Selling your home? There’s still time to be a part of the REALTOR® Nationwide Open House June 4-5
SPRINGFIELD, IL – May 17, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend is just around the corner on June 4-5, but if you’re an Illinois homeowner with a home to sell this spring, there’s still time to jump on the bandwagon and get your home “open house ready” for this high exposure weekend.
During this national event, REALTORS® in Illinois and around the country will be out in force showcasing their spring inventory to prospective buyers. For sellers, it’s a chance to get your home noticed during a high visibility weekend. For buyers, it’s a stress-free way to see a broad selection of homes for sale in your community.
If you’re a home seller don’t miss the boat. There are things you can do right now to take advantage of this event and make your home stand out from the rest that weekend.
- Think curb appeal – Buyers will be seeing a lot of homes, make sure yours is the one that catches their eye. Trim your lawn and bushes, plant some flowers, put away the yard tools and toys.
- Make minor repairs – Fix that squeaky door, repair broken knobs and hinges, replace burned-out light bulbs. A home that looks well-cared for is more attractive.
- Clear out the clutter – Weed out the knickknacks, remove excess furniture, throw out the clutter or consider putting some things in storage.
- Clean up – Look at your home through the buyer’s eyes. You don’t want the one thing they remember to be the dirt. Clean windows, floors and appliances.
- Get rid of lingering pet odors. You may love Fido, but potential buyers, not so much.
- Clean your carpets and if you have time, put on a new coat of paint to freshen things up.
- Get the word out – Your REALTOR® will place signs, but make sure your friends and neighbors know you’ll be having an open house. It can be beneficial to have more homes shown in a neighborhood. More open houses = more traffic, benefiting you as well.
During, the REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend, REALTORS® will be on hand to offer buyers insight into the local housing market and answer questions about the home buying and selling process.
“Consumers place great value in the benefits of homeownership. In fact, a recent Pew Research Center study found that 81 percent of renters surveyed would prefer to one day buy a home,” said REALTOR® Sheryl Grider Whitehurst, ABR, CRB, GRI, president of the Illinois Association of REALTORS® and the Development and Operations Coordinator for Traders Realty in Peoria. “Owning a home not only gives you a place to put down roots and build a future, it also enables you to build long-term wealth through equity accumulation and tax benefits over time.”
“Low mortgage rates and high affordability conditions are sure to appeal to potential buyers this spring. And loan programs, like the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s SmartMove offering low rates and down payment and closing cost assistance, give Illinois buyers touring homes during the open house event even more reason to buy now,” Whitehurst said.
Safety is also important so before your REALTOR® shows your home during this busy open house event, lock away valuables such as small electronics, jewelry and medications. Pack away personal documents and information and when the open house is over, make sure everyone has left the property.
Find more information about the REALTORS® Nationwide Open House Weekend on June 4-5 as well as information about buying and selling a home at IAR’s consumer site, www.YourIllinoisHome.com.
The Illinois Association of REALTORS® is a voluntary trade association whose 44,000 members are engaged in all facets of the real estate industry. In addition to serving the professional needs of its members, the Illinois Association of REALTORS® works to protect the rights of private property owners in the state by recommending and promoting legislation that safeguards and advances the interest of real property ownership.
Contact:
Mary Schaefer
217-529-2600
