It’s no secret that open houses are an excellent opportunity to meet motivated buyers, expand your brand and show off to your sellers. Below are some of our agents’ best tips and tricks to be the “host with the most” at your next open house!
The Week Before the Open House
- Timing is everything. Schedule your Sunday open house by Tuesday or Wednesday to allow yourself plenty of time to get the word out and prepare.
- Spread the word. Your goal is to reach as many prospective buyers as possible, so in addition to advertising your open house in the newspaper, consider local TV, social media and flyers. Locations makes it easy to promote your open house by automatically advertising it online and on social media.
- Do your homework. Brush up on the recent market stats for your open house’s building or neighborhood so you can speak confidently to your visitors. Locations in-house Research Department and on-demand local market charts underscore your neighborhood expertise.
- Be prepared. Don’t wait until Sunday morning to print your sign-in sheet, flyers, CMAs and other marketing collateral. Locations MASH boxes contain everything you need to host a successful open house, from branded postcards and flyers to pens and hand sanitizer, and best of all, these boxes are free to all of our agents.
The Day of the Open House
- The early bird gets the worm. If you arrive 30 minutes before your open house starts, you’re already late. Don’t let a looky-loo catch you off guard; arrive at least an hour early so you have ample time to prepare.
- Signs, signs, signs! Be sure to place plenty of directional and open house signs around the property. Pro tip: Use Google maps to identify intersections around your listing that could use signs. Your main sign should include a rider with your name and photo so visitors will know who to expect.
- Keep comfortable. Don’t let hunger, thirst, spills or sweat bring you down; pack snacks (for any down time you may have), water, paper towels and even a change of shirt or shoes (placing all those open house signs is a good way to work up a sweat!).
- Set the mood. In addition to making sure home is clean and tidy, consider lighting candles, playing pleasing background music or even baking cookies!
- Breathe. Take a moment to center yourself before you open the door. You’ve got this!
During the Open House
- Give neighbors a sneak peak. Neighbors can be a great source of information and referrals. Consider inviting them to an exclusive open house an hour before you open to the public.
- Keep it light. Highlight three key features of the home and then invite visitors to look around; don’t overwhelm them with too many facts.
- Get to know your prospects. Use Wade Webb’s F.O.R.D. principle (Family, Occupation, Recreation and Dreams) to connect with prospects and determine if the home might be a good fit for them.
- Take notes. Keep a pen and small notepad handy to jot down feedback and questions from visitors.
Use Your Down Time Wisely
- Get social. Use a lull in foot traffic to hop on social media and share a live video of yourself showing off your open house.
- Summarize your open house. Prepare a summary of the open house for your sellers. How many visitors? Who were they? What was their feedback? Complete your summary before you leave, while it’s still fresh in your mind.
After the Open House
- Follow up with open house guests. Reach out to your open house visitors; if you don’t get a response, try contacting them using another method, like texting, or at a different time of day, like during their evening commute. Pro tip: Email prospects using CRM; you’ll be able to see if they opened your email or not.
- Add prospects to your CRM. Enter open house guests who are not already working with another agent into your CRM so you can sign them up for automated emails, like Locations Neighborhood Expert/Condo Expert monthly email.
Want to take your open houses to the next level? Contact us to learn more about how Locations prepares agents for all stages of hosting a successful open house.
