MULTIPLE OPEN HOUSES? DO YOU DO THEM?

Locally, I've seen agents conducting two Opens back to back with a 30 minute break in between. The other method you are speaking about is the Tour of Homes idea that Craig Proctor teaches. I've seen those garner zero attendance when you have 30 minutes or less in a home. Let us know how yours goes!

What will happen if during your first open house you and a potential client are in deep discussion and you miss your start time for the second open house? The only problem I see is the start times may be to close together.

What will happen if during your first open house you and a potential client are in deep discussion and you miss your start time for the second open house? The only problem I see is the start times may be to close together.

Michael,

I have done as many as three simultaneously and it has worked well. I had different team members stationed at each open house and we provided little maps to get to each home. It worked great because we got people to go to each open house. We had an appeitizer at one home, a lite lunch at another and dessert at one. It also gave me a chance to have TONS of signage all within about a two mile range. I say go for it!

Mike,

When executed properly, this is an awesome concept! My suggestion is to make sure you have adequate coverage. Recently I took my client to see a home listed by a very successful agent. Once we arrived to the subdivision we noticed she had 3 open houses happening simultaneously. She didn't have adequate coverage and was bouncing back and forth between two of the homes. My client remarked to me, "I see her name in all the papers and on many signs, but after seeing her look so disorganized today, I'm glad I didn't choose her as my agent." The bad part was that the seller's neighbor was standing next to us on the front steps of the listing when my client made that remark. Not only did this agent lose out on a potential client, but now she lost the biz from her seller's next door neighbor.

If you can do it properly, GO FOR IT! Just make sure you have backup.

We do up to six every Saturday. Each one is 20 minutes with 10 minutes to get to the next house. How long does it take for someone to look at a house? and if they need more time then we set a personal showing after the tour, usually because they need to bring family members etc. Also we usually have a mortgage person that helps out and will close up while we head on to the next. The mortgage person helps with advertising and we give him all the names to follow up with.

We also have an agent that three on Saturday 10/12 - 1/3 - and 4 -6. during winter she will do only two. Also we have an agent on standby to help with contracts etc. if neccasary but usually is not needed. Sorry for the long comment, should have made it a post.

Please just ake sure you have help. It will never fail that something will hold you up from getting to point A to B. Then you look bad. I would play it safe. there are agents doing nothing at all right now have one of them ready to assist. 

A little off topic but what I have been looking into is a neighborhood open. I have a listing in a development that has tons of homes for sale. I am thinking of getting together with the other agents to do a weekend open for the entire sub division. Thoughts or comments?

One thing I saw on a new home was a weekly open house Sunday from 12 to 1. Every Sunday so that drivebyes could plan to attend. The home sold in about 4mos. I would be open to this idea in the future, and 2 or more could be done on a Sunday. 

I will be interested to see how this works for you.  I've thought about doing this but have never actually done it.  I've heard the idea is to get a group of buyers following you from home to home so it may work best if you have them in the same or nearby neighborhoods. 

I've done a neighborhood open with a few agents who have houses in the neighborhood with maps to different houses.  That brought some though not a lot of traffic.

I think back up is a good idea.  I had an open house recently with 26 people through it in 3 hours.  That was a bit crazy in a good way. Fortunately, I had a sign in sheet with requested information for those to whom I could not give my full attention.

I like to keep my open houses short.  From 1/2 an hour to 1 1/2 hours.  The reason why:

• The open house looks busy if everyone shows up at once.  If they are truly interested they will make the time.
• I don't do a lot of open houses so I schedule one sunday a month to do all my houses that require them.

I personally do not feel open houses sells houses and it a way for buyers to spend an afternoon.  I would rather be at home with my kids on a Sunday afternoon.

This should be interesting and I am glad you brought it up... the open-house subject.  Some people say they exist only to pacify the seller and pick up potential business for the salesperson and that they do not sell the home.  The stat I heard was 1/16 will sell that way.  But you know what, they really should be done for everyone's sake - if advertised, put balloons on the signs, have a small draw at the home (advertise you will be doing this)... traffic is always good- even just for your sake.  But I do think having 2 on the same day is easy enough... if you work it into your ad campaign (assuming the homes are in the same area) then you can really work that angle.  Good luck.

In Green Bay, WI we do usually an hour and give ourselves 15 to 30 mins in between and then go do another home for another hour.  We start at 11 am and last until 4 so we can get 3 - 4 in per Sat/Sun.

Hmmm, I've never thought of this however how are you getting the word out that you'll only be there for one hour? Or are you just going to take your chances?

I am a proponent of multiple open houses!

I do them for 1 hour and leave a half hour for overage and travel. So far it works and the bonus is I can service  more clients listings and cruise for more buyers. It is a win/win situation!

I owe I owe so off to open house I go!!!

I do four opens on the weekends.  Two on Saturday and two on Sunday with 30 -45 minutes between depending on distance between homes and I always take the information on all four to each open.  Generally they are about 90 minutes total depending on whether I have a "live one".  Works for me. 

I don't do them, but my buyer's agent does...It depends on the price range. We have a few listings that she refers to as her "pick up joint". The traffic is high and she is picking up new clients every week...In our market, it is price point specific and very much isolated to homes in the FHA price range (Under $281K in St. Louis)

I like the idea of a 1 hour open house and holding open 2-3 in a day...We may try that. Thanks Caren Wallace for sharing.