Imagine visitors leaving your open house, closing their car door, and gushing over how much they liked you and how fun your open house was. I think the best open houses are the ones that feel more like a neighborhood get-together and less like a sales pitch. Here are 9 tips that I think make every open house a breeding ground for new relationships and visitors turned clients. 

#1 Meet The Neighbors 🚪

The easiest time to sell is when you don’t feel “slimy.” A few days before the open house, knock on the neighbors’ homes and invite them to your open house. Let them know you’re inviting all the neighbors, so they can come check it out and see how their home compares. If they don’t answer the door, or if you just don’t feel comfortable doing that, you can simply drop off some flyers inviting them. Pro Tip: Hold a “neighbors only” hour, the hour before the open house actually starts, where they’ll be even more interested in swinging by.

#2 Play Up Their Curiosity

Have a sign that says, “Curious About Your Home Equity?” with some sheets to gather their information. Be sure to follow up!

#3 Make it Easy

Place a sign-in sheet in a central location, like in the middle of the kitchen island. Go ahead and fill in one or two of the sign-ins with super neat and legible handwriting, so when you ask guests to sign in, they have an example of a completed sign-in and are more likely to sign in themselves. 📝

#4 Be The Expert

Display resources both in print and digitally—information about market data, local schools, other comparable homes, and even open houses. This will immediately establish you as the expert.

#5 Make The Visitors Comfortable

Play music! 🎶 Nothing makes it feel more awkward for a buyer than tiptoeing through a house, knowing that the agent can hear every single word they’re saying, forcing them to whisper.

#6 Listen to Everything

Take notes of anything that visitors mention while they’re looking around. This gives you a way to add actual value and potential resources when you follow up with them.

#7 Be Personable & Treat Them Like a Friend

Relax! Remember that some visitors are hot prospects who will buy a house any day, and others have no intention of moving and are just out enjoying their weekend. Depending on how busy your open house is, try to strike up a conversation with each person. The more relatable you are, the more you’re going to stand out.

#8 Make It Welcoming

Make it obvious that an open house is going on. It can be intimidating to walk up to a house and barge in when there’s no sign of an open house. Having an Open House sign in the yard is super helpful, especially if it states the time (like 2-4 PM, 1-3 PM, etc.). Balloons, banners, keeping the front door propped open, or anything else that draws attention can eliminate the barrier of people driving up and deciding to skip it.

#9 The $$ is in the follow up!

Follow up, follow up, follow up! As a consumer, whenever an agent collects my information, it’s about 50/50 whether they ever follow up even once. But I’d say about 97% of all agents who collected my information from open houses never attempt again after their first initial attempt to reach me. Don’t give up if your call goes to voicemail and you get no text back. I recommend leaving a voicemail explaining who you are and which house you’re from (the one with the amazing pool, the out-of-this-world home theater, etc.), and then shoot them a text too with your contact information, a picture of you, and a link to your social media account.

I love seeing open houses from a buyer’s perspective and staying up-to-date on what’s working in the real estate industry, up close and personal.

I hope this was helpful, coming from a marketing agency perspective with a consumer twist!

What’s your best tip for open houses? Comment below and let us know!