Top 10 Tips for Holding Successful Open Houses

By: Kathy Kuyoth Broker / Owner 

1/19/2012

 

With the new year just beginning we have seen a lot of buyer activity in our market. So now would be a great time to schedule an open house.

We have several Realtors who made a good income from holding successful open houses. If you would like to shadow or chat with someone who has had success at   open houses talk to Joan Rauh, Sharon Kowalski or Johnny O. They can share their techniques and strategies.

Here are our top 10 tips to holding successful open houses that we have compiled with input from our RE/MAX Preferred Realtors!

1) Check your open house attitude! Make sure it’s positive and realize you can have a successful open house if you get one buyer or seller to work with.

2) Buy a plant or gas card to use for a drawing at your open house. Use drawing entry cards instead of sign in sheet with a place for name, address, cell phone number and email address. With this information you can notify winner and deliver prize to their home or office and add them to data base to provide them with more home buying information.

3) Do research: check our appointment log on RPAAgents.com and see what price ranges are getting the most showings to determine the best price range for your open houses

4) New listings that are priced right or homes with recent price reductions are usually the best open houses.



5) Make sure the home you select is “open house ready” clean and de-cluttered interior with the exterior making a good first impression. (if not make suggestions to sellers so home is ready for open house.)

6) Put open Sunday sign rider up early in the week to attract more buyers.

7) Ask yourself where is a likely Buyer to come from:  If it’s a home that may attract more first time home buyer’s than you may want to do a mailing to apartments or duplexes in the area. If the home is in a move up price range, send invitations to an adjacent neighborhood that is at a lower price point but in same area.

8) Thursday or Friday before the open drop off flyers to the neighbors inviting them to the open. Who better to sell the neighborhood than somebody who lives there.  Also they may be considering selling sometime in the future. What a great way for you to start a relationship.

9) Email invitations/flyer to your sphere of influence.This serves two purposes. It keeps your name at their “Top of Mind” awareness and reminds them that you are a successful and (pro-active Realtor.

10) Use several open house signs. Most Realtors use 2-3. Try 5 or 6 and see how it increases your traffic.

Open houses can become a great source of income for you if you make them a priority when Buyer activity is high.

So please use these tips at the next open house you schedule and share your success stories with other RE/MAX agents on RPAagents.com