Over 5 million homes were sold in the United States in 2015 alone, according to the National Association of Realtors. While many of those homes sold in a matter of days, others had been on the market for weeks and even months. In fact, the average amount of time a home spent on the market was 49 days that sold in September of 2015. The waiting to sell a house can be very frustrating not knowing when it will sell. Fortunately, many homeowners are proactive with their homes and hold open houses to gain more exposure. Open houses are a great way to attract potential buyers to your home, but you can also repel the right buyer if the open house is not done properly. Here are some of the mistakes to avoid when holding an open house. 

Not Staging Your Home

One of the easiest ways to ruin your open house is to not have anything in the home. Buyers need to see what the home will look like with furniture in it. If you have already moved your belongings out, you will need to at least place furniture in the home temporarily until the house sells. On average, staging a house can run you about $1,800, but it can mean the difference in selling your home much faster. 

Overdoing it on the Air Freshener

While it is nice to walk into a home that smells fresh and clean, you do not want to be overcome with an odor. Not all air fresheners and candles appeal to everyone. You want to be very careful about what you spray in the home before an open house. The last thing you want to do is flare up a potential buyer's allergies by spraying too much scent into the home. Instead, try something natural like baking cookies or open the windows to allow natural air to flow through the home. 

Being Present for the Open House

The last thing a buyer wants to deal with is the homeowner hovering over them while they tour the home. Ideally, the seller should never be around during the open house. The real estate agent is well-versed in handling open houses and can provide all necessary information that is needed. If a potential buyer sees the homeowner hanging around, they may be more timid about asking questions about the house. Leave the open house to the real estate agent and have them check in with you if you must know how it is going.