About half of all homebuyers use open houses to help them find an apartment.
If your property is well presented, meaning spotless from top to bottom, priced right, and is in a high-traffic area, then you are on the right track to a successful listing. Attention to detail in the preparation and execution increases your chances of getting a good deal after your open house. You can also get a quote on-site.
Real estate is a specific point in time when a house or other dwelling is available for buyers to view. As a rule, landlords or tenants have to vacate the apartment if the real estate agent has a vacancy. The term open house should also refer to the property itself; in both cases, this also applies to apartments sold by the owner.
They are also often organized to promote the newborn community. In the market, buying and selling real estate is a prime example of a relatively illiquid market with a multitude of commodities. Each house will be different from the next, even if they are in a similar neighborhood or the same neighborhood.
Open houses are usually held on weekends to capture more traffic, as most people don’t work on weekends. Real estate agents must place all signs on avenues or near street corners to attract vehicular traffic, and usually list houses in the real estate sections of newspapers to attract more people.
Open House
During free viewing, the seller or seller’s agent will also allow prospective buyers to view the property at their leisure in their capacity as real estate agents. The main purpose of an open house is to get buyers interested. Open houses allow interested buyers to spend time touring the home and surrounding property rather than having a shorter one-on-one meeting with an agent. Unlike an open house, which is also open to the public, an agent’s open house is reserved for real estate professionals.
Broker Open House will also allow real estate agents to view the property. It will also help the selling agent get professional opinions about the property and its price from other people. The Broker Open House will attract buyers to hold shows for their clients in various cases. A broker open house is held in the middle of the week when brokers are more available than on the weekends when they are cleaning up for their clients.
Open house preparation is just as important as the event itself. We’ll go over 15 real estate open house ideas to help you prepare effectively and get the most out of your event so you can launch your new offering in the blink of an eye and turn it into a property for sale.
- Open day announce
Open Houses are only successful if you can attract people. You shouldn’t just rely on word of mouth and out-of-home signage to attract shoppers. These methods are a good start, but it’s also worth announcing the open house in various places on the internet. Determine where you are most likely to reach your target audience.
Real Estate Websites: Real estate websites such as Multiple Listing Service, Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com allow you to add open-date information to your real estate listing. These websites are popular with people at all stages of their property search, so you’ll want to make sure everyone browsing your property listing knows about your open house.
Social Media: You can also use social media to get your message across. If you have a good audience, you can post information about the open house and encourage others to share the information. You can also pay for advertising to reach even more people. Make sure your post or ad has enough information to make people fall in love with the property.
- Strategically choose the day and time
Another key to a successful real estate agent and sales open house is strategically scheduling your event for a specific day and time to attract potential buyers. Sunday is a traditional open house, and with good reason. Weekends fit into most people’s work schedules, and Sundays are less hectic than Saturdays for most families. As for the time, the afternoon is usually preferable as it allows Sunday worshipers to participate. While Sunday afternoons are undoubtedly a popular time, weekday evenings are also a good time.
Another timing aspect to consider is when the asset is placed on the market. If you want to create excitement around your open house, schedule it on the first day of your home’s official sale. This way you can advertise that the house will be available soon and interested buyers will arrange an open house instead of waiting for a private viewing so they don’t miss out on the offer.
- Invite Neighbors
Your target audience isn’t necessarily limited to potential buyers. You can also generate leads by getting neighbours who can recommend the house to friends and family who are relocating. Neighbours may appreciate your presence as they are curious about the inside of the house next door or down the street. Even if that’s their motivation, they might end up showing a home to a potential buyer. Or they may even consider moving a few houses down if they fall in love with the house.
There are many ways to tell your neighbours about an open house. On the day of the party, provide enough signs and balloons to attract the attention of neighbours and passers-by. However, you can advertise in advance by knocking on neighbourhood doors or leaving flyers or hangers with an invitation. Make sure they know they’re welcome even if they’re not looking for a new home.
- Throw a block party at an open house
If there are similar properties for sale nearby, contact the agents who sell these properties and see if they are also interested in hosting open houses. If so, see if you can coordinate and have open houses on the same day. This way you can promote the event as an open house. Promoting your event in this way can help generate more excitement than just an open house.
This strategy is a smart way to attract more participants since they can see more houses in the same neighbourhood at the same time. Research from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that online buyers visit an average of 10 homes before making a purchase. This process usually takes 10 weeks. Viewing multiple properties on the same day can shorten the process and help someone find their dream home faster.
- Remove clutter, personal effects, and valuables
They want shoppers to feel at home. They should see the property as a blank canvas on which to personalise. Because of this, one of the top pieces of advice for resellers is to get the most out of their business. These range from everyday objects to personalised items such as pictures on the wall. The house should be clean and open.
You also want to make sure you don’t leave any valuables lying around at an open house. Unfortunately, open houses pose a security risk, as opening your home to the public can attract criminals who are only interested in finding valuables to smuggle out of your home undetected. You can avoid this by making sure your home is free of valuables, or by keeping jewellery and other items in a locked safe.
- Pack your home with quality furniture and decorations
Even if you want your home to be orderly and depersonalised, that doesn’t mean you want it empty. The key is finding a balance to keep your home neutral while still being comfortable. They want buyers to see the full potential of a property that could be their dream home. A great way to do this is to decorate your home with attractive furniture and decorations. If you have the opportunity, renting quality furniture will enhance the entire space.
Staging is a proven strategy to help buyers see a property as a potential future home. According to NAR research, buyers agree to prioritise the living room, then the master bedroom, and then the kitchen. Therefore, it is prudent to focus your staging efforts on these shows. Rely on the expertise of a professional designer to get the most out of your floor plan. These designers know how to choose the right lighting, furniture, and accessories to maximise your home’s appeal.
- Keep pets out of sight
Most of us enjoy hanging out with other people’s pets. Potential buyers who attend your open house likely have pets, but shouldn’t see any pet tracks left by the current owner. No matter how immaculate a home is, seeing a cat, dog, or other furry friends in it can be daunting for some people, as pets tend to add to the overall clutter and wear and tear of the home.
Another potential problem that can arise from keeping pets on the property is that they can be a nuisance to those with allergies. You don’t want anyone to be distracted by itchy eyes or sneezing while you’re exploring your home. In short, it is advisable to eliminate animals if possible or keep them in the mud or some other place where they will not be disturbed.
- Greet guests as they enter
All advice open to agents requires no preparation. A simple gesture of hospitality makes a big difference. When guests walk through the front door, greet them with a smile and a brief introduction. Say hello to them and let them know that you can answer any of their questions. Don’t immediately bombard them with too many conversations or too many house-hunting questions, but at least say hello.
When people look around the house you are available for questions about the property. It will also help you learn more about what they are looking for in a home and what selling perks would appeal to them the most. You can also ask her what stage of house hunting she is at and if she is working with a real estate agent. If they are just starting to search for homes, they may be interested in your services as a buyer’s agent.
- Use the sign-in app
Part of a successful real estate open house is connecting with buyers and perhaps finding new clients in the process. You want to make sure that you personally connect with all Open House attendees while they are there, but you also want to follow up to find out more about their housing needs and if you can help them with their search. You should therefore collect the contact details of all Open House participants.
This can be done using the old-fashioned clipboard, but a more efficient and modern way of gathering information is to use a login app. There are several apps to choose from that have different features and come in different price ranges. Whichever app you choose, you can use it on your smartphone or tablet. Find an app with the features you love and say goodbye to losing a piece of paper or deciphering messy handwriting to track leads.
- Provide drinks
Another way to show hospitality and make your home more welcoming is to offer refreshments to your guests. Consider the season and time of day when choosing what to serve. Here are a few ideas.
Coffee and Baked Goods: When you have open doors in the morning, coffee is a win-win. The aroma of the coffee itself can be particularly inviting. Add cookies, muffins, or other baked goods and you have a delicious continental breakfast for your guests.
Wine and Cheese: In the overdue afternoon or evening, wine is a pleasing contact that turns your open residence into a touch soiree. The cheese board is the perfect complement and usually lasts a long time so you don’t have to worry about running out.
Cookies and Milk: Chocolate chip cookies and milk are the favourite cookies of adults and children. Bake cookies at home and also fill the kitchen with the enticing scent that most people associate with an idyllic home.
Seasonal Hot Drinks: In the fall or winter, hot drinks can be a great way to bring seasonal flavours into your home and warm up your guests. Spiced cider, herbal teas, and hot chocolate are good alternatives that work any time of the day.
- Use handouts and pamphlets
Anyone who is legally interested in an offer wants to know as much as possible about the property. NAR surveyed homebuyers who used the internet to find a home and found that 85% found detailed home information very helpful. They also found that 87% of buyers said property photos were very helpful.
You’ll certainly want to post this information online, but you can also help open house attendees by sending them home a flyer with prominent photos of the home, along with details they might find helpful. Keep in mind that they will likely be visiting other houses, so you’ll want them to have a quick reference to refresh their memory when trying to compare these houses to your list. Also, consist of a business card that will contact you in the event that they have any questions.
- Create an instructional video
The final item on our list of real estate agent open house ideas is to create a virtual tour of the property. A how-to video is never the same as a personal tour of your home, but it can be a great visual aid for people who have attended an open house and then want to freshen up the look of their home. It can also help non-April buyers to attend the open house. The video tour is the next best thing.
There are many tools you can use to create a video guide. The easiest way is to walk around the house and record it with a smartphone. If you’re going to live and want to keep things free, this isn’t a bad method. However, if you want the video to look neater and add value to real estate listings, use a more professional method.
- Don’t underestimate small repairs
Whether it’s dripping faucets, loose doorknobs, wobbly drawers, and even a misaligned curtain rod… what you’re used to will put off potential buyers and diminish the overall value of your home in their eyes. Simple home repairs take only minutes, and a few simple tools can fix most common household problems.
If you’re not particularly handy (and don’t even have a friend), call the building/community maintenance team or just ask your security guard who they would recommend. For larger problems, there are many reputable cleaning companies that you simply have to call.
- Make sure the house smells nice
If you know there’s a 2:00 p.m. garbage pickup in your area or a sewage truck is scheduled to arrive during an open house, plan ahead. Around the house, light some discreetly scented candles (natural scents work best), use air fresheners or let the scent of freshly baked cookies pervade the home. And while baking a batch of cookies (which you’ll eventually serve to guests) might seem like too much hassle at the open house, you can achieve the same effect by simply reheating store-bought pastries before your guests arrive!
- Concentrate on What’s Important
Follow this dream home checklist, but leave out the unimportant details so you don’t lose that diamond in the rough.
For example, not all old houses are bad, and not all new houses are better. You can always fix an outdated home with a little TLC; Also, older homes have a charm, timeless style, and character that you may not find in new builds, and they can give you more leeway to negotiate the price.
Then there are the unusual colours of paint: a purple living room or a pink kitchen can seem daunting, but forget about the wrong colours because you can easily splatter wet paint all over the walls. Don’t like the colour of the sofa? The decor suits the owner so take it easy. Concentrate on the arrangement and location of windows, doors, and rooms.
