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The Open House Marketing List...

By Eva Wilson

Real Estate Agent with Long & Foster Real Estate

May 20, 2007 01:20 PM

Here is my top 5 ways to market your open house list - please note that these may vary by market, and the type of house you are selling:

1) Invitations to the neighbors - Neighbors are inherently nosey (myself included) they have always wanted to know what your house looks like on the inside. An open house sign is their chance to do that. The only ones who won't come are those who feel like they have to come up with an excuse to come to your open house - since they already live in the neighborhood and won't be buying your home. Invite them to a "NOSEY NEIGHBOR NIGHT" where you have cocktails and snacks. Go knock on doors and drop off invitations. It is a nice social setting to find out if they know anyone interested in moving into their neighborhood!

2) Evites - Everyone loves an evite. Go to Evite.com and invite your friends and relatives to come by an after work open house. Serve nice drinks and snacks. Owners... go out to dinner and a movie!

3) Giveaways - I give away free HMS home warranties (redeemable when your home is on the market or if you purchase a home) to anyone who comes to an open house.

4) Cookout/Yard Sale - Put your grill in the front yard, get out the burgers and chips and sodas/water and have a yardsale and cookout! Everyone loves a cookout! Won't work in the winter - but it is a homerun for the summer!

5) Team up! - A group of local agents, not even from the same brokerage, did a neighborhood open house. People got a card stamped at each location then put their card in for a drawing at the last house for a nice prize.

I hope these are helpful, and happy home selling!

Eva

Eva Wilson, REALTOR
Salesperson 202-528-3942

"YOUR HOME SHOULD BE ON MY DVD"

See Videos at:
http://www.myspace.com/thatrealestatelady
and
http://www.youtube.com/user/thatrealestatelady

Search for homes at: http://www.movetodcmetro.com/

"I TALK ABOUT MY LISTINGS 24 HOURS A DAY - CALL ME TO FIND OUT HOW"

Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc.
202-528-3942 cell
301-449-9100 x 2200 office
301-449-2200 agent
6320 Allentown Road
Camp Springs, MD

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Carol Spengel

Prudential Rubloff - Wheaton, IL

Wheaton IL

Our market has been doing "spot light" tours. All the companies get together and take out a large (2 page) ad with all the homes on tour on a Friday night. Each sign will have a spotlight to let people know it's open. People can go from house to house viewing properties. It's also a great way to let the community know that realtors can work together. Sherry

May 20, 2007 01:58 PM

Eva Wilson

Long & Foster Real Estate - Camp Springs, MD

BS, GRI - DC Metro Area - Home Marketing Specialist: The DVD Lady

Now that is a neat idea!

May 20, 2007 02:03 PM

Eva - here's more info on the spot light tour. I'm sure you will be great at organizing it in your area :-) Let me know how it goes. Sherry

May 20, 2007 02:13 PM

Dave Cheatham

INC Financial - Bartlett, IL

EVA, I think you head the nail on the head. Great job.

May 20, 2007 03:48 PM

Linda Sanderson

Coldwell Banker Solano Pacific - Benicia, CA

Thanks for the great ideas Eva! Our office did something very similar to the spotlight tour only we called it a twilight tour hoping to catch people on their way home from work from 4 to 7 p.m.

Another idea we came up with was a poker run. People collected cards at the open houses they visited and put together their best poker hand to turn in for a prize. Was a lot of fun.

P.S. thanks for adding me as an assoiciate, I was very pleased to see it. Thank you.

May 31, 2007 07:18 AM

Harold Watts

Teles Properties - Palm Springs, CA

Palm Springs Real Estate Blog

Eva,

I like the "Nosey Neighbor Night" idea. I think I will give this a try....Thanks for the tip.

May 31, 2007 07:29 AM

Dawn Workman

Veracity Real Estate Group, LLC - Camas, WA

Camas Real Estate Expert, MBA, 480-540-8100

GREAT IDEAS!!! I love all of your ideas!

May 31, 2007 05:34 PM

Anonymous

Jamar James

we actively don't do open houses, however when we are in open houses I think it's best to go door knocking in the neighborhood if your not getting traffic and offer an award to the first person who finds you when your not at the open house.

Door knocking with opens houses gives you a reason to approach the neighbors in person

May 31, 2007 07:01 PM

Frank Harris

Keller Williams Realty Centre - Columbia, MD

I like the give aways idea (At open houses), especially the HMS warranties. It leads to a nice segue... Here is a Free HMS Warranty certificate good for the next year,that can save you thousands in repairs on the sell or purchase of your next home. Is this something you can use? If you are not going to use it, do you know someone who may benefit from the certificate.

Thanks Eva

Jun 01, 2007 08:01 AM

TFW Crew

Great Work Eva! We would love having you as an affiliate. We have a way to help those who do not list with you but they may be facing foreclosure. Try us at http://www.foreclosureworkbook.com and join our affiliate group.

Jun 10, 2007 10:23 AM

#10

Kecia Carpenter

Weichert Realtors Baron & Snipes Co - Glen Allen, VA

Great ideas..I'm going to use the nosey neighbor night...

Jun 10, 2007 12:47 PM

Aziz Abdur-Raoof

RE/MAX Rewards - Columbia, MD

Howard Co. Real Estate Scoop

I hadn't thought of Evites --good tip.

Jun 10, 2007 03:58 PM

marti garaughty

garaughty.com - Montreal, QC

a highly caffeinated creative type...

Eva, I love the giveaway concept of HMS home warranties. Super post, thanks for contributing to the marketing group...

the art of marketing you

Jun 20, 2007 02:03 PM

The Open House Marketing List...

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