As published in Around Kennesaw magazine:
Realtors have differing opinions on the value of open houses and whether they are worth the time and effort. In my experience, the answer is YES, they are definitely worth it! And when you do it, you should do it BIG!
Does the open house sell the home? Sometimes! What it ALWAYS provides me, as the listing agent, is the perfect opportunity to highlight all the assets of the property. The home is clean, and the owners are gone, giving me a live studio for promoting the property through all my social media and networking channels. Whether it’s an Instagram Reel or a Facebook Live broadcast, I’m ready to go when the home is prepped for an open house.
Prep is key to ensuring a successful open house. From the first listing presentation with my clients, we map out a calendar of events including an Agents only preview night and weekend open houses conveniently timed for when the most people will be out and about looking at homes. I reach out to my real estate network and promote these events on my social media channels as well.
Marketing a home is everything. Getting people excited about a property is what it’s all about. “Coming Soon” sneak peek promotions, and an open house party that no one wants to miss, are all part of the way I like to create anticipation for the listing and frankly a line at the door thirty minutes before the event. I also like to include special extras like grazing tables, prosecco, baked goodies, prizes, and swag bags.
As Realtors, we work hard to gain the trust of our clients. I encourage all agents out there to employ a savvy open house strategy to show the client’s home to the public in its best light. Bring in the neighbors and those who are just curious. You never know whom they are going to talk to about the amazing open house they went to over the weekend. Get people talking. Surprise and delight them. Make it memorable!