Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC

COLDWELL BANKER® PROVIDES TIPS FOR HOMEBUYERS AND SELLERS ON MAKING THE MOST OF SPRING OPEN HOUSE SEASON

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (April 12, 2006) – It is spring home buying time again, when millions of homes go on the market during the biggest real estate sales period of the year. The showcase of the season is the time-honored tradition of the open house, which helps sellers evaluate interest in their home, gauge pricing and attract buyers, and lets buyers visit a maximum of potential homes in a minimum amount of time.

The professionals at Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation, who plan to host 100,000 open houses during April's Coldwell Banker^® International Open House Month, offer the following advice to help homebuyers and sellers take full advantage of the open house experience.

Open House Tips for the Seller:

Sign Up: It is an American tradition: Consumers drive through neighborhoods on weekends searching for houses in which they might like to live, and real estate sales associates know how to lure those buyers into visiting your home. Sales associates often place "Open House" signs at nearby well-traveled intersections with directions to the open house. A sales associate will know local ordinances about when and how long signs can be posted.

Maximize Curb Appeal: Ensure that the outside of the home looks as appealing as possible. Water and mow the lawn, trim the trees, cut back overgrowth and plant colorful flowers. Also, be sure to store bicycles, gardening equipment, and children's and pet's toys, and remove the car from the driveway to provide parking.

Make Your Home Anonymous: Stow family photos, trophies, collectibles and anything else that stamps your personality on your home. You want potential buyers to imagine their families in the house, creating their own memories.

Spic and Span: Potential buyers will want to inspect all parts of the home from the bedrooms and the bathrooms to the basement and the garage. It is imperative to create a positive experience for potential buyers. Remove all clutter, and make sure all lights are working throughout the house. Clear out your closets to make them appear as spacious as possible. Consider emptying them altogether to let buyers decide how much, or how little, of their possessions will fit.

Make Necessary Repairs: The last thing you want potential buyers to see are water stains on the ceilings or chipped tile. Make sure all leaks are repaired, paint over any stains, and caulk the tiles, where needed. You do not need to spend a lot of money on the repairs, but it is important to do the necessary touch ups.

Offer Fact Sheets/Brochures: A sales associate will provide prospective homebuyers with information about the property and price. Effective take-aways may include details about the property's best features, the neighborhood and other relevant information such as proximity to shopping, main highways, schools and recreational facilities. Photographs help prospective buyers remember the house. Previous inspection reports and a list of home improvements and new appliances and/or fixtures are also helpful. A sales associate will also know how to properly disclose any major property defects.

Make Yourself Scarce: A sales associate can market the home objectively and answer questions, as well as conduct follow-up with interested parties. Ideally, a seller should not attend his or her own open house so that potential buyers can comfortably scrutinize the home.

Open House Tips for the Buyer:

It's All About Volume: Real estate sales associates encourage their buyers to visit a significant number of open houses. Seeing different homes can give buyers a much better idea of exactly what they desire in a property and can also help them understand how much home their money can buy.

Communicate With Your Sales Associate: Buyers should agree upon a plan with their sales associate before visiting open houses. Since real estate sales professionals have access to numerous available homes, not only those with open houses, an open line of communication will enable him or her to understand which neighborhood, types of homes and even particular features are attractive to the buyer.

Take Copious Notes: Homebuyers should take notes when attending open houses, especially when visiting multiple homes during the day. These notes, along with the marketing materials handed out at the open houses, will help them narrow down the list of homes that are of interest.

Do Not Feel Rushed: Home buying is a process that usually involves negotiating. If a buyer attends an open house and likes the property, it is generally best to keep it to him- or herself. They should contact their sales associate later to schedule a private showing.

Home sellers and prospective buyers can visit the "Learn" section of www.coldwellbanker.com to download checklists that will help them organize information as they prepare their homes for showing and evaluate homes for purchase to help make the respective processes run as smoothly as possible.

Open House Tips for Buyers and Sellers

COLDWELL BANKER® PROVIDES TIPS FOR HOMEBUYERS AND SELLERS ON MAKING THE MOST OF SPRING OPEN HOUSE SEASON