Keep Your Privacy Intact During Open Houses
Many sellers fear open houses. As a Chatham-Kent realtor, I do everything in my power to help my clients prepare their house and ensure it’s in good selling condition. However, I understand, too, that keeping your privacy intact during an open house is a valid concern. Theft of valuable items has been overshadowed by identity theft. Here are a few tips on how to protect your privacy, and your identity, during an open house.
Be Wise About Private Documents
As a Chatham-Kent real estate agent, I have seen it all – bank statements left out on the kitchen table, opened mail stacked on counters, and taped to refrigerators that invite buyers to read your private documents, scan credit card numbers, and mortgage and debt information. When you open your house to public audiences, make sure your mail is safely tucked where potential buyers can’t read it.
Also, keep in mind that any built-in drawer is free reign. Anything that is part of the house, like kitchen cabinets and bathroom drawers, is available for the buyer and their Chatham-Kent realtor to investigate to see construction and depth. This is why many Chatham-Kent real estate agents will tell their clients to ensure that personal information and documents implicating the value of the home be kept in places that are not free for the buyer to peruse. You don’t want to leave anything around that may indicate that your listing price is too high. This is how low ball offers are made, and negotiations that decrease the price of your home.
Remove Prejudice Forming Artifacts
Before an open house, remove personal items that display too much about you. The buyer needs to see the house as their future home, rather than your personal space. This is made simple when they aren’t looking at diplomas and wedding photos mounted on the wall. As a Chatham-Kent realtor, I understand how difficult it can be for buyers to see a house as their home when photos of the old owners’ life are everywhere.
Keep in mind, too, that people can be prejudice. Buyers have biases that can transform a sale into a miss. For instance, someone who is bias against policemen may not buy the house knowing that the owner is a policeman. While this is taking prejudice too far, Chatham-Kent real estate agents see it happen all the time. Wedding photos also reveal the seller’s religion and orientation, which can spark unfair prejudice. It’s safest to avoid allowing the buyer to form an opinion about you.
Secrets Cause Lowball Prices
Sellers who are enduring a divorce or separation require quick sales. This is particularly true if the seller is the partner who remains in the home without being able to afford upkeep. Accidentally, buyers may find out this information simply by looking in closets.
It’s quite obvious by seeing half-empty closets filled with clothes of only one partner that a divorce or separation has occurred. This is especially obvious if the seller has left out wedding photos. This can cause the buyer to make lower offers than the list price, knowing the seller needs to get rid of the house quickly.
For more information on getting your home ready to sell today, or if you need a Chatham-Kent realtor, contact me at 519-360-0141. My website also includes a a great article about the open house process.