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2 Top Tips For Profitable Open Houses

When I first got into real estate, I was the front desk receptionist (whoop! whoop!). It was a fantastic job, and I worked with incredible people. Better yet, I went to my first broker’s open house, which was awesome!  I went on to attend other open houses and the annual Parade of Homes. It was fun to glimpse other people’s living spaces and how homes were prepped for public viewing. When I went to work for a real estate agent, I was fortunate to learn the other side of open houses -- reviewing feedback, following up with open house visitors, and accepting offers.

 

A lot has changed since I first started in the real estate industry, including how to advertise and hold an open house. These days, agents promote open houses by creating video sneak peeks on social media, drone footage, 3-D virtual walkthroughs, and event broker parties. All of this to entice visitors to visit the open house and make an offer. As an agent, you can gain more from your open houses with these tips (you’ll like the survey tips, I promise).

 

Make a Good First Impression

 

The minute visitors walk into an open house, you can grab their attention with a beautifully staged room that leaves them in awe. But how do you keep their attention? Across from the front entry, you can display an aerial photograph of the house or an aerial drone video. Floor plans are another great visual to exhibit at an open house to engage potential homebuyers.  

 

  • Floor plans of the house
  • Aerial photo of the house
  • Aerial drone footage shot above the property
  • Digital “after” photos if the home needs renovating

 

TIP: If the house is a fixer-upper, especially the kitchen, have samples of cabinets, countertops, and flooring available to help visitors see past the not-so-pretty and imagine the upgrade possibilities. Display “after” images of rooms so guests can get a better idea of what the rooms could look like after a bit of work and with furniture. If you work closely with professional contacts that can help renovate the home, share your contact information so open house attendees can take advantage of your resources should they decide to buy the house.

 

If the house is a fixer-upper, help buyers imagine what the house could look like after a home renovation by displaying “after” images in various rooms throughout the open house.

 

Fung Shui will help potential buyers feel in harmony with the home you’re selling. Introduce the 5 Elements of Feng Shui, wood, fire, earth, water, and metal components, to make a big impression on open house visitors.

 

  • Good Feng Shui = minimalism (no clutter)
  • Living room: plants, arrange furniture to encourage communication (sofa facing the door and against a wall)
  • Primary bedroom: upholstered headboard of bed against a wall opposite the entrance, earth-tone bedding
  • Survey feedback might include a serene or calm feeling throughout the house

 

Open House Feedback

 

During and after your open house, it’s crucial to gather as much feedback from guests as possible to help you and your seller. Ask for their input as they go through the open house, and use their email address from the open house form to send them a survey the same day. Better yet, hand out survey forms at the open house. You can use a digital feedback form or a paper feedback sheet that you share with potential buyers at the beginning or end of their house tour. Try linking a QR code to your digital feedback form. A QR code is easy for visitors to scan and is another way to gather contact information.

 

  • Open house sign-in sheet
  • Ask for feedback face-to-face
  • Hand out feedback forms
  • Email feedback forms
  • QR code linked to a digital feedback form

 



Limit the open house questionnaire to 5-6 questions, with additional rate-the-room questions (ex., Price: Good/Fair/Poor).

 

  • What do you like best about the primary bedroom? (ex., space, en suite, natural light, high ceilings)
  • How functional is the kitchen? (ex., layout, counter space, storage, overall feel, remodel)
  • Lower level: how would you use this unfinished space? (ex., man cave, craft room, game room, theater, bedroom/bathroom)
  • What’s your least favorite feature in this house? (ex., bathroom off of kitchen, no garage, unfinished basement)

 

While it’s helpful to receive general feedback about the house you’re selling, like how they felt about the price, curb appeal, and overall condition, asking more specific questions will give you more opportunities to serve them as a future client. 

 

  1. This house has 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Would you need more or less space?
     
      1. ___ bedrooms
      2. ___ bathrooms
      3. Exactly what I need
  2. This is a 2-level house (main floor and basement). Would you prefer a different floor plan?
     
      1. 1-level house
      2. Main floor and upstairs
      3. Split-level house
      4. Exactly what I need
  3. This house is located near schools, parks, walking paths, and more. Does the location fit your needs?
     
      1. Yes, exactly what I need
      2. No, I want a bigger property
      3. No, I don’t need to be near schools
      4. No, too far from my office/family

 

The more specific information you can gather from open house attendees, the better your chances of securing them as future clients. Please keep track of who provides feedback, follow up with them quickly, address their needs, and how you can help them find a house to buy (or help them sell theirs).

 

“Blane, thank you for your feedback on the open house on 1234 Street. I enjoyed meeting you. I see that you need more bedrooms and a 1-level house. A new listing is hitting the market next week that meets your criteria. Would you like to be one of the first to see the home? <signature>”

 

Conclusion

 

When holding open houses, promote the listing through social media, include floor plans and drone footage on-site, offer samples for remodeling fixer-uppers, and create a powerful feedback form, so you can continue to serve leads after the open house. A little extra work in preparing, promoting, and following up with open-house attendees will help you fill your sales funnel this year!


 

For  more information on nurturing the leads you've generated from open houses, please check out Reazo's lead nurturing guide:

Reazo Lead Nurturing Guide

 

Janelle D.

I've worked in the real estate sector for more than a decade and enjoy sharing my knowledge on the subject and researching the latest trends. In my free time I like to craft, spend time with my family and dog, participate in outdoor activities like hiking, and I'm passionate about photography.

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