They Are Not All Tire Kickers!!!!

Hi Barbara,

I too work Open Houses on a regular basis for my clients.  I try and work most Sunday's and feel it is part of the service to my sellers to give their home as much exposure as possible.  Buying agents cannot always explain the postive feature's about the home especially if they are showing 6-8 homes that day.  I take the time during the week to market the home via various internet outlets - some weeks heavy turnouts and other weeks not so good but overall they are worth doing.

Great information Barbara, thanks.

I guess I am the only one that works in the boonies. We have a saying up here, open houses are a great way to get a few hours to yourself. Bring a book. But that said I did just do one for a frustrated client. Got some reading done...

When your neighbrohood is mostly houses are on acreage open houses are mainly seen as a way to placate a client. If someone is looking for a home they will find yours.

I am glad it works for some people! Must be nice......up here we have to drag buyers kicking and screaming.

Barbara,

We live in a very small town.  You can get from anywhere to anywhere within 10 minutes.  We are divided into 4 sections...NW, SW, NE and SE,,,even the streets and avenues are listed with those directional routes.  We are pretty rural too.  Every home in town qualifies for the USDA home loan program.   If you go to the outlying areas it may take you 30 minutes, but those areas have the lakes and those are more your vacation and resort properties.  Those particular properties do not have open houses at all.  If you go to show one, the listing agent usually must be present.  With those properties, because of the restrictions, for sale signs are not even permitted. 

We don't have any trouble getting homes sold that are listed at the right price...only the ones that of course are priced too high for their condition or location.  I turned down a listing last week because the gentleman told me he wouldn't take less than $75,000.  Unfortunately, I would have been lucky if I got an offer of $60,000.  My suggested list price was $56,000.  My suggestion to him was to rent it out for $500 a month.  He'd have better luck doing that. 

We also don't have any new home subdivisions where you have a builder come in and have model homes.  If you buy a lot or piece of vacant land here, you need to find a custom home builder to build your home for you.  We aren't a traditional area for buying and selling.  It's very unique from anywhere else I have ever been an agent.   Average sale price for a home here...about $80,000 currently.

I think an open house builds buzz.  I know that my ads get read even if they come by latter with the agent.  I just like meeting with the people.

I am in the Seattle area and they are a complete waste of time here.

Barbara:

I find my attitude makes the biggest difference when I do an Open House. Amazing isn't it?

Ty

Hi Barb,

I do use Opens, they are a valuable tool for the many reasons stated.

On some Sundays, if I'm not doing an Open and not working with buyers, I'll flip aroud to some Opens on my own. It's a way to meet agents, and view listings, and see other buyer's interest.

And, rarely do I do an Open w/o another agent or two, or a lender, coming through to introduce themselves.

We will see what the Ntl Open House Day does next week. I am on the fence about Open Houses. I am not  comfortable sitting a vacant home in today's market. Too much of a risk.

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Barbara,

Amen.