Reading through many blogs and comments on the internet I was tempted not to bother with holding an open house. After all, it is "traditional" marketing that just does not work anymore, right? Since I didn't sell the house that I was holding open I guess you could say that it didn't work. However, I did meet several potential customers and got a chance to talk about the local market with possible buyers.
The home, built in 1906, was completely remodeled including new plumbing, new wiring, stainless appliances, a wine cooler, Brazilian granite counter tops, Italian travertine tile floors in the bathrooms, a custom two person shower, beautifully refinished original hardwood floors, 9 foot plus ceilings throughout and a fireplace in the master bedroom. In the backyard is a secluded slate patio that adds a nice, finishing touch to the exterior. It is in a great neighborhood in downtown LaGrange, Georgia.
Back to my open house - There were two signs at nearby major intersections since Friday advertising the date and time of the open house, Sunday, 2-4 PM. After church on Sunday I stopped by a local store to pick up a helium tank with balloons. It took more time than I expected putting out more signs and adding balloons but I was still able to get everything set up by 1:30 PM. I got to the home, opened all the blinds, turned on all the lights and tuned the stereo to an easy listening station for background noise. The only thing I didn't do was start a fire in the fireplace. It didn't look like it was used very often so I left the screen covering it. Then I waited....
Ten minutes after two and the first car pulls up. Shortly after that another couple walks in. I explain to each what work was completed on the home and let them walk around and explore on their own. After they walked through they came back to the kitchen where we talked about the house, what they were looking for and their thoughts on this property. Several stayed and talked for 20-30 minutes. In the two hours of the open house three couples and two individuals came through. Not a lot, but better than I expected based on comments from others in the area and their experiences with open houses.
The good news is that one of the couples that visited called me twice yesterday about other homes in the area. They are relocated from out of state and will be purchasing a home here soon. One lady that stopped by must sell her home first. She and her husband are in the process of rezoning their current home to commercial and will need to sell it. We talked at length about the process of selling it as commercial. 
Now, I may not earn any income from those that I spoke to yesterday. Still, as a new agent the experience gained in just getting out and talking to customers is well worth the time spent holding the open house. Do you find any worth in holding open houses in your market? Have a great day!
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