Prepare Your Home for a Virtual Open House

A successful open house can hold the key to unlocking the sale of your home. If you're selling your home during the coronavirus pandemic, showing your home while following health and safety guidelines is a challenge. However, it's not impossible thanks to virtual open houses and showings.

Virtual open houses and showings make it possible to keep your home sale going. There are plenty of things you can do to prepare for your virtual open house. Let's take a look at how to prepare your home.

1. Plan the Walkthrough Path with Your Sales Associate
   Work with your sales associate to select the best path to walk through your home to show its best features during the virtual open house.
2. Declutter & Depersonalize
   Clean and organize your home. Declutter spaces by finding homes for all objects. Before selling your home, remove all family photographs and other personal belongings that make the buyer feel like they're in "someone else's" home.
3. Use the Right Lighting
   When you're preparing your home for a virtual open house, eliminate shadows and dark areas by opening the blinds and drapes and turn on lights throughout your home.
4. Paint Walls Neutral Colors
   One way to make your space feel like a blank canvas for the buyer is to paint your walls neutral colors. Use whites, beiges, and grays to create a clean slate throughout.
5. Stage the Home
   Although you may love your furniture, your buyers might not. Professional staging companies will gladly come into your home and highlight the best features of your home. Their choice of furniture and décor will also appeal to a wider audience, allowing buyers to envision themselves living in the home.
6. Make a Cheat Sheet for Your Sales Associate
   Collaborate with your associate to prepare a "script" for them to use during the open house--highlight recent updates and renovations. Provide your associate with information about your home to make the best online presentation possible.

Selling your home is an endeavor that requires patience, dedication, and hard work if you want to maximize your offer potential. 

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