Open Houses

Open houses are very effective at helping sell real estate in many parts of the country. Real estate agents use open houses constantly to generate interest in homes [and get new clients]. Should FSBO sellers (people who are selling their own homes) also use open houses to generate buyer interest? Yes, with one caveat.

Location, Location, Location

The cliché "location, location, location" applies to more than one aspect of real estate. Not only does it address appreciation issues, it also applies to open houses.

First of all, the FSBO property needs to be located in an area where open houses work. This area tends to be in city, town and suburbs where the housing market is hot. Holding an open house usually works well where the following circumstances exist:

1. There is a good population base,

2. The home for sale can easily be seen by a lot of people,

3. There are more buyers than sellers, and

4. Properties sell rather fast in the area.

Rural areas and areas in which sales are slow don't generally work very well. Perhaps worse, the FSBO seller can become easily disillusioned with low turnouts. If your home is in one of these areas, you're probably better off listing it on the Internet.

An open house is a great tool for FSBOs living in a suitable location. Are you one of them?

Posted by Marlene Castagna on December 22, 2008 at 12:59 PM

About Marlene Castagna
I am a competent, experienced full-time residential real estate sales person in the Fox River Valley community. I pride myself in maintaining close contact with my clients and paying close attention to the "details" to avoid problems and ensure that their home sale or home buying experience is a very positive one. Thank you for the opportunity to tell you more about myself.

I have been a resident of the Town of Cary for the past nine years and have raised my family here. Previously, I have lived in the communities of Minneapolis MN, Phoenix AZ and Bridgeport CT. This is my third time living in the Chicago-land area. I have been transferred to this area twice for my jobs in the Medical and Computer Service Industries. In the 70's I lived in the Carpentersville area and then in the 80's I lived in the Palatine area. My husband was transferred to this area in June of 1996. We settled in the Cary area and are very comfortable in our community.

My husband, Phil and I have been married for 19 years and have two children. We have a boy and a girl, 17 and 15 years old respectively. We also have two older sons that are on their own, one lives here in Algonquin with his wife, the other lives in Portland OR. We love spending as much time as possible with our children as they are a big part of our lives. We enjoy entertaining with friends and family for any type of get-together.

I am involved with the Cary-Grove Newcomers And Neighbors Club where I have held various positions including: Programs Committee, plus helping with fund-raising for the annual auction. I am also a member of the the Cary-Grove Chamber of Commerce.




As of 05/22/12 the Marlene Castagna RePage is ranked at 806 with 4,635 points.