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BEACH NOTES from Dustin A. Peters, Ocean City, NJ ... 4/29/2009

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Real Estate Agent with Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty License # 9481514

More on Weather ... and Open Houses (Ocean City, New Jersey)

 

Along with a variety of other names, I am an "open house" man.  It's what I do to promote my sale listings which are usually in the Northend and Gardens, that area north of Sixth Street in Ocean City, New Jersey.  I am part of a small agency in the Northend and Gardens, French Real Estate, Inc.  We have been here since the 1920s.  I bought my first house, a 1920s 2BR cottage, from French before I was an agent.  I have moved several times, but we have remained in the same general Northend and Gardens locations.  I have always been able to walk or bike to work since I'm only several blocks from my home.  A great job!!

All of our agents do both sales and rentals.  And all of us have a certain amount of "up time" during the week as well as one "up weekend" per month.  So generally the other three weeks of the month I have Saturday and Sunday open houses ... trying to rotate around so that many listings get attention.  I also try to involve some of our other agents so that more than one property is open.  Finally, I always have information and posters with all of my sale listings as well as other French sale listings ... so with one or two open houses, you promote all of our sale listings.

Now weather always plays a factor in any location ... but a resort (beach, island, ocean, boardwalk, etc) location which generally involves many having to make an effort to drive an hour, or more, to get here has more weather impact.  It also has "event impact" that when you have a major event (Block Party, Doo Dah Parade, etc.); it doesn't mean you will have a great open house day.  The time for open houses matters as well.  I have had open houses from 11:00 AM to 2 PM ... but in the past year, I changed to 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM (particularly for Sunday) in that so many visitors leave the island earlier in the day to avoid the traffic going back to their real world locations.

Summers I try to catch people on their way to the beach when I have a listing that is along the way.  But generally the summers don't work out very well due to the rental factor which certainly can make it difficult to do almost everything including "showings" of the property.

I have tended this year (with all of the national economic news and negative factors) to have "open houses" from October all the way through to the present (almost May).  The numbers are not all that good ... but as one says:  "you only need one good buyer."  I've also noticed that many more agents utilize the "open house concept" now than when I started back in the early 1990s.  That may only be true for my observations in a resort community.  It also may be a factor with younger, newer agents coming into the business here.

The open house is also a great tool to meet a lot of buyers, a great way to also meet owner neighbors in the area where you are operating.  Many agents try to get a wide variety of information from buyers which is certainly a good idea.  I try to do the opposite.  I try to find at least two ways for me to give buyers information with my name, phone number, and email address attached without a business card.  I also have business cards available ... and always hand one to visitors who ask questions or make conversation.  My goal is to try to obtain their "email address."  I don't even require a name.                               Dap

 

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Comments (3)

Robert Rauf
CMG Home Loans - Toms River, NJ

A few inlets to the north.... We have issues with weather and open houses... Too nice, and no one shows up!  The best ones are the grey over cast days in the summer months!

OH's are a great tool for building relationships, it is one of the basics of our industry that many agents shun, but the successful ones embrace!

Apr 29, 2009 01:48 AM
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

Open houses are great to meet new buyers. I created 4 deals out of one open house when I first started real estate. One must be in motion to make things happen. Nice beach

Apr 29, 2009 01:52 AM
Dustin A. Peters
Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty - Ocean City, NJ
Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!

Bob/Harry ... Thank you for the follow-up emails.  Obviously, I agree with your comments.  And there is certainly nothing liking selling one of your sale listings via the open house.  Thanks again.         Dap

Apr 29, 2009 01:56 AM