Honolulu Real Estate | You Are a GUEST While You Are Attending an Open House

Hawaii Home Buyers and Sellers | Etiquette for Open Houses

Our Open Houses on Oahu (Honolulu County) are still a great way to preview a property. Maybe your Realtor® is unable to attend with you (the Home Buyer) due to previous appointments or holding an Open House themselves. It's also a great way for the neighbor to do a ‘quiet observation' of the agent holding the Open House to see if they might possibly ‘hire' that agent and brokerage firm in the sale of their home.

It's all relevant when it comes to Hawaii Open Houses and Honolulu Real Estate Tips.

1. Make sure you've already been prequalified with a lender so you're looking in the correct price range. Be realistic in your home search and price range lest you waste your time. If you have a Realtor® then you have already been instructed to go through that process.
2. Please don't be rude to the agent holding the Open House. You are there as a guest in someone's home and will be courteous and polite to the one holding the Open House.
3. Please remove your shoes unless otherwise instructed. In Hawaii, we take off our shoes not matter whose home it is. Open Houses are no different. Again, you are a guest in the seller's home and they most likely have already prepared the home with carpet cleaning and so forth. Wear slip on/off shoes/sandals.
4. Please hold on to your children. Letting your children run rampant around a beautiful home is not how you show respect to the owner of the home and being a good example as a guest. The home is not a playground for all of you to pass the time on a Sunday.
5. Please sign in the guest book. If you have a Realtor® make sure you have your agent's business card on hand (get a bunch from your agent) to give to the agent holding the Open House. It will also help the Open House Realtor® follow up with your Realtor®. No matter what, you all are a guest in the home so please do the agent a courtesy and sign in.
6. Make notes of your own observations. This will help you with your home search regardless if you are just going to Open Houses or showing appointments with your Realtor®. A list of wants and needs before you start your home search is another good tip.
7. If you walk into an Open House and REALLY feel that this is the right home for you. Call your Realtor® immediately and put in that offer! The inventory on Oahu is going down and if you try to be a killer negotiator or sit on the fence that home will be gone!
8. Remember, the seller's agent who is holding the Open House has the Seller's best interests at heart. A lot of home buyer's "believe" that they are going to "get a better deal" if they deal with the seller's agent directly. The truth is that you are best represented by having your own agent (buyer's representative or buyer's agent) who know the real estate contract and laws. Your OWN agent is your most valuable negotiating tool and bargaining power for your home buying process.
9. A company sign for an Open House means they have a listing contract in place. It means they have a legal contract in place and you are not going to negotiate terms between seller and brokerage firm to get a better deal.
10. Please don't touch the items in the home. Again, you are a guest in the seller's home and you are there to preview the property. You are NOT there to try and figure out what the seller does for a living and their personal history nor allowed to touch things that don't belong to you.

These may seem like common sense tips for most although many may benefit from one or more of these tips.

Please be respectful and courteous while attending an Open House.

YOU ARE A GUEST.

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Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com