Open Houses - how are they working in your market?

Is there a day, time, that is better than others? Do you participate in Open Houses all year long? Have you tried having an open house during the week?

Having an open house is easy - ask any "for sale by owner"! Just put up a sign, run an ad, buyers will come. Or will they?

Yes, anyone can have an open house, but having a "successful" open house takes planning and real experience - or consider it a waste of time, for all parties involved. My success rate with Open Houses has been extremely successful! And I have been fortunate to sell many of my own listings this way. Do I have secrets? You bet I do!! Don't you?

Remember first, what is the REAL purpose of having an open house. Do you think it is an excellent way to pick up buyers? Believe me when I say, that is only a small part of what your true expectations should be. My honest, true intention of holding an open house on a particular home is "I am going to SELL IT today". Attitude is everything. Having the correct mind set is extremely important. All efforts should be in focus on getting THAT listing sold for your client.

Focus, Planning, Attitude are all ingredients in having a successful, productive open house, or why else waste time doing them. Do I hold open houses often? You bet I do!! On a regular basis. It's a lot of work, but experience has helped me streamline most of the tasks ahead of time.

I strictly follow my Open House Checklists faithfully. I have a "BEFORE" open house checklist and a "DURING" open house checklist, then a "AFTER" Open House Checklist. Keeps me on track, totally prepared.

Here's a testimonial from a couple of my clients:

"We had our home listed with another company for six months, with little showings, and only 1 open house during the 6 month time frame. When I asked the listing agent why it wasn't held open more, I was told that open houses don't work. We interviewed agents when our listing expired. Carla seemed to have a fresh outlook on how a home should be marketed, truly believed she could sell it for us. When our listing expired with the other company, we had originally priced at $114,900 but by the end of our term, had lowered it down to $104,900. Carla showed us comps for the area & we listed with her for $110,000 with the promise that she would hold the house open within the first week. Carla kept her promise, had an open house on Sunday - and sold it to a buyer who came. We couldn't believe it - and it closed within 30 days. All that time wasted with that other company." (name withheld at this time)

"Our home had been on the market for 6 months with a well known real estate company. There had only been a couple open houses and was told that nobody came. We really felt that our agent forgot about us, so when it expired, we found Carla. The other company had our home listed at $169,900 and wanted us to reduce it. Told us that our price was too high. Carla showed us a very detailed marketing plan with pricing, and we listed our home at $170,000. Carla held our home open, it sold within 10 days from a buyer that had come through. We received a full price offer, too, $170,000!" (name withheld at this time)

"I listed my home with Carla because she believed in open houses and told me that she believed my home would sell. There were many homes in my neighborhood that had been for sale a year or more. Again, Carla told me not to worry about the other houses for sale. Just worry about mine, told me some things to get fixed. We priced my home for $92,900 and it sold for $92,900. Carla rocks! I couldn't believe it sold and closed so quick." D.Jeffrey

Do open houses work? For me, they do! Just ask my sellers!! - Carla Harbert, RE/MAX Pros