Every once in a while I encounter a home seller who is dead against allowing Open Homes (or Open for Inspection times) as part of the overall marketing of their property. The main concerns include a perceived lack of security and the feeling that the privacy and sanctity of your home is being invaded. Both of these concerns are understandable.
Interestingly, in the more than 15 years that I have been selling homes in North Wellington, I have never encountered a situation where someone’s personal affects or valuables have gone missing and hopefully, I never have to face up to owners who have had goods taken from their home during an open home.
If you have valuable items that you don’t want to risk an open home with. Either tuck them in a drawer (there is absolutely no reason, pack them in a box and put under your bed before the open home, or take the items with you.
As a precaution, real estate agents ask buyers to register their name and details on entry to an Open Home. Some buyers don’t understand that this is as much for the protection of the owner as it is to help the agent follow up for feedback after the open home. There have been the odd instances where a buyer has refused to put their name in the open home register. Depending on the policy of the agency involved, these individuals are either watched like a hawk or politely asked to leave the premises immediately.
For any home seller who isn’t keen on the idea of an Open Home, consider these graphs and comment provided by Trademe:
We might go on about this a bit, but looking at data pulled from listings over the last year you would need your head read not to have open homes on you property as part of the marketing programme.
Not only do properties with Open Homes receive more views on average than other listings, they spend less than half the time on site than listings without open home times (which means by inference that they sell much quicker).
A quick message for Open Home visitors
Remember, as an open home attendee, you are in someone else’s home. This is private property and not some public space where you can wander at leisure, take a seat or use the toilet (yes this happens more commonly than you think!).
A quick nod of greeting or hello to the agent is always appreciated even if you aren’t in serious buyer mode.
Don’t balk at signing an open home register. If you ever come to sell your home, you’ll understand why this process is a part of the open home marketing process.
