It Pays to Look at Your Neighbors' Properties For Sale

Going to the open house of a home for sale down the block can be very valuable. By knowing the selling prices and how properties look inside, homeowners can become more educated about values in their neighborhood

Attending open houses is especially important if you plan to sell your home soon. But it's also a good idea even if you plan to stay in your home for a while. Eventually, these homes will become the competition, and it's smart to know how your home can stack up. Look at the upgrades your neighboors made, the outdoor, and the curb appeal. This way you an see where your advantage is and you can focus on that when you put your house on the market in the future.

There are other reasons to check out neighborhood open houses:

To prioritize home-improvement projects. Seeing what the neighbors have done can help you decide which projects to take on first. Also make sure improvements are in line with what's considered popular in the area. Avoid over-improving your home, because you will get get your investment back. Do what will get you the most return on your investment.

If you want to sell your home soon, open houses are a good way to interview agents. One of the reasons agents hold open houses is to meet prospective clients, so it's a good opportunity to assess whether you'd like to work with that agent.

If you're selling your home, you may want to attend open houses to collect information about the competition in the area.