The Connections Bridgewater Somerville Edition April/May 2021

theconnectionsnj.com HOME & DESIGN PAGE 38 Open House season is upon us. If you are out and about on the week- end, you will see the signs. This year, we are experiencing high de- mand for homes, and competitive bidding. Buyers rightly feel that they should see a new listing as soon as pos- sible. An open house draws many visitors in a short window of time. It’s useful if the sellers want to limit the number of times they have to straighten up and wrangle pets or other household members, to clear the way for visitors. An open house can concentrate a larger number of buyer visits to a short timeframe. Because of high demand, the recent open house visitor count is much great- er than in prior years. Some agents are letting visitors ow into homes spon- taneously, causing crowding that not everyone feels comfortable with during COVID times. Other agents are asking visitors to wait in line outside, which is tense and uncomfortable for many reasons: waiting in line with your com- petition is awkward, the delays disrupt plans, and the weath- er may be unpleasant. Neighbors have com- plained that the sud- den arrival of so many parked cars creates a road hazard to pedestri- ans, pets, and bikes. Many sellers decide not to hold an open house. They do not want anyone but seri- ous buyers to see their home. They prefer to avoid “nosy neigh- bors” and curious pass- ers-by who aren’t really in the market or ready to buy. Another concern is that the high volume of traf c leaves the home and its contents vulnerable to damage. The more people wander- ing through an unfamiliar home at the same time, the greater the chance of an accident. Experience tells us that motivated and quali ed buyers will make an appointment for a private showing, and that their accompanying real estate agent will help keep buyers focused on the property. I’ve hosted many open houses over the years, in all market condi- tions. There have been mobs, and there have been crickets. I have stories, but I’ll save them for a fu- ture installment. Local expert Johanna Wiseman of RE/MAX Preferred Professionals can be reached at 908-705-0652, or vis- it www.MyBridgewaterHome.com Many sellers decide not to hold an open house. They do not want anyone but serious buyers to see their home. This year, we are experiencing high demand for homes, and competitive bidding. Buyers rightly feel that they should see a new listing as soon as possible. An open house draws many visitors in a short window of time. OPEN HOUSE SEASON By Johanna Wiseman, RE/MAX Preferred Professionals 61A Mountain Blvd., Warren, NJ 908-757-9100 www.warrenvillehardware.com Come in to redeem this BOGO Color Samples Offer Speak with our in-store color consultant Warrenville Hardware Design Center Paint | Wallcoverings | Window Treatments Upholstery | Bedding | Space Planning | Staging | Furniture | Flooring Patty Hernon, Design Consultant studio@warrenvillehardware.com COLOR OF THE YEAR & COLOR TRENDS 2021 Offer valid for one (1) free Benjamin Moore® Color Sample when you purchase one (1) Benjamin Moore® Color Sample from participating retailer. Excludes Aura® and Century®. Must present this coupon to redeem - no copies will be allowed. Products may vary from store to store. Subject to availability. Offer cannot be combined with other offers, discounts or promotions, or applied toward prior purchases. Retailer reserves the right to terminate, cancel or modify this offer at any time without notice. Offer expires 5/31/21. ©2020 Benjamin Moore & Co. Aura, Benjamin Moore, Century, and the triangle “M” symbol are registered trademarks licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co. 9/20 Buy one BenjaminMoore ® Color Sample, get the second one FREE.