5 Tips for Agents Hosting Open Houses

Staging an open house can seem like a daunting task, but its importance can go a long a way in the minds of potential clients. Open houses are an agent’s way of showcasing their listing, front and center, while interacting face with potential buyers. Impressions made in these events are valuable, so here is a checklist that agents can follow next time they have an open house:

• Staging is Everything: Making sure the property is in tiptop shape is absolutely essential. From the moment a potential buyer enters the open house, you want the client to feel at home. No overpowering scents or gaudy decorations are another tip many agents/stagers give us when consulting agents. Make sure all the bulbs in the housework, the thermostat is set to the right temperature, and there is ample lighting.
• Promote Everywhere: In today’s crowded digital landscape, visibility is everything. Make sure you have your open house listed on Zillow, Realtor.com, local newspapers, local community boards, and have ample signage in the vicinity of your listing on the day of.
• Depersonalize: People from all walks of life will be at the open house, so make them all feel welcome and do not just talk to one group of people you deem are more interested than others. You never know who’s a buyer and who is just there to browse.
• Set up a Guest Register: You want to be able to follow up with the people you meet during your open house, so a register is essential.
• Bring food/refreshments/gifts: Everyone loves free stuff. Consider catering for the event, or even a couple boxes of donuts will work. Anything to show clients that you care about their presence at the open house matters.
• Think Outside the Box: Many buyers will group together multiple showings in one day; therefore you want your listing to stick out. Consider creating a domain for the property where buyers can go in and see all the pictures/ virtual tour of the house. A website for the property takes the browsing element away from the home searching experience
• Consider VR: Virtual reality platforms have blown up in the past year, and agents are taking note of this by implementing VR to their open houses. This allows clients out of state, overseas, or a city over to be able to “be” at the open house and achieve an experience akin to someone physically there.

Open houses allow agents to put their best foot forward. Hopefully these tips/points allow you to have a successful open house.