Open House Weekend is Coming!

This coming Saturday and Sunday (April 20-21) is Nationwide Open House Weekend, a busy and exciting time of the year to be a Realtor! I had the privilege of presenting an open house today in the Legacy Park neighborhood, and if today is any indication, this coming weekend will see a lot of traffic in Huntsville/Madison County area homes for sale. With the recent transition to nice weather, it’s the perfect time for sellers to showcase their house and buyers to get a close-up look of what’s on the market. I had the pleasure of meeting about a dozen really nice people today at Open House, including some from out of town. My instinct tells me the house I was showing will move fast.

Design Steal Weekend?

Even people who aren’t shopping for a new home seem to enjoy making the rounds on open house weekend. The 2013 REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend will be the largest Open House weekend in the Tennessee Valley this year! It’s a great time for curious neighbors to see how others have upgraded their homes in preparation for their own upcoming home improvement projects. If you fall in this category, my best tip is when you see renovations that you like, inquire about the contractor the homeowner used. It’s a great way to find a contractor you can trust. (And sometimes… who to avoid!)

Find a Realtor

If you think you might be selling or buying a home in the near future, touring open houses is also a fantastic time to see your local Real Estate Agents in action. You get to see how they interact with the public, how they connect with potential buyers, and how helpful they are in general. Pick up the business cards of the agents that impress you, and make a note on the back of them of your impressions. Collect enough, and you’ll have an easy time selecting your next Realtor.

One Last Tip…

I know some people like getting in the car and just following all the open house signs within a few choice neighborhoods. But you might miss some real gems if you’re actually looking for a new home, because the window of opportunity is only a few short hours (although many agents will be open longer for this special annual event). If you’re going to tour the open houses this weekend, do a few minutes of planning to make the experience more enjoyable. Check out the listings at Valley MLS and when you find the homes that meet your criteria (price range, location, number of bedrooms, etc.), you might want to use Google Maps to map out the best route between all the houses you want to see. This will optimize your time, and maybe even save you a bit of gas!

– Hope to see you out this weekend! Happy House Hunting or Home Dreaming………