I try to make it a point to visit one or two open houses a weekend.  This is in addition to my normal property previewing - which I never seem to be able to do enough of.  Open houses give you a chance to see what else might be on the market and to talk to the agents in person. 

Most of the time I swing by these open houses as I am driving around the weekends taking care of business or running errands.  Sometimes, I walk into them wearing shabby clothes or even gym clothes - depending on what I was doing before and/or after I stumbled across the open house sign. 

I was on the way home from the gym when I visited an open house in my neighborhood.

As I went into the house dressed in only my gym clothes, I realized that in addition to the agent sitting the house there was another person touring the house as well.  I stopped in the kitchen for a bit and was talking to the agent when the other person came in to join us.

Even though she had an agent she was touring the house without them.  Like me, she came across the sign and decided to pop her head in.  But she had realized quickly it wasn't what she was looking for.  After poking her head in the kitchen for a bit she rambled on to continue her tour of the house.

My conversation with the agent of course turned to market conditions, what other houses were on the market, what had been listed recently, what had been sold recently, etc.  And since she asked for my feedback, I told her I thought the house showed well - and I pointed out a few things about that particular model that I had learned were possible hurdles to selling it and what she might do to overcome them.

I then said my goodbyes and went on my way.

The next day I got a phone call.  

It turned out to be the very person that was touring the open house.  She had overheard my conversation with the listing agent, and even though I didn't give her a card - she had heard me introduce myself so she googled my name and got my contact info.

She was running out of patience with her current agent and she was impressed about my knowledge of the local neighborhood and she wanted to know if I would be her buyer's agent.

I told her as long as she gave her current agent notice - in writing - I'd be happy to.

Two days later we went and looked at houses. And since she has a condo to sell once she finds the home of her choice - this could mean two sides for me.

All because I went into an open house out of curiosity.