Greg Blake and Tim Smith - FOR SALE BY OWNER: AN EXPERT'S GUIDE FOR SUCCESS

the kids to a safe sitter, such as Grandma or a trusted neighbor, for the day. This also will help you focus on the open house. Preparation is Essential: You’ll have to answer many questions during an open house. Think about the potential ones beforehand and be prepared. What would you want to know about a property if you were considering purchasing it? If you don’t know the answer to one of these questions, find it before you open your doors to the public. Common question topics are:

• shopping opportunities • school information • parks • various services (recycling, trash pickup, etc.) • utility costs • taxes • examples of financing options • neighbor friendliness

Touch Base Later: After the open house is over, and you can breathe again, you’ll be glad you had sign-in sheets. Contact each visitor to see if they’re truly interested in your property. Find out what they thought of your place. Don’t be offended by critical answers. Use this valuable information to improve your home before more viewers come by. When following up, try to gauge whether folks who are interested in your home are capable of buying it. Without enough purchasing power, buying is a lost cause. For this reason, consider qualifying your prospective buyers.

POINTS TO REMEMB O REMEMBER:

• Potential buyers might expect to visit your home on short

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