Yes, the Open House! We all have them, we all have attended them and doesn't it seem at times that you just don't know what to do any more? No worries - Open Houses can be FUN! Yes, I said FUN! Here are some great tips and tricks to get some MOJO back into your Open Houses and really ramp up the excitement.
First - ADVERTISING! Plan your Open Houses far enough in advance so that you can take advantage of marketing! There are so many places to advertise and here are a few that I recommend:
- Your Local MLS should have a space for Open Houses - definitely want to get the word out there!
- Craigslist - at least two postings prior to the event
- BackPage - at least two postings prior to the event
- A Mass Email to your mailing list (both local and non-locals)
- A Mass email to your SOI
- Flyers to other Real Estate offices (don't forget to srop off some candy, too!)
- Partner with a mortgage professional to pull your advertising dollars and have them do a mass email as well
- For my local area there is The Open Look - it is a local website dedicated to Open Houses - see if your area has one as well!
- Flyers to the 8x8's. (8 houses down from your listing in all directions at a minimum!)
- YOUR website! Dedicate a space on your website for Open Houses - it's worth it!
- Do your research - it is extremely beneficial to hold your Open House while their are others in the same neighborhood - if possible, plan an Open House Extravaganza! An Ioen House Caravan! An Open House Tour!
Next you want to meet with your sellers prior to the Open House and set the parameters:
- Spruced up sidewalk and porches (swept, dead plants pulled, fresh door mat, sparkling windows and clean doors)
- Clean and uncluttered countertops - EVERYWHERE! Put away toothbrushes and other toiletries in the bathrooms, minimize clutter in kitchen with less used peripheral equipment (toaster, coffee maker, etc) put away.
- Straighten up the closets - neat, organized and no clutter
- Pets must GO! Be sure that your sellers have made provisions for Fido and Kitty Kitty to spend the time elsewhere.
- Toys out of sight
- De-personalize by putting away family photos, to-do lists and personal momentos
- Be sure that your sellers will be gone for the ENTIRE Open House. Set clear times for beginning and end
Prepare Your Flyers! While you may already have flyers at your listing take advantage of some extra-special flyers for the Open House! Include additional information that you may not already have on them such as:
- Property Taxes per year
- Area Schools and demographics
- Utility Bill Averages and Utility Company Contact Information
- A Streamlined copy of a CMA
- An additional sheet that pertains to you, your marketing services, etc.
Whew - that is just a bare outline of the preparation for your Open House. The real excitment comes the day of! Stay Tuned for Part II for some awesome tips that will make you look like a rockstar - I PROMISE!
Written by:
Leesa L. Finley, Broker, Realtor®
Circa Properties
919.649.6128 - direct and txt msg
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Circa Properties, and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Circa Properties. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2008.
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Leesa Finley the "Wake Forest NC House Chick"
Circa Properties
919-649-6128
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Wow - that's great enthusiasm for something I have been dreading to do lately. Last open house had 1 couple, previous open house had ZERO. I also think it's attitude - I'll ratch it up a few notches and start sending out some 8 x 8s! Thanks.
Margaret - They are what you make them! Get excited, do plenty of planning and when the day comes you'll have fun!
Those are great idea's. People don't just drive around looking for opens anymore so getting the word out so that they come to you is a great idea. I plan to use your list the next time and maybe I won't just sit in a vacant house alone for hours. Thanks for the tips!
Michelle - Be sure to check back for all the things you can do DURING your Open House!
Leesa, your points are well taken, and in our office we remind everyone to do the necessary marketing around the open house. You have it all covered here.
Gary - Thanks so much for stopping by! Advertising your Open Houses is a must!
This reminds me of "American Beauty". Do you also strip down and clean up before your Open House?
Ellie - That cracks me up - I totally forgot about that movie! Thanks for stopping by....
Marketing is a wonderful thing too many time we get stuck in the same rut thanks for the ideas.
Great job! I've always been a believer in Opens.........although these days there aren't too many people coming through them...........nevertheless your outline is excellent.......and its proactive! So its all good! :-) Congrats on the feature..:-)
Very good points. I check back to find out more from this Open House series!
Leesa, Congrats on the Star. All good tips for people selling their homes...
Hi Leesa - I love open houses. It's a great opportunity to meet the neighbors and get them working for you and for your seller. Good tips here for successful open houses. I also have some kind of a treat at my open house, could be a plate of cookies or a bowl of candy.
Leesa...
Excellent open house marketing plan and a well deserved Gold Star for you! Great job!
I do pretty well at open houses - thanks for sharing the info - very good!
I love the 8X8, I have an open house coming up in 2 weeks...
Thanks so much for sharing
Rich
Charlotte NC
Leesa,
First, yes, my open houses have become pretty quiet but I really like the idea of putting a notice on Craigslist. I never thought of doing that.
Terry - We need to take advantage of EVERY marketing opportunity that comes our way!
Liz - Thanks! Open Houses can be quiet but I have always noticed that it is when I haven't done a ton of marketing. Or the super bowl is on - ;) definitely not a good open house day!
Laura - Thanks for following! I will get the next one out soon!
Michael - Thanks! Stay tuned for more regarding Open Houses!
Judy - The neighbors are the BEST talkers! Always ask them if they know of someone that would like to live in the area - you'd be surprised!
Richard - Thanks so much!
Norma - You're welcome!
Rich - You have plenty of time to MARKET that open house! Take advantage of this! Good luck!
Great "To Do" list!
Are your Open Houses in gated communities?
What is your success rate?
How many of the open houses have you sold?
How many listings have you gotten from the Open Houses?
What do you do in an empty house with no phone connection for a computer?
What are NAR's latest statistics on Open House sales?
At the end of the day, we are still running a business and I am wondering how much you think your time is worth in preparing and executing your To Do list?
Then there is the warm cookies, brownies, coffee....People who complain about open houses and they "market is too saturated", you never get any buyers or sellers are the same ones who put in little effort and get little out of it...you get what you give ! Good job !
Leesa, These are great points. I hope you don't mind if I print off - it will remind me of things I sometimes forget!! I will have an Open today at a vacant house with no electicity!!! SO I am using candles and opening all of the windows because it is a beautiful Fall Day in VA!
Have a great day!
Diane - Craigslist gets you tons of attention.
Jim - No, I have never held an open house in a gated community.
Define success.
I have sold a few homes that I held Open.
Received quite a few listings from Opens.
Paperwork! If you know in advance that the home has no connection then you obviously have the wherewithall to plan in advance - small radio, binder with local listings, etc.
I am not sure about NARs latest statistics but nobody's statistics are going to dictate what I do and don't do. If it works for me then it works for me.
ALL my time is spent marketing ALL of my listings whether it be an OH prep, flyers for the house, on-line advertising, blog posts, etc. Every minute is worth it for me.
Sally - So true - you get what you put in.
We're doing most of that, but it seems open houses in our area are DEAD. We've been doing them weekly for a few months and for most of them we're lucky to get ONE person through. It's depressing.
Great Post! I also put my Open House notice on my Real Estate Shows. Since my updates appear on every site I place my virtual tours (automatically) it's another way for me to advertise my opens.
Great tips! I think your attitude probably helps you be more successful as well!
Wow, Leesa these are great. They're a few I have never heard of. Also, Congrats on that little gold star!! Have a wonderful Sunday!!!
Great ideas!
But moer many reasons, I can not get myself to do open houses anymore, it has been years since I have done one.
Part of that is a change in my business, part of it is the fact that I just don;t see it as a good use of my time.
However, you bring up a lot of good ideas, including Craigs List, that I have not used before for other marketing that I do.
Thanks!
Good organized post, Leesa. I will try these things the next time we hold an open house. We already do a lot of those things but there are a few we don't. We usually use the open house time as a time to get some work done since nobody shows up.
I am so looking forward to your next post! Great ideas! I am holding one of my houses open every Sunday this month. Planned in advance and advertised in our monthly print magazine, 15 open house signs up. Hadn't thought about Craigslist...I love Craigslist (will try that for next week). Also love the 8x8.
You have some great ideas...can't wait for more
Energy is everthing. Excellent open house marketing plan. Thanks for all the info.
I actually use most of these ideas for my Opens. On the last one I did, I made sure to invite the neighbors. I think I hand delivered about 25 invitations and ironically, that's where my traffic came from. Not from the email blasts, not from Craigslist, not from other realtors, but from the people who already live there and have friends or family that may want to move in that same community.
Great ideas.
Thanks for your comprehensive lists of things to consider. How many hours do you typically invest in preparing for an open house. [Total hours for you and your PA. Do you have a PA?]- Richard
Love the list! I am doing an open house today! Next time I will use this list.
Sandy
Great ideas! As a new agent I don't really have "just listeds" or "just solds" of my own to send to my farm. Open house announcements are a great alternative. Thanks! I can't wait for part II!
Leesa, Great post. I haven't done an open house in a while. Maybe it's time to start doing them again. Thanks for the reminder.
Leesa - great ideas! We have book marked them. Our last open house was a twilight open house on a Thursday late afternoon/evening. It was great we had hand delivered 100 flyers inviting the neighbors and 30+ people came.
I really like the 8X8's designation. Not only does that wrk, but it also makes quite an impression on the neighbors about you as a real estate agent with integrity!
Thanks for the info. I think we all getting going and go through the motion of doing an open house and do not really think about what would make it most successful. It is always good to have reminders about getting back to the basics. There are too many people trying to reinvent the wheel. Thanks.
Think as an industry we have to get beyond the open house idea - open houses have simply become not safe in many areas. We live in a world where everyday doors are locked and we question who wants to come inside a home-- but for an open house we open the doors and let anyone (and everyone) inside, with no idea who they are. Safety wise there is something wrong with this concept. Our 2 cents.
We have alot of success with teaming up with several other companies in the area to hold a subdivision wide open house.
It is amazing to me that some people just throw up their signs and that is the extent of their advertising an open house. I do many things on your list but you have so many great extra ideas that I never knew of. This is book marked for sure!
Thanks for such a detailed outline for open houses.
Yep-A little effort goes a long way. I have gotten very lazy with my open houses. I have found that adverrtising them a week in advance will usually bring at least 2-3 visitors just from the web.
Thanks for the fresh outlook on a necessity for alot of markets.
The 8 X 8 idea is excellent.
HI LEESA!
All great ideas. Another is having comparables available so they can see where your listing ranks.
Leesa, You have compiled a great list here! I loved your 8x8 idea. Why haven't I thought of that? Impresses the neighbors as well so they will think of you:)
Erica - Well, that's one more prospect than you had, right?
Jon - That's a GREAT idea!
Jean - ATTITUDE PLAYS A huge PART!
Teresa - Thank you , sweetie! Just trying to give y'all some ideas!
Mark - Hang on for Part II - there might be some more ideas in there that you can use.
Matt - Yes, always take work with you like envelopes to be addressed, letters to be signed, mailers to be stuffed - works for me!
Karen - I am working on it now! Craigslist always generates interest for me.
James - Great ideas! Thanks for sharing them!
Nancy - Positive outlook - make lemonade out of lemons, right? Or, add some salt and do a shot of tequila - not sure which way to go with that one.
MeLisa - Yes! Neighbors are most often the BEST resource for people interested in the area! Good for you!
Points well taken, I have started ding Open Houses tied in with sellers yard sale. We have had great success with them. Also started doing Auctions and that has improved traffic.
All great ideas... Thanks for the post!
So much to do and so little time. Great list of reminders for a successful open house and hopefully lots of new clients!
Mine have not only lost their mojo, but attendance too! this sunday is my last for the year! While I work the business through year end, I love the holidays tooo much to spend weekends in empty houses waiting for prospects to arrive....
I'll look forward to your next post. You gave me a few more places to advertise thank you. I like lots of advertising for my open houses. If we're going to put the time into being there, we might as well put the time into marketing it.
I had an open house recently with 26 people through in less than 3 hours; very productive.
I thoroughly enjoy hosting open houses in the spring and summer. (Not so much once the weather turns horrid!)
That was a nice list of tips for us Leesa. Thank you!
Leesa,
A well deserved Gold Star!!!! I love this, I am going to print it out and stick it in everyone's mail box at my office. Thank you...
Great info -- I have never been a fan of open houses -- We always try a "Parade" or "Tour" of homes -- I try to have at least 5 homes in the same area open at the same time and we usually get a good turn out -- I have found out over the years that if in your advertising you use the words "For Sale Homes" you get more qualified traffic as opposed to those looking for decorating ideas and the curious neighbor -- thank for sharing! JE
Leesa, you are a scientist! You took something as awful as an open house and made it sexy! I am forwarding the link to ALL my agents. Rock On!
It seems to me whenever I bring stuff to work on I get a rush of people. :) KM
You're right, but many times the ONE who comes through the door isn't a "good" lead. I did an open house yesterday and did get 1 good potential buyer and 1 just messing around for the day.
Lessa,
Great tips! I had almost given up on open houses after having very little success most of the summer. The past 2 open house I have had have been busy, with 1 resulting in a sale. Good neighborhoods and advertising seem to be the key.
All top notch tips! It is up to use to generate the extra buzz to have a great open house. I love to see all kinds of people show up, even if it is the neighbors...neighbors know buyers too!
Leesa:
You are the Rockstar of realtors & your ideas - yes , yes, yes. Love it.
Great open house tips.
Wow! What a great post! Loaded with ideas. I love it. Thats the trouble with Open Houses. No enthusiasm. I need to hear more of this stuff. I do them all the time and I am always looking for some new invention.
You have used every strategy I could ever imagine... Thanks for the reminders. I had a lot of mojo when I started in the business, baked cookies at the opens etc. People knew me from the cookie lady.
Leesa - this is so true. I am not a realtor but I can tell you how different my experience has been when I pop by an open house where the realtor is well organized and enthusiastic about being in the home and chatting with me. In sharp contrast, those who have an air about them like "I don't want to be here...I'm here because I'm obligated to be" don't do anything to inspire a sale - or future contact. Real estate sales/business/life...is an energy game - the highest energy wins! (but you already know that...I can tell). :-) - Tana
Thanks to ALL of you for your wonderful comments! Part II is up and I hope that you get some great ideas from it!
Leesa, thanks for sharing. I admit that my OH's could be stepped up a little and your post showed me that I wasn't doing all I could do.
Natalia - You're welcome and don't forget to check out part II
Great tips, Leesa. I was a little disappointed to find that Backpage.com is very limited with locations - the only "metro areas" I could find for PA are all several hours away - I was surprised not to find a Scranton/Wilkes Barre or Northeast PA metro area - not even Erie (not that that's near me either, but just sayin') It all seems to be dedicated to the southern tier of our gigantic state. Sigh. Oh well - your other ideas are TERRIFIC and I'm going to implement several!
Karen - Is there anyway that YOU can create the area? I do know that they add new locations almost daily - maybe you could email them with a suggestion.