Rosie When you put a house on the market in Canada the agent usually tells you to put all your personal items away, something about a future buyer seeing all your family photos and other personal items then he can't imagine the house as his own....or something like that. Here, most open houses usually occur on the weekend and only from 2-4, usually an agent gets a feel of who was really interested or who just wanted to get decorating ideas! I would put a pot of coffee on and make your house smell inviting...Giving them wine seems really different...can't imagine that happeneing here...I would always be looking for open houses serving wine! What away to go!

And certainly nobody would do wine & cheese here - cheese is MUCH too expensive!!

all our personal items are in storage at my sisters, we have de-cluttered everything, although we have 1 cupboard that is full.
we had to laugh at our 1st viewers who commented on us enjoying camping, we both wondered how did they know that A few days later OH was looking for something, thats when we realised they'd been looking in the cupboard, its full of tents and roll mats.

I know what you're saying about the cheese and wine, but if people decline I love cheese and especially wine

Rosie

I've just had a wicked thought, I might just rig something for halloween in the cupboard

You do want to sell this house, don't you?

Bit of a waste buying in the wine it you scare the punters away

A skeleton that jumps out and says "Oi, you nosy buggers, keep out!! "

or "Buy this house, or I'll hunt you down and haunt you forever"

Its all the stress, but the 2nd option sounds good

Hmm i could start a bidding war for you

Tell me if loads are coming at a certain time and ill come in with my eldest

"wow this house is cheap for the area etc etc"


(just dont let that estate agent near me though :curse

You'd get all the winos in Vancouver going to an open house here!

Just spoke with our estate agent and they are up for an open house
Said that she would come and help as well

Just need to talk hubby into it, as there is alot of stuff in the house that we are taking with us, so it maybe storage place for us

One question though -- Can you do it with appoitments
i know people would just turn up, but what is the norm on open houses in canada

Gill

No appointments here - you just turn up between the times specified

Cool, when you doing yours?

I have a load of stuff at my sisters and my sons oh and in my mums shed and i'm not a hoarder, its OH and the kids!!

Rosie

Just going to speak to in-laws this weekend to see if they'll have all 3 kids

They have said there is loads of brochures gone and it is being hit loads on the net, but you never know if they are telling the truth

Can you make the viewers take there shoes off and keep them out of my cupboards :curse:
Is there anything you are going to ask? or do you ask people when they enter??

I know what you mean about the shoes, we had that thought as to looking in the cupboards I'm hoping because we are there they won't feel inclined to start rooting in the cupboards. My little sis, who's got the gift of the gab will be here so with 3 or 4 of us also wandering round it should be easier to watch

Got to go viewer on his way

Good luck on the viewer
I'm inching towards this idea as well, no viewings for 2 weeks and we need to sell!
We're thinking about reducing, but have asked estate agents to advertise No Chain (something they haven't done yet) then we thought we'd give it a week. desperate now
Terese

I think I scared my agent on Monday I'd asked for him to change little things and he hadn't, I walked into the shop took all leaflets off the display told him to change it, add in NO CHAIN I was having an Open House on the 28th of this month, change the advert in the local paper and I want to see a display in the window Next Monday advertising it. I also told him to reduce the price and put offers in excess of.

He put his head in his hands but the agent next to him couldn't move quick enough within minutes it was changed on Rightmove and their website and new leaflets being printed.
Lo and behold within 30 mins he was on the phone arranging a viewing.

Its not often I lose it but I've had enough if we don't sell by the end of the month OH has to start work in NS and I'll have to stay here to sell the house, I'm not a happy bunny.