If you’re selling in Chicago, an open house could be a great opportunity to find the right buyer. Not all open houses are created equal, though. So, what sets the best ones apart? There are several strategies sellers can use to make their homes more attractive to potential buyers on the day of their open house. Here are some of those strategies that can help take your open house to the next level:

Take a Walk in Buyers’ Shoes

If you have some time before your own open house date, do some investigation. Head to other open houses in the area and see what you notice. You may have recently gone through or be going through the buying process yourself, so explore these homes from that buyer perspective. What appeals to you? What jumps out at you as less appealing? Do you feel comfortable in the space? Getting into others’ open houses gives you a chance to be more objective about what works and what doesn’t. Then you can bring that knowledge back to your own home to set up.

Create a Plan for the Interior

We all set our homes up in a way that makes them the most livable for us. This doesn’t always mean the set up will make sense for everyone though. Ensure that your house is easy to navigate. If there are large pieces of furniture that make it difficult to walk around a certain room, consider making some changes. It’s also important to ensure every room has a purpose. You’ll, of course, want to give your space a good cleaning and decluttering before the open house. Having something baking in the oven can also add a nice homey aroma.

Make the Exterior Inviting

You want buyers to show up to your home and feel eager to get inside. Your exterior needs to draw them in. This starts with simple yard clean up. You don’t have to go crazy trying to plant new plants or repaint your entire house. It’s often easy to make the outside inviting with a good day’s work. Remove any clutter from the yard, sweep pathways, ensure that lights work, consider a coat of paint on the front door, put out a clean welcome mat. Small touches can make a big difference for your visitors.

Strike a Balance

An open house is a great opportunity to present your home to buyers as a blank canvas. You want to give them the chance to picture themselves living there. What would it look like with their furniture and decor? This means keeping your own decorations to a minimum. If your home still has your furniture and belongings in it, just ensure they’re clean and tidy. You might remove personal family photos, but you don’t need to take every piece of art off the walls. If you have a neon green room, you might consider a more neutral color, but there’s no need to paint every wall white if your color palette is fairly neutral. You want potential buyers to feel at home and have the space to envision their home.

Open houses don’t have to be stressful. If you’re working with an agent, they’ll likely have some additional tips and suggestions specific to your property. The real key is to see your space from a buyer’s perspective and build your plan from there. Do you have any other tips for acing an open house? Please share them.