Quaffing a drink or two is often part of a fun night out. Getting together with friends or loved ones, you can try out a crisp glass of wine, a signature cocktail, or a refreshing beer.

When you are selling your home, you might ponder whether to serve alcohol at an open house. There are many ways a seller can make an open house more enjoyable, such as providing fresh baked goods to any potential buyers who stop in. Offering a glass of wine to visitors can make the property seem more inviting and help the buyer envision how they could accommodate guests at the home.

Some properties are particularly well-suited for adding a drink menu to the open house. Visitors might be delighted to peek into the finished basement and find that a bartender is pouring beer from a recently tapped keg.

Alcoholic offerings can also be an excellent way of showing some local flavor. You can set up a few bottles of wine from local vineyards, or stock up a cooler or refrigerator with beers from nearby craft breweries.

Of course, providing alcoholic beverages at a public event can also be risky. You can easily get in trouble if you end up serving someone under 21. Someone could overstay their welcome and partake too heavily of the offerings, and they could pose a serious hazard to themselves and others if they drive away from the event.

Consider whether alcohol is appropriate for the timeframe of the open house. If the event includes morning hours, many people won't be interested in a drink anyway. The libations are more suitable if you are hosting the open house in the afternoon or evening.

You'll also have to consider liability laws involved in serving alcohol. The host of a social function where alcohol is being served can be held liable if they serve a minor or an intoxicated person and this person goes on to cause injuries or property damage.

For this reason, some real estate agents won't even consider offering alcohol at an open house. Marian McPherson, writing for the real estate site Inman News, says the brokerage's liability insurance may not cover incidents that could occur when alcohol is served at a function.

One way to alleviate the liability concern is to hire a third party vendor to take care of the alcohol service. These groups, such as caterers, should provide their own insurance as well as servers for the event. Of course, it will also come at a higher cost than you might be willing to pay.

Make sure you take any necessary precautions when serving alcohol, including checking the ID of anyone who wants a drink. Setting a drink limit of two and giving out drink tickets at the open house registration is one way to keep people from being overserved.

You should also set limits for when alcohol is served. Isham Jones, writing for the National Association of Realtors, recommends stopping drink service about an hour before the end of the open house. Don't make a "last call" announcement, as this might prompt people to quickly consume their last drinks.

Beer and wine shouldn't be the only drink options at the open house. Provide non-alcoholic alternatives such as water and soda.

Alcoholic beverages can be an enjoyable option when hosting an open house, but they can also lead to unexpected problems. Consult with your real estate agent to determine whether this option is feasible and whether it is suitable for your home.