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What's food got to do with it?

By Caroline Carrara

Services for Real Estate Pros with EWM/Christie's-Las Olas, Real Estate

April 20, 2007 09:27 AM

Does serving food or the quality/type of food have anything to do with the turnout at your Brokers' Open Houses?

Is it Necessity or a Nicety?

It is an interesting thought, I thought, or at least worth pondering....

I mean, it's Tuesday, or Wednesday or whatever your "day" is and between 12-2pm, it's a social caravan of meet and greet and previews...

It is lunchtime, and you are busy...what better, to multi-task and eat en route...Keep the momentum rolling...No need to "do" lunch as you are doing lunch whilst you preview...Seems efficient? No need to waste time afterwards actually sitting down to eat...

Some Realtors® go all out with the food...Some are known for their homemade specialties, some are known for being "cheap"....Does it matter?

Do you expect more from a high end listing? Would you, or do pick the order of your caravan by the menu being served? In a carb-concious city like Miami Beach, home of the South Beach Diet, is it unfashionable to serve carbs? Or is comfort food a draw? What about the Vegetarians? Doesn't everyone love sushi? Should cheese puffs ever be served? Is sugar a sure way to sell?

What do you serve if anything and why?

Comments(12)

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Beth Butler

Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL

Caroline.... Serve Food and They will Come! Calories do not count on Broker Open House days!

Apr 20, 2007 09:38 AM

Anita cachaldora

EWM - South Miami, FL

Caroline...I think food makes us linger, stay longer, really get the vibe of the house. Sushi is always popular. Good post, hmmm something to think about.

Apr 20, 2007 10:04 AM

Andrew Campbell

ASAP Mortgage - Madison, WI

I don't know if I would say the quality has much to do with it, but I would say that variety keeps them there longer, helps others keep talking.

Apr 20, 2007 10:06 AM

Randi Rapp

Randi Rapp - Aventura, FL

Caroline...the food definitely makes the agents show up! And the better the menu the more people tend to show up!

Apr 20, 2007 03:14 PM

Todd Clark - Retired

eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR

Principle Broker Oregon

I think what I have discovered is Agents who have a spouse that has put them on a strict diet and tell them not to buy anything. Think they can get away with good eats on Tuesday afternoons at broker opens and Thursdays when the mortgage broker takes them to lunch.

Apr 20, 2007 05:53 PM

Caroline Carrara

EWM/Christie's-Las Olas, Real Estate - Fort Lauderdale, FL

Todd,

I hear you!!!! (and I won't tell!) I never say no to the brownies especially on Tuesdays!

Apr 23, 2007 03:22 AM

Anonymous

Claudia Riva

Caroline,

Food definitely gets the agents in. It's a way to see many listings, without stopping to sit down and eat. I hear agents say that they don't go see a listing because either they know the food is lousy or none at all. They will go see a listing if they have a client or there is food. Who know's they may have a client for it next week..always good to offer food!

Apr 23, 2007 10:14 AM

Thanks Caroline,

You saw right through that did ya?

Todd

Apr 23, 2007 06:26 PM

Today one of my agents is holding Brokers' Open for his listing of a condo conversion...He is serving homemade Empanadas (yummy) but also offering give-aways for the first few agents...Concert tickets to the neighbourhood band-shell concert under the stars...and tickets to his full moon kayak tours he hosts for the town of North Beach also....He wants the agents the to preview, so he is luring them with more than food....Creative!

Apr 24, 2007 01:26 AM

Kevin Tomlinson

One Sotheby's International Realty- Miami Beach Real Estate - Miami Beach, FL

Miami Beach Real Estate

Oh my opinion is so different than anyone's here. I always get the brokers who are hungry and decide to show face on Tuedays because of food.

At all of my BO's, an agent who saw the home has NEVER brought THE buyer. My philosophy is the busy agents will come with or without food for the purpose of seeing the home, PERIOD.

The people that always complain about the quality of the food AREN'T the ones doing the actually selling.

Apr 25, 2007 01:03 PM

You have a good point there Kevin...Part of me, totally agrees with you...As if Brokers's Opens are in essence more a social meet & greet....hmmm......

Or could you agree, food for thought?

thanks for the input....

Apr 25, 2007 02:21 PM

Ines

In Broward it's a challenge to get agents to attend them........I can't imagine a Broker's Open here without food.

Apr 25, 2007 03:30 PM

#12

What's food got to do with it?

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Caroline Carrara

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