If you are selling your home yourself one of the best ways to generate potential buyers is to hold an open house. This would normally be something your real estate agent would handle for you. However, if you are selling your home on your own planning an open house is something you will have to plan for yourself. No matter who is holding your open house it will need careful planning to be able to go off without a hitch.

Depending on the success of your open house it is very possible that you will be in your home with one stranger at a time. If this is the case, you want to ensure that everything is set to go off safely, so that you do not have to worry about yourself or your possessions. This article is set up to explain all the various safety tips you should use when having an open house.

Your home is most likely a place that is filled with many memories, most of them wonderful family memories of you, your husband, and your children. This can cause you to be very protective of your home. It is a very natural reaction to have when you are planning to move.

You will probably be wary of strangers. This is also a natural reaction. You do not know the person. You have no idea of their background, history, or temperament. You should proceed with caution.

It may not be a good idea to be alone in your home with potential buyers if you are uncomfortable around strangers. Your spouse, parent, or trusted friend may want to be present during the open house for moral support.

It’s only natural to want to sell your home instantly, once you have decided to move. However, you also want to make sure the sale is a safe transaction that goes smoothly.

You don’t know the people that are going to show up at your open house. You have no idea of why they are here, or if they are even capable of buying a home. Since you have no idea of their intentions it is always good to have a safety plan. Set it up so that you know what to do if you’re put into an uncomfortable situation when you are alone with a buyer.

When you make the plan you may want to ask yourself the following questions to ensure you don’t get put into a situation that is dangerous to you or your family.

Question #1
Who needs to be home during the open house when buyers are inspecting your home?

You are probably going to want to have the kids stay at a relative, neighbor, or friend’s house. Kids have a way of distracting the attention away from the home, and on to something else (usually them!). If the children are out of the home you do not have to worry about the house being filled with noise (something that can leave a bad taste in a potential buyer’s mouth). You also don’t have to worry about the kids making a mess of the house you have just cleaned up while you a busy showing buyers through other rooms in your home.

You and your spouse may want to be present together. If your spouse has to work or is not good around people he or she doesn’t know you should ask a trusted friend or neighbor or one of your close relatives to stay with you, and help you with the open house. They can help you feel more comfortable since you aren’t alone with a stranger, and keep you company between visits from buyers so you do not get bored!

Question #2
How should you react if the buyer seems more interested in your personal possessions than in the home you are selling?

If you find that the buyer is acting strangely and seems to be more interested in your belongings then in your home they may be “casing” the joint to see if your home is worth robbing from.

You want to react as normal as possible, but be wary when leading them through the house. If you have an area filled with more valuables than any other, you will probably want to avoid going in that room if you notice their possession obsession early on.

You should keep all of your most valuable possessions out of sight if it is at all possible. Many times jewelry or money is left out absentmindedly on bedside tables, or dresser tops. If these people cannot see anything valuable they are less likely to want to show up at your house later, with a moving van to cart out all your expensive possessions.

If you are certain someone is casing out your home, and truly feel uncomfortable about it you may want to file a report with the police. Make sure to get the person’s name and number. The police can check the person out, and if they have a fake name, number, or address they aren’t who they say they are, and you can keep your eye out for potential criminal activity in or near your home.

Question #3
What will you do if you feel uncomfortable with a buyer before they even enter your home?

If you believe someone is acting suspiciously before they even enter your home you may want to have a plan for what to do or say. No one wants to spend time with someone they do not know, especially if they are getting negative vibes from the person.

If you don’t feel comfortable with letting someone in your home you may want to tell them something came up and you had to cancel the open house. You could also tell them that the home already has an offer that you a pursuing.

If there are other buyers present you probably do not want to lie. They will see that you have other buyers, and it may be easier to quickly walk them through the home with your friend, relative, or spouse. This would be better than making any kind of scene that could cost you a potential buyer.

Question #4
What do you do if the buyer wants to use your phone or the bathroom?

Occasionally a buyer may ask to use your phone, go to the bathroom, or do something else that may seem a bit rude. When put in this situation you will be put on the spot.

Try to react calmly, and do not get upset. Politely tell them that your phone is off limits. You do not know who they are. They could try and rack up long distance charges for all you know.

If they want to use the bathroom you will probably be a bit more understanding. Sometimes you just cannot help it when you have to go to the bathroom. Hopefully, they will not make a huge mess in the bathroom, but in case they do have some supplies hidden under the sink to quickly give the toilet a scrub down between visits from buyers. You should also have air freshener handy to spray in case they ruin the freshness of the bathroom.

Ultimately, it’s up to you if you let someone use your bathroom or the phone. You do not have to follow my advice if you are comfortable letting them use the phone or uncomfortable letting someone you do not know use the bathroom. Use your best judgment and everything should be ok.

Question #5
If someone brings a pet are you willing to let them view your house or does Fido have to stay outside?

Personally, I think it is tacky for someone to show up with their pet in tow. It does happen on occasion. Pets carry a distinct smell and odor that humans cannot always detect. If you have pets of your own you will probably keep them outside during the Open House.

Amazingly, more buyers will avoid a home if they know that a pet lives at the home. This is because pets do have accidents, chew things, and they can wear down a home much quicker than those who do not have pets.

If someone with a pet enters your home their scent is being added. If they smell, your house may acquire the stench of smelly dog or cat. This may turn off even more buyers who may assume the pet is yours. If the pet catches your own pet’s scent they could do something destructive to your house, including trying to mark the home as their territory (which is something you do not want happening when you are trying to sell your home).

This is an animal that is foreign to you and your home. You don’t know their behavior. They could be aggressive. They could try and attack other buyers or even you. The pet may chew up, scratch up, or stink up your home. You never know what the pet is going to do.

Keeping all this in mind, you probably want to inform the visitor that they can keep their pet outside, but it cannot come in since your home has just been cleaned. They may be offended or they may not.

If they are a huge pet lover they may leave, but you wouldn’t want that kind of person buying your home if they aren’t willing to follow a simple rule. It isn’t proper etiquette to bring a pet to an Open House anyhow, so you shouldn’t feel bad about not letting them in.

Question #6
Do you ask potential buyers for I.D. to prove they are who they say they are?

Going back to Question #2 when you find them checking out your belongings, when you ask them for their name you should always ask them for identification. This is protection for you. If they are truly interested in buying your home they shouldn’t have a problem with this. If they aren’t even willing to show their identification or become argumentative then chances are the buyer isn’t serious about buying your home or they have other motives for stopping by to check out your home.

Always remember it is better to be safe then to be sorry. A good real estate professional will ask visitors to an open house to see their identification. If you are selling on your own why shouldn’t you be able to do the same?

When selling your home on your own remember that you should leave your home if you feel threatened. It’s awful to feel this way in your own home, but you don’t have to go far.

Go to a neighbor’s house. Make sure you can see your house, and call the police. When the police come you should meet them at your home, but don’t return before they arrive. When you go, have your neighbor come with you just for safety’s sake. They can lock up their home easily and if you live nearby it’s a short trip that will not take them very long.

DO NOT stay in your home if you feel someone dangerous is inside it, especially if you are alone.

What should you do if you do not let someone in because they make you uncomfortable and they will not leave your yard? The simplest thing to do is to lock all your doors, stay in your home and call the police. The police can escort them off your property. If they do not leave nicely they may take them down to the station, allowing you to continue with the open house as it was planned.

Never let visitors to your home walk around unsupervised. Watch them carefully, because you never know where they are headed, what they are looking for, or what they plan to do in your home. In the worst scenario you may lose some of the most valuable possessions in your home without even realizing it. Therefore, it is important to accompany the buyer as they go through the entire home. You cannot question their movement if you are with them all the time.

You also want to avoid placing valuables in bedside drawers, or easily accessible cabinets. A seasoned professional can sneak into the closest drawers and make off with your jewelry or money without you even noticing, even if you are with them at all times. Likewise, don’t leave your purse or wallet out in plain view.

You will probably not have to use your safety plan. Many people who stop by will be pleasant and relatively easy to deal with. You should still have a plan though just in case you come in contact with the one bad apple in the bunch.

If you are uncertain about having an open house you may want to consider having a real estate agent help you. They can deal with all of the things you may not have the time, patience, or knowledge for. They also have their own safety plans in place in case the open house does not go as planned. They are used to dealing with clients they do not know, and it makes your job, as the seller, that much easier.

Ultimately, what you do is up to you. If you have any questions about this article or the sale of your home, I am more then willing to talk with you. I will help you in any way that I can.