Belmont is a suburb west of the city of Boston and just outside of Cambridge. Filled with quaint tree-lined streets, excellent schools, neighborhood bars, restaurants, and plenty of outdoor space, Belmont is a popular neighborhood in the Boston Metro area. Belmont, MA, real estate has a beautiful mix of mansions, single-family homes, duplexes, and apartment living, giving the area a densely populated urban feel. It is perfect for individuals or families looking for a convenient location to Boston and Cambridge while living in a quiet, peaceful neighborhood with lots of outdoor space.
Located only a short drive or train ride from Cambridge and downtown Boston, Belmont offers privacy and seclusion with easy access to city amenities. Residents can easily take a short train ride to Harvard Square to visit Harvard University or sample the eclectic, fine dining, such as farm-to-table offerings at Henrietta’s Table and hand-crafted cocktails at Alden and Harlow.
The market in and around the Boston Metro area is highly competitive, and the Belmont, MA, real estate market is no different. With intense competition and a hot market, it can be important to make your Belmont property stand out at your open house. This guide will give you the best open house tips for sellers to capture the hearts of the buyers and get the best offer possible.
1. Make your home buyer ready
Before you start preparing for your open house, you need to ensure that your home is ready for buyers. This is not the time to start a major remodel, but all repairs should be up to date. Consider hiring a home inspector to come in and look for any repairs you might have overlooked or have been putting off. Issues like a leaky faucet, a door that doesn’t quite latch properly, or a window that sticks a bit at the top are examples of minor issues that will need to be dealt with.
Before listing your home, all of these things should be addressed, especially in a luxury market. Although large remodels typically don’t pay off at this stage, it can be beneficial to do minor upgrades, such as adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls, upgrading the fixtures or drawer pulls, and making sure that everything is sparkling and fresh.
In addition, you should have easy access to any repair paperwork for the home. Consider the last time the air conditioner was serviced or when you had the water heater replaced. Any remodels, additions, or major repairs should have documentation easily accessible to answer questions at the open house. In a fast-paced real-estate market like Belmont, offers come in quickly, and as the seller, you need to be ready to answer any questions the buyer might have.
2. Declutter and clean
Once your repairs are in order, it’s important to create a clean, comfortable appearance in the home. This means giving your home a deep clean, including cabinets, closets, and other spaces that might not have gotten much attention recently. It’s also important to clean the outside of the home. The sides of the house should be cleaned, as well as the driveway and any walkways. Consider hiring a landscaper to create the colorful curb appeal needed to bring buyers into an open house.
Your home not only needs to be clean but also free from clutter and personal effects. When buyers visit your home, they want to imagine themselves in the home and how they can live their lives there. This means you must remove any personal photographs, mementos, and knick-knacks that make your house a home. In addition, your home should be decluttered and well organized, including cabinets and closets. Buyers will want to look through all of the available space, and you want to make sure that your storage space looks as neat and spacious as possible.
If possible, hiring a stager for this part of the open house can work wonders. Stagers are professionals who will design the interior of your home with neutral furniture and art that compliments the architecture and makes your home feel more open and welcoming. Staging can be a great strategy in the luxury market to help set your home apart.
3. Market and promote
Once your home is picture-perfect and ready for the open house, you’ll need to advertise to get buyers in the door. This means listing your home and promoting the open house event through connections with friends, family, and social media. One of the critical aspects of a successful marketing campaign is having great media. Consider hiring a professional photographer to take videos and images of your home. Professional photographers who work in real estate know the best angles and lighting to truly capture the beauty of your home. They can create ample content to share on multiple platforms and ensure that the photographs attract the right buyers. Especially with large houses, it can be challenging to capture the grandeur of the space as an amateur. Hiring a professional photographer is a must for marketing luxury properties.
4. Let your real estate agent take control
On the day of the open house, you should make yourself scarce. It can be tempting to stay and meet the buyers and show off your beautiful home. However, buyers want to objectively examine the property and not feel like the owner is looking over their shoulder. On the day of the open house, it’s important to let your real estate agent take control and conduct the open house. Real estate agents work for you; it is their job to conduct the open house and help you find buyers. Let your professional real estate agent do what they do best.
Work with Scarlett Tamburro
If you’re ready to list your Belmont home, Scarlett Tamburro is here to help. With decades of real estate experience and from a family of real estate agents, Scarlett has the expertise and knowledge needed to navigate the competitive Boston Metro real estate market. Growing up in the Boston suburbs and living here for most of her life, Scarlett understands the market and the ins and outs of selling in the greater Boston area. Working with The Agency, Scarlett has sold many million-dollar properties and can help you get the best value for your Belmont home.
