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Open Houses DO WORK!!

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX

I am starting this blog because all to often I hear agents complain about open houses being a waste of time or that they are just for picking up buyers. First off in the eight years of being in the business I have sold at least twenty homes as a direct result of an open house. Everyone just needs to be more positive about the whole thing! Then comes the essentials to a successful open house. 1.) Do one. 2.) Advertise it 3.) Put out as many signs as allowed/possible(nothing is worse then no one showing up, so exposure is key.) 4.) Have an item to hand out so they remember your home(I hand out popcorn with a business card and note saying thanks for popping in.) 5.) Have good fliers and area info available 6.) Have information on every other home for sale within a mile or so 7.) If possible double up agents for the open just in case someone who comes through wants to see one of the other available homes and for safety.

Those are just a few ideas, feel free to add any other suggestions as they would be greatly appreciated!!   

Joe Zekas
YoChicago / New Homes Magazine - Chicago, IL

Have available, and hand out, a list of the other open houses in the immediate area, including new construction and FSBO opens that aren't in the MLS.

Why would you do that?

Because it's a tremendous service to consumers. Because you can advertise it, and draw more traffic to your open and your company's opens. Because it will impress sellers with your creativity, and position you as marketing the area. Because people (especially buyers, if that's who you're looking for) will call you next week and ask for the list. Because FSBOs will learn that you're a different kind of agent, and come to you when they're ready to list. And so on ...

Feb 01, 2007 07:01 AM