Before the open house begins, you'll need to objectively look at your home from a buyer's perspective. Your current home seems fine to you, but potential buyers will critically examine every inch of your house before they decide to buy. The principle of our Home Merchandising System is to help you identify potential problem areas and fix them before you hold an open house.

Remember, first impressions count. Let your sales professional know that you would like to view Merchandising Your Home, a videotape that combines the housing knowledge of GMAC Real Estate professionals with our real estate marketing expertise. It offers helpful tips for how to:

  - Enhance your home's perceived value.

  - Rearrange furniture to make a room appear larger.

  - Concentrate your efforts on key areas.

Holding an open house

  - Look at your home from a buyer's perspective.

  - Identify areas that require minor repairs, cleaning up or improving.

  - Give your home exposure with an open house - a specified time when interested buyers can tour your home.

  - Let your sales professional handle the Open House arrangements, but do what you can to make sure your home looks its best.

Rely on your GMAC Real Estate sales professional for help in getting your home ready to sell - and in staging a successful Open House!

Clean and clutter-free

  - Keep the kitchen sink free of dishes and the rooms uncluttered.

  - Clear countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. Store unused items in a closet or cabinet.

  - Arrange storage areas neatly; buyers will look inside.

  - Put away lawn equipment and gardening tools. Neatly arrange outdoor items such as firewood or furniture.

Decorate your home to sell

  - Arrange the furniture so the rooms look as spacious as possible.

  - Add color and fragrance to any room with fresh flowers.

  - Put a bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen.

  - Display fresh towels and guest soaps in each bathroom.

  - Set your dining room table with color-coordinated place mats and table settings.

  - Put out a new doormat

  - Open drapes and pull up shades

  - Replace light bulbs with the highest-wattage your fixtures will allow. Turn on the lights to make rooms seem brighter and larger.

Make your home inviting

  - To give your home a pleasant aroma, bake cookies or bread, burn candles pr potpourri, boil a pot of cinnamon sticks, and/or put a dab of vanilla on cold light bulbs before turning them on.

  - Grind a piece of lemon or other citrus fruit in your garbage disposal to eliminate lingering food odors.

  - Turn off the television. You may put on a music that is soft and in the background, use classical or light jazz.

  - Ask a friend to care for your pets or take them to the kennel.

Your GMAC Real Estate sales professional may promote your Open House in the newspaper, with a yard sign, or through other eye-catching materials. Inside, he or she may display information for people to take with them.

Staging a successful open house

  - Plan to be gone during the Open House so that prospective buyers will discuss your home openly with your sales professional.

  - If you can't leave, let your sales professional do the talking. he or she can discuss prices, terms, possession and other factors, as well as handles objections or questions.

  - Be polite to prospective buyers but avoid conversations. Allow your sales professional to command their complete attention.

  - Don't apologize for the appearance of the condition of your home. You may be calling attention to things the buyer had overlooked.

  - Don't complicate the sale of the home by tacking on drapes, furniture, rugs, etc. If the buyers want these things, the sales professional will discuss this with you later.

  - Discuss the results of the Open House afterwards with your sales professional and discuss the next step in your marketing plan.

Your GMAC Real Estate sales professional can provide a videotape and numerous brochures to help you get the most from your Open House.

For a copy of this brochure, please e-mail Dan O'Brien and request the "Fresh Ideas for your kitchen" brochure.

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