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The Joy of Open Houses

By
Real Estate Agent with Prudential Midlands Real Estate

As I have blogged about before, I am part of a team and one of the blessings and curses about being part of a team is that we all help out with open houses.  Now, let me first fill you in, currently we have like 60 listings so we are constantly doing open houses. I know that open houses can be a great place to meet buyers as well as get your business cards in the hands of curious neighbors, but lately I have noticed that the attendance of real buyers at our open houses has dwindled.  Mostly it's neighbors or friends of the seller just wanting to take a peak.  (As for marketing our open houses we send 100 postcards to neighbors, run an add in the paper (Sat and Sun), and place directional signs leading to the house on  Friday with balloons)

So my question is: Have buyers decided that driving from open house to open house is not how they want to spend their Sunday afternoons anymore?  Also, I would be interested in hearing from other agents as well as prospective buyers about other avenues we could try in order to make our open houses more appealing and thus more effective.

Ken Tracy
Coldwell Banker Residential - Naperville, IL
Helping clients buy and sell since 2005

Hi Mary.  I love open houses.  Sometimes no one comes.  I still think it might be the most productive thing I do.

Ken

Jun 05, 2008 04:03 AM
Wayne Miller
San Diego, CA

Well I'm not a big advocate for public open houses because statistically they don't sell houses, but I would send an email blast to all the agents in your area whom may be working with qualified buyers.

Good luck.

Jun 05, 2008 04:07 AM
Mary Lane Sloan
Prudential Midlands Real Estate - Columbia, SC

I forgot to mention that we also hold an agent open house the Thursday before and invite every agent in our MLS to preview the home.

Jun 05, 2008 06:11 AM