If you’re trying to sell your house during the winter months, there are a few things you need to keep in mind that you otherwise wouldn’t have to give a second thought when having an open house. Winter months can bring with them all sorts of issues concerning open houses such as not many people attending, folks who do come trying to quickly get inside the house and out of the cold, wet dirty shoes messing up the house once folks get inside from the messy weather and the list goes on.  Below you will find a list of a few of the open house blunders you may want to watch out for. 

  1. If you plan to have an open house  in order to try to sell your house this winter and it happens to snow, you need to be sure to clear the snow out of the walkway so that those who come to see your home can safely get in and out.  The last thing you need is for someone to come look at your house and then turn away when they see that they cannot safely enter or exit your home.  This would not be a good way to lose a possible offer on your home because it is something easily taken care of. 
  2. Another open house mistake to avoid   this winter is turning the heat up to high in the house.  Although folks like to get in out of the cold, many folks don’t like to get overheated especially when they are trying to make a huge decision like possibly buying a house. 
  3. Try not to overdo the Christmas lights when holding an open house during the holiday season.  People want to envision themselves in your home and if you go too far with the Christmas lights they may not be able to do this as well as they might otherwise. 
  4. If you plan to have an open house during the winter months, be sure to check the weather forecast so that you don’t end up with a lot of no shows due to inclement weather. 
  5. If you have an open house during winter months you may want to have something warm to eat for your guests and some hot coffee on hand. 

These types of things can help you to have a better open house during the winter months if you will take them to heart.  

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.