Preparing for an Open House

By Emily Southey | 12 minute read

Open houses are a crucial part of the selling process. Most buyers want to see properties in person to get a feel for the place that they can’t get through photos or videos online. It’s also an opportunity to ask the REALTOR® any questions they may have and learn more about the property and the surrounding neighbourhood. 

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Open houses are a useful tool to allow multiple buyers to see the property at once. If executed correctly, these types of events can be a wonderful showcase of your home, generating buzz and hopefully resulting in an offer (or multiple!). But hosting an open house isn’t always easy, even for the most experienced of REALTORS®. While it’s similar to hosting an event, there is a strategic element to it as you have a clear goal in mind: to market the home so that someone will buy it. Believe it or not, there are many mistakes sellers and REALTORS® can make when hosting open houses. Below, we dive into the most common mistakes to avoid when hosting an open house, as well as our top tips for hosting a successful open house. 

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Holding an Open House

Open houses can make or break a home sale. For this reason, we recommend only hosting an open house if you’re willing to put in the effort to make it worthwhile. To ensure your open house goes off without a hitch, avoid the common mistakes below. From failing to eliminate strong odours to playing distracting music or being too pushy with potential buyers, check out this list of nine mistakes to avoid when holding an open house.

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1. Cramming the closets and cabinets

Decluttering is a key part of hosting an open house (more on that below). However, decluttering doesn’t mean stuffing your cabinets, cupboards, and closets full of knick-knacks and memorabilia. It means (temporarily) removing these items from your home altogether. Why? Because buyers are nosy, so you should be prepared for them to open cupboards and doors throughout your home. While it might seem unnecessary, untidy closets that are filled to the brim can leave a sour taste in a potential buyer’s mouth. So in addition to not adding more clutter to your closets or cabinets in an attempt to tidy up your living spaces, we also recommend pre-emptively removing some items from your closets. You want to present an idealized version of your home, which means neatly organized lived spaces, inside and out. 

2. Leaving repairs unfinished

If your home looks like a construction site, then now is not the right time to host an open house. Ideally, all renovations and remodels should be completed before the open house is held. Buyers notice everything. Even if there is a minor repair in the works, they’ll notice it. Don’t give buyers a reason to discount your home by leaving work unfinished.

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3. Ignoring strong odours

If there is a strong or bad smell lingering in your home, take care of it well in advance of the open house. Smell is one of our strongest senses, and if we smell something we don’t like, it can stick with us. So if your house smells like pets, cigarettes, or even perfume, do your best to deodorize it before the open house. In addition, don’t cook anything strong-smelling on the day of the event. At best, a strong odour will make for an uncomfortable open house experience, and at worst, it will make a buyer question whether they’d be able to remove the smell if they bought the property, preventing them from putting in an offer. Do everything in your power to air out your home, whether that means opening all windows and doors, doing a deep clean of the walls and carpets, or spraying air freshener throughout the home. 

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4. Leaving valuable items or confidential documents lying around

This is a mistake that can have serious consequences for the seller. The reality of an open house is that a bunch of strangers will be walking through your home. Some of these strangers may have pre-registered to attend while others may walk in off the street. You should be prepared for this reality by hiding or removing all valuable and confidential items. The last thing you want is to leave fine jewelry lying around only to find it missing at the end of the event. From utility bills and bank statements to watches, wallets, or cash, remove any items that might be appealing to thieves. Take care to move these valuable or private items to a secure spot in your home, such as a safe or another location. 

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5. Forgetting to tidy the exterior

It’s easy to neglect the exterior of your home, but this would be a major mistake. Though you might think that the interior of your home (staging, decluttering, cleaning) is the priority, the reality is that first impressions matter. And the first impression potential buyers will have of your home is what they see when they pull into the driveway. This means that your exterior — from your landscaping and entryway to your driveway and garage — should all be pristine. There are many quick and inexpensive fixes that will instantly boost the curb appeal of your home. Mow your lawn, hide the garbage cans, store the bikes and cars in the garage, give the front door a fresh coat of paint, clean the windows, trim the hedges, remove any dead plants or weeds, sweep the front stoop, and plant some fresh flowers in an urn or window box at the front of your house. Ultimately, anywhere that potential buyers will see or walk through should be tidied. 

6. Keeping pets at home

Keeping pets at home during an open house is a big no-no. Not everyone is a dog or cat person. In fact, some buyers might even be allergic to animals, which means the presence of your sweet pup could deter them from viewing your house. However, even for people who like animals, having a dog or cat sniffing or jumping up on them could make them uncomfortable. Lastly, to some buyers, pets are synonymous with dirt, hair, and dust. If there is no pet in sight, the buyer has no reason to worry about the home’s cleanliness — or lack thereof — and may be more likely to purchase the home. 

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7. Attending the open house (as a seller)

Many REALTORS® advise against the seller attending their own open house. Why? For several reasons. First, having the seller at the open house can make buyers uncomfortable. They might be less likely to explore the house or ask the questions they want to ask. Second, sellers are more likely to overshare and accidentally divulge information about the house that chases away a potential homebuyer. Lastly, buyers don’t like it when others hover around them, which a seller might be inclined to do if they’re curious to know people’s thoughts on their home. For this reason, sellers should never attend the open house. 

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8. Playing distracting music

Music is not necessary at an open house and will only serve to distract potential buyers. Make it easy to facilitate conversations about the property by keeping background sounds to a minimum. If you feel strongly about playing music during the event, choose relaxing, instrumental music and play it at a low volume. 

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9. Setting the thermostat incorrectly

Houses that are too hot or too cold can be uncomfortable to spend time in. At an open house, you want to encourage potential buyers to stay as long as possible, in the hopes that the more time they spend in the house, the more they like it. Don’t have them running for the door by setting the thermostat incorrectly. If it’s a hot summer day, make sure to crank up the air conditioning at least an hour before the open house begins. Alternatively, if your open house is being held in the middle of winter, then kick-start the heater so the house is at a warm, comfortable temperature by the time guests arrive.