the open house. Or, better yet, bring them by."

You might also offer to provide a free neighborhood market update showing the number of homes sold, days on the market, average selling prices and other relevant housing data. This offer is especially appealing to neighbors who are considering selling their own homes.

Tips for the open house:

• Replace light bulbs with the highest wattage bulb fixtures allow. Turn on all lights.

• Open draperies and other window coverings.

• Put out containers of fresh fruit or flowers.

• Be sure towels are fresh.

• Set dining room table.

• Put away accumulated mail, newspapers and magazines.

• Clean out the fireplace and add fresh logs. On a cold day, build a fire.

• Turn off the TV. Turn on soft music.

• Grind a fresh lemon or orange in the garbage disposal.

• Put out fresh potpourri or scented candles.

• Ask a friend or the kennel to keep pets. Remove cat litter and other pet paraphernalia.

• Add seasonal flowers or greenery to porches and patio.

• Put all small valuables safely out of sight.

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