Military Spouse Finally Coming Home

In my market, open houses are nothing more than an avenue for the REALTOR to pick up potential buyers.  Rarely do they result in a sale.  Even then, they don't result in potential buyers, either.  In my experience, most people that are walking through an open house are out for something to do on a Sunday, are neighbors "checkin' it out," or potential buyers who already have a realtor and are just out looking on their own (or not yet ready to commit). 

We have quite a few small newspapers and magazines in our town.  (I'm not talking about home magazines, I'm talking about regular town papers).  They're free to the public and tend to fly off the shelf.  They can be pricy, but I find advertising my listings in these is what gets quite a few calls and potential clients. 

If there's no edge, then you need to GIVE YOURSELF the edge.  I think the best way to drive in business is to make sure you have some AWESOME pics on the MLS.  If there are 1000 homes, you need to make YOUR listings stand out.  If you have crappy or so-so pictures, you could lose a potential buyer at the MLS (and with 80% of buyers starting on the internet, that's not good).   Personally, I hire a professional photographer (at $100 per listing).  But if you do it yourself, make sure your pics aren't blurry, dark, etc.   Also keep an eye out for WHAT the picture is of. Are you showing the room or are you taking a picture of a dresser. 

I have an odd concept on listings.  personally, I DON'T LIKE to have more than a few listings.  I'd rather focus on 2-3, market the hell out of those and then move on.  I find that I get a lot more responses to my ads when I have 1 or 2 homes shown in a 1/2 page ad, than if that same ad has 10 itty bitty listings crammed on it.  That being said, my market can allow for that.  If i was dealing with lower end (less than $300,000) homes, I'd probably be looking at taking more listings, though. 

Open houses are a HUGE waste of a couple of hours.  If you have a lot of follow things to do, schedule an open house so you can get those other things done.  My experience is that if a buyer is driving around and going to open houses, they are not serious buyers because they have not been educated by their Realtor on how they should really be targeting the market.  And, more times than not, they are in the wrong price range!!  I even tried doing open houses in the lower ranges, llike $120k-130 and people are still in the wrong areas wanting $80-100k! 

Go spend time with your hubby!  Print out the stuff from NAR showing that 79% of the buyers are online!

If you're going to do open houses, do it right.  Hand deliver invitations to the neighbors and have them come a little early so you can spend time talking to them.  Neighbors are always curious about homes in their area, so you're likely to get something of a turnout.

My experience of open houses is that I occasionally sell one, especially if it's unusual in some way, or beautifully done.  However, I've more often picked up other listings from buyers interested in making a move.

All the above having been said, my advice -- spend time with your husband.  Nobody says on their last day on earth "I wish I had sold one more house."

Open Houses get you buyers and sellers who visit the home and MAYBE the buyer of the home you are sitting in. As other agents typed, do it right...flyers to others in the subdivision, signs, cookies and tea or punch on the counter...brochures...soft mood music...candles burning (nice scented ones) make your time count...bring your files and forms, a laptop, paper and lots of pens and your cell phone in case you have more office time than showing time...... and don't drink all the punch ~~~~ hehehehe

You seem like an agent that wants to get things done...I am adding you as an associate I will send referrals to.....

As others have said, historically open houses don't sell homes. They are great for gathering up potential clients though. Of course they work sometimes, but the odds are overwhelming that you won't get a buyer for THAT house.

You can wave the stats in front of a seller that shows them open houses don't work. But many will still want one. Marketing the open to neighbors will get people in the door, but how many neighbors are looking to buy another home in the neighborhood? If they have friend or family that want to live in their neighborhood, they will have contacted them the day the sign went up in the yard.

I won't refuse to sit an open house. Before we even sign the listing agreement, I fully educate my sellers on what to expect out of an open house (including people looking in their drawers and cabinets and the potential for criminals to use it as an opportunity to stake out the goods). If they still insist on having one, we'll have one. I just bring my laptop and work on my web site or blog during the idle time. If you're prepared, it can be productive time for you, even if it does nothing to help sell the home.

Please give your husband my personal thanks for his service. And thanks to you too. Military spouses don't get enough credit...