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Is It Time For An Open House?

By
Education & Training with HER Realtors

"Behold the Turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out." James Bryant Conant (1893-1978)

Open houses are bringing out the buyers according to what I'm hearing from agents in my office. Sometimes new and newer agents lament that they can't find a good open house. What is a "good" open house? Certainly one that brings a lot of traffic could be considered "good." I think open houses are a great excuse to prospect. The open house itself if a passive form of prospecting, that is, you wait for prospects to come to you. I always tried to turn my open houses into active prospecting opportunities by making calls to neighboring apartment complexes (after checking the Do Not Call list, of course), inviting neighbors to attend the open house, and inviting the neighbors to help me spread the word about the open house. These efforts would generally result in more visitors to the open house, but more importantly, I got to talk to people who might be thinking of buying or selling. We have the opportunity at Real Living to post our open houses to our public web site on an open house list. I have found (as have other agents in my company) that most of the people who attend an open house come from the open house postings on the web, directional signs, or an individual agent's prospecting efforts. I would even consider doing open houses any day of the week or even two on a Sunday. These are opportunities for you to get face-to-face with buyers. Isn't that what most of us are looking for in a buyer's market?

Bob Dicaire
Prudential Tropical Realty - Land O Lakes, FL
I agree.  There have been some slowtime of late here in the Tampa FL area but indications are that buyers are coming out of hibernation.  2008 will Rock!
Apr 25, 2008 08:08 AM
Bill Gillhespy
16 Sunview Blvd - Fort Myers Beach, FL
Fort Myers Beach Realtor, Fort Myers Beach Agent - Homes & Condos
Hi Carol,  I consider open houses the same as floor time.  They are an excellent way to meet new buyers/sellers and to establish yourself in a given area.
Apr 25, 2008 08:12 AM
Linda Lipscomb
Linda Lipscomb RE/MAX Lexington Henderson County TN - Lexington, TN
731-695-1118, Lexington TN Homes

Had very few that were a waste of time.  Something usually comes from them.

Linda

Apr 25, 2008 08:41 AM