Open house sign in front of a luxury home

5 Easy Ways to Advertise Your Open House & Sell Your Home

When it comes to an open house, the best plan of action is advertisement. Advertise, advertise, advertise! Your house may be the best on the block, but if you don’t market it well, then no one will know about it. There are plenty of free and inexpensive ways to advertise your open house. Here are a few ways to spread the word:

Use Social Media

This is an obvious option in today’s world, but still worth including on the list. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms all offer options to advertise your open house. You can share links, photos, and your flier. Encourage your local friends to share it on their pages as well. You could also make a page on Facebook for your listing and add open house details a few weeks before the date. There are so many ways to get the word out on your social accounts!

Local Paper

You may be surprised, but many people still read the real estate section. Not to mention, many papers will also list the ad on their website.

Make a Flyer

Post flyers in prominent locations in your area, such as on any bulletin boards in stores, churches, businesses, or restaurants that allow it. If you’re working with an agent, ask your agent’s office to place flyers in their office window, especially works if the office is located on street with lots of shops or sidewalks. You can also visit local apartment complex offices and ask if you can post a flyer there. (In exchange, offer to share their information at your open house!)

Online Advertising Options

Just like with social media, there are a ton of ways to advertise online. Here are just a few:

  • If possible, make sure your open house is listed on your realtor’s website.
  • Add your open house information to your home’s Zillow and Trulia profile, and ask your realtor if they can include it on Realtor.Org (a site for agents only).
  • Do a mass emailing to other agents, friends, and family with a link to the home’s website or site profiles. You could also attach a flyer for them to print if they’d like.
  • Search online for a list of free sites to list open houses. Some of these sites include Craigslist, Yahoo Classifieds, and Google Base.

Verbal Advertisement

Good old word of mouth still works wonders. Ask agents or friends if they know anyone currently looking for what you have and if they would like a sneak preview before the open house – tell them you’d be happy to show them!

At your open house, be sure to leave a lasting impression. Here are a few final tips:

  • Leave copies of your fliers out for visitors and realtors to take with them.
  • Put out snacks and beverages.
  • Put up some balloons outside.
  • Make sure the pets are safely put away or have them stay with a friend or at a pet hotel for a day.
  • Clean up and clear the clutter.
  • Make sure any little things are fixed beforehand, such as exposed nail holes and so on.
  • Light a candle or spray room spray.
  • Pick up the yard and around the house: toys, tools, dog feces, litter, weeds, bee nests, and so on.
  • Make it inviting and desirable. Spend some time on Pinterest or watching HGTV for some simple, decorative, and seasonal ways to make your visitors want to stop and stay a while.