{"id":164,"date":"2025-04-17T23:50:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T23:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hoyonow.com\/blog\/?p=164"},"modified":"2025-04-17T23:50:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T23:50:30","slug":"fsbo-open-house-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/?p=164","title":{"rendered":"FSBO Open House Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>By Robert Urban, <em>FSBO Veteran, Military Veteran Who Has FSBOed, Maker of Checklist <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations, brave homeowner.<br>You\u2019ve decided to sell your home <em>yourself<\/em>. Wow- no Realtor, no suit-clad negotiator, no dude named Chad with a Bluetooth earpiece and a firm handshake trying to convince you that <em>granite counters<\/em> are a religion. You, my friend, are going <strong>FSBO<\/strong>: <em>For Sale By Owner.<\/em> I have been in your shoes and it is worth it. I have become the bane of realtors everywhere because if someone mentions moving or selling their house, i immediately talk them about the benefits of FSBO. 100 Percent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s like deciding to take your own appendix out in the mirror. Is it possible? Yes. Risky? A bit. Satisfying when you pull it off? You bet your fresh-staged living room it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I salute you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ve entered the real estate octagon with a Sharpie, a Craigslist ad, and a can-do attitude. And possibly several browser tabs open titled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>\u201cWhat the hell is a seller\u2019s disclosure?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cHow to stage your house so no one knows you have a dog and three toddlers.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cDo open house cookies still work in 2025?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But don\u2019t worry. You\u2019re not alone.<br>(Well, I mean, technically you are, because that\u2019s the whole point of FSBO, but emotionally-<em>emotionally<\/em>-I\u2019m right here with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So let\u2019s help you not blow this.<br>Because <em>if<\/em> you do this right? You keep more money. You keep your timeline. And best of all? You get to tell your cousin Jerry at Thanksgiving that you didn\u2019t need a \u201ctop producer\u201d to close the deal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First, A Little Pep Talk:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Selling your house FSBO is kind of like hosting a dinner party and <em>also<\/em> being the chef, waiter, busboy, dishwasher, valet, DJ, and the guy who has to unclog the guest bathroom toilet. It&#8217;s a lot. But it\u2019s doable\u2014with <strong>preparation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FSBO Open House Checklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>(aka How to Make Buyers Want to Throw Fistfuls of Cash at You)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PREP WEEK (7\u20133 Days Before Open House)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Deep Clean Like Your Mother-in-Law is Coming<\/strong><br>If it\u2019s not clean enough to eat off of, it\u2019s not clean enough to sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Baseboards? Clean.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Windows? Sparkling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fridge? No science experiments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>That weird corner in the garage with the Halloween bins? Tidy it up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Declutter Ruthlessly<\/strong><br>If it doesn&#8217;t serve a purpose or make the space look huge and inviting, it goes in a bin, storage unit, or the trunk of your car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Depersonalize<\/strong><br>Sorry, Karen, but no one wants to see your wedding photo montage, your kid\u2019s art, or the resin sculpture of your Labradoodle.<br>Let buyers picture themselves in the home\u2014not you watching \u201cYellowstone\u201d in a robe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Smell Audit<\/strong><br>Enlist a brutally honest friend to walk in and sniff. If they flinch? It\u2019s time for candles, baking soda, or a professional fumigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Light Bulb Check<\/strong><br>Replace <em>all<\/em> dead bulbs. Preferably with daylight LED. Nothing says \u201cthis house is secretly haunted\u201d like a flickering hallway light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Fix the Easy Stuff<\/strong><br>Loose doorknobs, squeaky hinges, scuffed walls. This is your HGTV moment. Be the change your resale value wants to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfe1 NIGHT BEFORE THE OPEN HOUSE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Signage, Baby<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Put directional signs at nearby intersections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use balloons or flags if you\u2019re in a neighborhood where that won\u2019t get you reported to the HOA.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check local regulations. No one wants a citation while they\u2019re negotiating with Linda from Boca.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Flyers &amp; Info Sheets<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Include price, square footage, features, improvements, and your contact info.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bonus points for a QR code linked to your virtual tour or listing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Guest Sign-In Sheet<\/strong><br>Because leads are gold. And also, if your remote goes missing, you\u2019ll have suspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Hide Valuables<\/strong><br>Jewelry, medication, mail with account info. Hide it, lock it, or remove it. Tempt no one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Pet Plan<\/strong><br>Dogs, cats, ferrets, etc. need to vacate. No buyer wants to dodge a golden retriever mid-kitchen swoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">MORNING OF THE OPEN HOUSE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Coffee and Cookies (Yes, it still works)<\/strong><br>The smell of fresh cookies = emotional manipulation = SOLD sign in your yard.<br>(Just maybe skip peanut butter and anything overly aromatic. No one wants to sneeze through the tour.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Open All Curtains and Blinds<\/strong><br>Let there be light. Bright = big. Dark = dungeon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Turn On All Lights<\/strong><br>Even in the closets. This isn\u2019t a s\u00e9ance. Light it up like it\u2019s showtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Final Sweep &amp; Staging Touches<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Toilet seats down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trash out.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pillows fluffed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Counters clear.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One bottle of fancy hand soap in the bathroom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Music (Low and Neutral)<\/strong><br>Something calm, like acoustic or jazz. Not your cousin\u2019s SoundCloud mixtape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Dress the Part<\/strong><br>You are now a home-selling professional. Look sharp. Smile. Don\u2019t overshare. Don\u2019t linger. Don\u2019t chase them down the driveway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"> POST OPEN HOUSE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Follow Up<\/strong><br>Text or email everyone who signed in. Ask if they had questions. Be polite, not pushy. Remember: you\u2019re not selling a timeshare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Sanitize Everything<\/strong><br>Because&#8230; people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2610 Reflect &amp; Adjust<\/strong><br>What did people comment on? What was ignored? Make minor tweaks for next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well- Congrats! You did it. Whether one buyer showed up or a conga line of nosey neighbors and curious Karens, you <em>hosted<\/em> an open house. You <em>marketed<\/em> your own property. You <em>took control<\/em> of the sale. That\u2019s worth celebrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And hey, if it turns out you\u2019d rather hire someone next time? No judgment. Just don\u2019t call Jerry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Need help with FSBO marketing, signage design, or even setting up a website that doesn\u2019t look like it was built in 2004?<\/strong><br>Check out <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/hoyonow.com\">HOYONOW.com<\/a> &#8211; the sidekick you didn\u2019t know you needed for the FSBO journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because just because you\u2019re doing it yourself doesn\u2019t mean you have to do it <em>alone<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pro Tip- You Can also Copy and Paste the above checklist, then  print it if you are a tangible paper kind of planner like I am. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Can&#8217;t wait to hear about your success! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rob Urban  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Robert Urban, FSBO Veteran, Military Veteran Who Has FSBOed, Maker of Checklist Congratulations, brave homeowner.You\u2019ve decided to sell your home yourself. Wow- no Realtor, no suit-clad negotiator, no dude named Chad with a Bluetooth earpiece and a firm handshake trying to convince you that granite counters are a religion. You, my friend, are going FSBO: For Sale By Owner. I have been in your shoes and it is worth it. I have become the bane of realtors everywhere because if someone mentions moving or selling their house, i immediately talk them about the benefits of FSBO. 100 Percent. That\u2019s like deciding to take your own appendix out in the mirror. Is it possible? Yes. Risky? A bit. Satisfying when you pull it off? You bet your fresh-staged living room it is. I salute you. You\u2019ve entered the real estate octagon with a Sharpie, a Craigslist ad, and a can-do attitude. And possibly several browser tabs open titled: But don\u2019t worry. You\u2019re not alone.(Well, I mean, technically you are, because that\u2019s the whole point of FSBO, but emotionally-emotionally-I\u2019m right here with you. So let\u2019s help you not blow this.Because if you do this right? You keep more money. You keep your timeline. And best of all? You get to tell your cousin Jerry at Thanksgiving that you didn\u2019t need a \u201ctop producer\u201d to close the deal. First, A Little Pep Talk: Selling your house FSBO is kind of like hosting a dinner party and also being the chef, waiter, busboy, dishwasher, valet, DJ, and the guy who has to unclog the guest bathroom toilet. It&#8217;s a lot. But it\u2019s doable\u2014with preparation. FSBO Open House Checklist (aka How to Make Buyers Want to Throw Fistfuls of Cash at You) PREP WEEK (7\u20133 Days Before Open House) \u2610 Deep Clean Like Your Mother-in-Law is ComingIf it\u2019s not clean enough to eat off of, it\u2019s not clean enough to sell. \u2610 Declutter RuthlesslyIf it doesn&#8217;t serve a purpose or make the space look huge and inviting, it goes in a bin, storage unit, or the trunk of your car. \u2610 DepersonalizeSorry, Karen, but no one wants to see your wedding photo montage, your kid\u2019s art, or the resin sculpture of your Labradoodle.Let buyers picture themselves in the home\u2014not you watching \u201cYellowstone\u201d in a robe. \u2610 Smell AuditEnlist a brutally honest friend to walk in and sniff. If they flinch? It\u2019s time for candles, baking soda, or a professional fumigation. \u2610 Light Bulb CheckReplace all dead bulbs. Preferably with daylight LED. Nothing says \u201cthis house is secretly haunted\u201d like a flickering hallway light. \u2610 Fix the Easy StuffLoose doorknobs, squeaky hinges, scuffed walls. This is your HGTV moment. Be the change your resale value wants to see. \ud83c\udfe1 NIGHT BEFORE THE OPEN HOUSE \u2610 Signage, Baby \u2610 Flyers &amp; Info Sheets \u2610 Guest Sign-In SheetBecause leads are gold. And also, if your remote goes missing, you\u2019ll have suspects. \u2610 Hide ValuablesJewelry, medication, mail with account info. Hide it, lock it, or remove it. Tempt no one. \u2610 Pet PlanDogs, cats, ferrets, etc. need to vacate. No buyer wants to dodge a golden retriever mid-kitchen swoon. MORNING OF THE OPEN HOUSE \u2610 Coffee and Cookies (Yes, it still works)The smell of fresh cookies = emotional manipulation = SOLD sign in your yard.(Just maybe skip peanut butter and anything overly aromatic. No one wants to sneeze through the tour.) \u2610 Open All Curtains and BlindsLet there be light. Bright = big. Dark = dungeon. \u2610 Turn On All LightsEven in the closets. This isn\u2019t a s\u00e9ance. Light it up like it\u2019s showtime. \u2610 Final Sweep &amp; Staging Touches \u2610 Music (Low and Neutral)Something calm, like acoustic or jazz. Not your cousin\u2019s SoundCloud mixtape. \u2610 Dress the PartYou are now a home-selling professional. Look sharp. Smile. Don\u2019t overshare. Don\u2019t linger. Don\u2019t chase them down the driveway. POST OPEN HOUSE \u2610 Follow UpText or email everyone who signed in. Ask if they had questions. Be polite, not pushy. Remember: you\u2019re not selling a timeshare. \u2610 Sanitize EverythingBecause&#8230; people. \u2610 Reflect &amp; AdjustWhat did people comment on? What was ignored? Make minor tweaks for next time. Well- Congrats! You did it. Whether one buyer showed up or a conga line of nosey neighbors and curious Karens, you hosted an open house. You marketed your own property. You took control of the sale. That\u2019s worth celebrating. And hey, if it turns out you\u2019d rather hire someone next time? No judgment. Just don\u2019t call Jerry. Need help with FSBO marketing, signage design, or even setting up a website that doesn\u2019t look like it was built in 2004?Check out HOYONOW.com &#8211; the sidekick you didn\u2019t know you needed for the FSBO journey. Because just because you\u2019re doing it yourself doesn\u2019t mean you have to do it alone. Pro Tip- You Can also Copy and Paste the above checklist, then print it if you are a tangible paper kind of planner like I am. Can&#8217;t wait to hear about your success! Rob Urban<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[49,13,10,15],"class_list":["post-164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fsbo","tag-checklist","tag-florida","tag-fsbo","tag-open-house"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=164"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":166,"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions\/166"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portal.hoyonow.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}