Real Estate Marketing Blog

Are you looking for real estate open house ideas to pass along to current and prospective clients? Summer is prime selling time, and an open house will help you create a buzz around your listings. Putting open house tips on newsletters or postcards can boost your reputation and it’s a great way to kickstart your real estate marketing campaign in a new farm area. Our team has put together top tips to help you and your clients execute a successful summer open house.

When Is the Best Time to Schedule an Open House?

If you want to draw a crowd, weekends are the best time to schedule your open house. We also recommend afternoon hours between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM when potential buyers are typically out and about anyway. For weekday open houses, consider opening the doors of your listing from 4pm to 7pm. This makes it convenient for perspective buyers and other agents to drop by on the way home. Don’t forget to mail out open house postcards from ReaMark so everyone can mark the date.

Showcase Local Food and Drink

Highlight your knowledge of local produce and food specialties. Pick up appetizers from popular restaurants and choose dishes that participants can eat easily as they walk around. If there’s a local deli that sells artisanal cheeses, that might make a great choice for your refreshment table.

Decorate With Seasonal Blooms

Blooming flowers and stately trees are always a strong selling point. If you can harvest roses, peonies, or other flowers from the property, they make great centerpieces and help buyers make a connection to the home.

Beautify Your Landscaping

Start by tidying your flower beds, trimming your bushes and trees, and mowing your lawn. Water plants and grass for a few days before the open house to keep it looking green and lush. Curb appeal matters, so use your realtor marketing prowess to suggest ways to spruce up the entryway. That may include planting some flowers or painting the door.

Remove Extra Furniture

Declutter your home, inside and outside. Stow away outdated, stained, or bulky furniture, decluttering each room except for the bare essentials. This will keep the home looking spacious and inviting. Consider hiring a professional stager if that isn’t your forte. Your clients will rely on you to give them great advice on furniture placement and accessories that will attract the eyes of potential buyers.

Enhance Outdoor Living Areas

From power washing your deck to investing in new outdoor furniture, there are many ways to enhance your outdoor living areas. During the summer, buyers are looking for backyards with pools and other amenities that make it easy to enjoy the warm weather. Adding a fire pit, water feature, or other attractions can help the property stand out, possibly resulting in a higher offer.

Host a Raffle or Use Digital Sign Ins

Collecting business cards and personal contact information is a great way to grow your distribution list for future real estate marketing. Raffles are a great way to collect names and addresses but you can streamline your lead generation with digital sign in sheets.

If you hold a raffle, include local activities, restaurants, and other amenities in your prizes. This is a great way to support local businesses and grow your brand.

‍Contact the team at ReaMark for help with promoting all your open houses this summer.

Many homeowners focus on decluttering and staging the inside of the house before putting it on the market. While that’s incredibly important, it’s easy to overlook outdoor spaces that are top of mind for summer buyers. Remind your clients that prospective buyers won’t walk through the door if there’s no curb appeal. The team at ReaMark has put together the following real estate marketing ideas for creative outdoor staging. Be sure to include them in your summer postcard campaign or customize your real estate marketing with your own ideas.

Entryways and Front Yards

Don’t underestimate the power of staging entryways and front yards. Here are a few ideas to include in your realtor marketing, such as door hangers and newsletters (now 50% off!):

• Declutter: You may love your holiday decorations and yard gnomes, but that doesn’t mean buyers will. Keep yard decor to a minimum to make your front yard look organized.
• Cut the grass: Keep your lawn well-manicured to make the best impact in listing photos and at showings. 
• Trim bushes and trees: Remove limbs that overhang your home and trim shrubs and bushes long pathways and under your front windows. 
• Invest in storage: Small sheds are an affordable solution and increase the value of your home. They also give you a place to stow mowers and gardening tools out of sight.
• Entryway decor: Add colorful pots of flowers or greenery to boost the aesthetic of your entryway. Does your dull door need an upgrade? A fresh coat of paint does wonders for drab door and window frames. Don’t overdo the decor, or you could end up making your entryway look smaller.

Deck Out Your Patios and Decks

Summer buyers want to imagine themselves entertaining guests on a well-maintained patio or deck. So, depersonalize your backyard by putting away toys that belong to your kids and pets. Here are some additional tips to pass onto potential sellers looking to spruce up their backyards:

• Powerwash hardscapes: Over the years, patios and decks accumulate dirt and debris. Rinse away the years with a powerwasher to create a pristine surface you can use as a backdrop for inviting seating areas and greenery. 
• Invest in potted plants: Potted plants are easier to install than planted ones. They also give new buyers more options to make the space their own. Add a little color with fresh annuals and perennials from the local gardening center. Hardy petunias, impatiens, and Celosia are gorgeous and bloom all summer long.
• Add outdoor lighting: From fairy lights to pathway illumination, lighting makes your backyard safer and highlights your outdoor spaces beautifully at night. 
• Invest in new patio furniture: Get rid of ripped and stained patio furniture and invest in new lounges, tables, and chairs. This will help buyers imagine themselves in the space, and you can take the furniture with you once you make a sale.

Offer to meet with potential buyers to give them tips on how to prepare their outdoor spaces for a fast sale this summer. We would be happy to brainstorm and create postcards and other direct mail pieces highlighting your advice for creating a hot summer listing. If you would like real estate marketing ideas, reach out to the team at ReaMark today.