Want to draw serious home buyers to your home and get the most money?

Open houses are back. In a big way.

Despite all the internet listings, virtual tours, and home videos – buyers still want to see and walk through a property in person. In fact, they really want to.

The problem?

Most people who put their house on the market have no idea how to prepare the home for an open house. They open the doors, turn on the light and cross their fingers. That almost never works.

The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way.

Prepping a home for an open house is free to do, easy to implement, and can have a huge impact on how quickly the home sells.

In This Guide We Cover:

• Why open houses matter in today’s real estate market
• The open house prep checklist no one can ignore
• Home staging tips that actually work
• How to make open house day a huge success

Why Open Houses Still Matter In Today’s Market

Walk into any open house right now and you will see the changing nature of real estate.

The traditional open house has evolved a bit. Gone are the days of a few for-sale signs in the yard and an “open” sign on the door.

Buyers want serious sellers to take the sale of their home just as seriously as they do. That is good for sellers, because it really is a win-win.

Case in point:

According to the Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report – 65% of sellers hosted 1-3 open houses in 2024. That is a big jump from just 44% in 2021.

In other words: buyers are craving the in-person home buying experience. They are looking for the chance to visit a property in person before putting an offer in.

A good open house provides the buyer with the best possible experience during the real estate home search process.

And that matters.

An open house does more than just show off the home. It creates urgency and competition among buyers. Buyers start seeing their competition right in the home. That competition leads to serious offers.

Open houses give buyers a chance to visualize their future home.

But all of that is only possible if the home is ready.

A cluttered, dirty or unfinished home not only turns buyers off – it hurts the sale. Buyers remember a house that was messy, smelly, or had needed repairs. Those negative impressions last through to the offer.

Open houses are big time investments for serious buyers. Help them out a little bit. Do the work and make the home look its best.

Selling your home? Working with the MN Nice home buyers team means getting an experienced agent on your side that has worked with hundreds of home buyers in the region.

This team has the inside scoop on what home buyers are looking for.

Preparing the Home For The Open House

The reality is – there are certain things that must be done for a home to be ready for open house.

Ignore these critical steps and you are setting the house up for a sub-par showing.

Step 1: Deep Clean Everything

The number one thing you must do before an open house is this.

Clean, clean, clean.

We are not talking about a regular cleaning of the home here. Buyers will look under the sink, in cabinets, in closets, behind furniture.

Everything has to be spic and span.

Pay particular attention to:

• Clean the grout, mirrors and fixtures. Don’t forget the inside of the toilet.
• Kitchen appliances – the outsides are important, but so is the insides of the fridge, stove, oven, etc.
• Windows and natural light sources – these often get overlooked. Buyers want to see natural light.
• Carpets and flooring – they get dirty and people notice.

The easier you make it on buyers eyes to see the space, the faster the home will sell.

Step 2: Declutter Like Your Life Depends On It

There is a lot of advice out there on staging a home. Not everything has to be done. At the end of the day staging a home is simply done to help buyers see themselves living there.

The biggest single thing you can do to stage a home is to declutter.

Remove at least 50% of everything visible in the house.

Buyers will try and make their life in the home in their mind. Packing up the things that get in the way, forces buyers to focus on the home itself instead of all the clutter.

Step 3: Do Necessary Repairs

These small issues are red flags to buyers that things are not quite right with the home.

Fix that leaky faucet. Repair the door that sticks. Change the lightbulb that will not turn on. Buyers see these things as signs the home has bigger problems that the seller has not addressed.

Do not fall into this trap.

Final Tips For Staging a Home

Don’t want to do the full staging process? Here are a few tips that will help you get it close without too much fuss.

Stage Key Rooms First

While the whole house should be decluttered, not all rooms need full staging.

Focus on the living room, master bedroom, and kitchen.

These three spaces sell homes. Prioritize these three rooms when preparing the home for an open house.

Create Flow

Move furniture to create clear walking paths through the home. Buyers need to be able to walk through the home without hitting furniture.

Take out large or bulky furniture that makes rooms feel cramped. Space equals money.

Neutralize Personal Style

Neutralize any personal style in the home.

Family photos should be removed. Bold or personalized paint colors should be toned down. Religious or political items should be removed.

Buyers need to be able to see the home as their future place of residence.

Add Finishing Touches

Small finishing touches go a long way when preparing a home for an open house. Consider adding some fresh flowers on the dining table. Lemons in a bowl in the kitchen. Clean white towels in the bathrooms.

Open House Day Checklist

The day of an open house is not the time to get lazy.

Make sure you prepare the property before the open house and do the following on the day:

• Turn on all the lights, open all blinds and curtains, even during the day.
• Control the temperature. Adjust the thermostat to a comfortable temperature at least one hour before buyers start arriving.
• Make sure the home smells great. Use less potent smells. Baking cookies or brewing fresh coffee are great ways to have a nice smell in the home.
• Take prescription medications off the property.
• Lock up jewelry, cash, electronics and valuable items in the home. Open houses bring strangers in, protect your valuables.
• Sellers should not be present at an open house. Buyers will not open closets, check all the spaces and are unlikely to ask questions with the homeowner present. Take the dog out too. Not everyone loves animals and some people have allergies.

Conclusion: Making The Most Of Open Houses

Open houses should never be left to chance. They need to be carefully planned out and implemented to ensure a good turnout and experience for potential buyers.

The most important step is preparation. Preparing the home for an open house needs to be on top of the seller’s to-do list.

Clean the home top to bottom. Declutter and depersonalize. Tackle those lingering repairs and needed touch ups.

Stage the home, or at least the key areas of the home, to create that visual impact for buyers.

And on open house day make sure you make the home look and smell great.

Buyers are seriously investing their time to visit an open house. They want to know the seller is taking the sale of their home just as seriously.

By taking care of these simple tasks and following this guide the home seller can increase the chance of a successful open house and the offer to come.

Submitting a claim on an extended warranty on your car is no picnic…

Vehicle owners rarely understand the ins and outs of the claims process. They purchase the coverage, pay their premiums, and cross their fingers…

Until they actually need to make a claim.

Suddenly, they’re floundering…

The paperwork! Coordinating with the repair facility! Following up to see what’s going on!

But here’s the thing…

Preparing for a claim before it happens makes everything a whole lot easier. Following the prescribed process cuts down on time and frustration and greatly increases the likelihood that repairs will be approved.

Here’s What You Should Know:

• How Extended Warranty Claims Work
• The Step-By-Step Claims Process
• The Top Reasons For Claim Denials
• Avoiding Claim Rejections

How Extended Warranty Claims Work

A claim on an extended car warranty is a formal request to have repairs covered by the warranty provider.

When a covered part fails, the warranty should take care of it. But there’s a certain process involved. Purchasing subscription cover for extended car warranties is becoming more popular as drivers try to protect themselves from unexpected repair costs. Purchasing proper cover ensures that your car is protected after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired.

Simple enough, right?

Well, different providers work differently. Some pay the repair facility directly. Some require the policyholder to pay for the repairs out of pocket and then get reimbursed.

Knowing exactly what kind of cover is in place before you need to use it is essential.

The Step-By-Step Claims Process

Submitting a claim doesn’t have to be a headache. Here’s how the process works…

Step 1: Detect the Problem

Once something isn’t working right with the vehicle, stop driving it. Continuing to drive it will just make the problem worse.

And here’s the kicker…

The additional damage from not stopping could be denied by the warranty provider.

Step 2: Contact The Warranty Provider

Call the warranty company before doing anything else. They will tell you what to do next.

Most providers have a claims line that can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Step 3: Take The Vehicle To An Approved Facility

A lot of warranty providers have a network of repair facilities they have vetted. Failing to use one of those shops can lead to a denial.

Always call the warranty provider and confirm which repair facilities are approved.

Step 4: Get Authorisation

The shop will diagnose the problem and contact the warranty provider. According to Motor1, an extended warranty provider should take anywhere from 3 to 5 days to authorize the repairs after a claim has been filed.

Once approved, the repairs can be started.

Step 5: Pay The Deductible

Extended car warranty plans usually come with a deductible. The deductible is the amount paid out of pocket before the policy takes over.

Deductibles on extended warranties usually range from $0 to $250.

Step 6: Collect The Vehicle

When the repairs are complete, pick up the vehicle. Be sure to keep all the documentation. Repair orders, invoices, receipts.

You never know when you might need them in the future.

The Top Reasons For Claim Denials

Not all claims get approved. Understanding the most common reasons for failure helps to avoid them.

According to a MarketWatch survey, 18% of respondents who own a car warranty said that their provider failed to cover the damaged part. That’s nearly 1 in 5 claims that come up against coverage issues.

Here are the most common reasons for claim denials:

• The repair isn’t covered. Warranties have lists of covered components. If the broken part isn’t on that list, the claim will be rejected. Reading the contract carefully before signing up is always a good idea.
• Missing maintenance records. Warranty providers need to see proof the vehicle has been properly maintained. No proof? No approval. Maintain digital copies of oil changes, tire rotations, and all scheduled services.
• Pre-existing conditions. If a problem existed prior to the start of the warranty, it will not be covered. Some providers have a waiting period, usually 30 days, before the start of coverage.
• Unauthorised modifications. Aftermarket parts and performance upgrades can void coverage. This can include lifted suspensions, oversized wheels, and upgraded exhaust systems.
• Repair by an unauthorised facility. Taking the vehicle to a repair shop outside of the provider’s network is usually grounds for a claim denial. Always double check authorised facilities before having any work done.
• Neglect or abuse. Misuse such as racing, off-roading in a vehicle not designed for it, or overloading a vehicle beyond manufacturer recommendations can all void a warranty.

Avoiding Claim Rejections

Nobody likes dealing with a denied claim. Following these steps can greatly improve the odds of approval…

• Read the contract carefully. Before signing on the dotted line, make sure you are clear on exactly what is and isn’t covered. Look for exclusions, waiting periods, and deductible amounts.
• Keep excellent maintenance records. Document everything. Oil changes, brake checks, fluid top-offs, everything. Store digital copies in the cloud so you have backups.
• Use authorised repair facilities. Even if there’s a trusted mechanic around the corner, use repair facilities approved by the warranty provider.
• Report issues promptly. Don’t wait until the problem gets worse. As soon as something doesn’t feel right, contact the warranty company and get the vehicle inspected.
• Avoid modifications. As much fun as it might be to put a cool exhaust system on your vehicle, modifications make headaches during the claims process.

What To Do If A Claim Gets Denied

If you receive a denial letter from the warranty company, don’t freak out.

The first step is to request a written explanation from the company. Knowing exactly why the claim was denied makes it easier to appeal.

Gather all relevant documentation. Maintenance records, repair invoices, any correspondence with the warranty company.

If you still think the denial was unjustified, file a formal appeal. Present the supporting documentation clearly and reference the contract terms which back up the claim.

Still coming up empty handed? Contacting consumer protection agencies or getting legal advice may be warranted. Some warranty disputes fall under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

Pulling It All Together

The claims process for extended car warranties comes down to one thing.

Preparation.

Knowing what is covered, what the process involves, and keeping proper records makes the claims process easy. Saves:

• Time – no unnecessary back and forth with the provider
• Money – repairs that should be covered actually get paid
• Stress – no surprises

The claims process itself follows a logical progression. Detect the problem, contact the warranty provider, use an approved repair facility, get authorisation, pay the deductible, and collect the vehicle.

The most common claim denials are the result of missing documentation, uncovered components, or unauthorised repairs. Steering clear of those three things goes a long way in improving approval odds.

Extended car warranty subscriptions are an excellent way to protect yourself and your wallet. Just make sure to read the fine print, maintain the vehicle as recommended, and follow the process precisely.

That’s all there is to it.