37+1 Open House Tips Guaranteed To Get You Leads

Although properties can be showcased quite efficiently online, it doesn’t compare to the experience of an open house where you can create authentic, face-to-face relationships with prospective clients.

Check out these open house tips. We’ve curated a list of ideas and practices that promise a successful open house and instant lead generator.

Open House tips: #1 Prepare your Mindset

You will need to prepare yourself for your open house. As they say, It’s all in the mind. So you need to be in the proper mindset to set it up successfully.

#2 Be Consistent

The most important part of open houses is being consistent. Make sure you’re hosting several a month, at the very least. You can get more leads and save money by keeping your advertising consistent. This way, you make sure that potential buyers are aware of your open houses, and that you’re getting the most out of your efforts.

Some of the best realtor apps for open houses are Curb Hero, Open Home Pro and Spacio. You can use them to automatically access your info and that way you can be more consistent!

#3 Choose Only One Area to Work in

If you’re a new realtor or just starting to host open houses, it’s best to focus on one area. Trying to host them in too many areas can be overwhelming and make it difficult to keep track of everything. 

You want to be able to focus your attention on each house listing and give potential buyers your full attention. By focusing on one area, you can become an expert in that area and potential buyers will know that they can trust you.

#4 Be Professional

When open house visitors come to your event, they should feel like they’re in good hands. You want them to feel that you’re a professional real estate agent who knows what they’re doing. Make sure you’ve dressed appropriately and that your event is well-organized. You should also be able to answer any questions that a potential buyer may have.

#5 Create a Script

A great open house starts with a great script. You should be able to flawlessly introduce yourself and give a general overview of the property in a way that’s both informative and engaging. Keep your script concise and make sure you hit all the key points you want to get across. You should also be prepared to answer any questions that potential buyers may have.

#6 Make It Welcoming

Your open house should be warm, inviting, and welcoming from the moment prospective clients open the front door. This means having great curb appeal.   Make Sure the space is clean and tidy and has inviting music playing in the background. 

Make sure to open all blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. You want potential clients to feel like they’re right at home. Don’t forget the final touches, like scented candles or flowers!

#7 Keep an open mind

The best way to get feedback from open house attendees is to keep an open mind. Be open to hearing what your open house visitors have to say, even if it’s not what you necessarily want to hear. This feedback can help you make the necessary changes to ensure a successful event at your next open house.

#8 Be Prepared

You should always be prepared for open houses. This means having all the information about the property on hand, as well as any marketing materials you might need. You should also have your script memorized so you can give a great overview of the home without fumbling over your words.

Before your open house begins, do a walkthrough of the property to make sure everything is in order. This includes turning on all the lights, opening up all the blinds, and making sure there’s no clutter lying around. You want potential buyers to be able to picture themselves living in the home.

Open House tips: #9 Plan ahead

Plan ahead for these things. A good open house results from a well-planned event. So it pays to plan ahead.

#10 Don’t Wait to Get Listings

If you want to be successful in open houses,don’twait to get other listings. You need to be proactive and go out and find properties that are a good fit for open houses.

The best way to find open house listings is to search online. There are a number of websites that list open houses in your area. You can also search for open houses on real estate apps like Zillow or Trulia. 

Another great way to find open houses is by driving around your target neighborhoods and looking for open house signs. The sooner you get listings, the sooner you can start marketing them and getting leads.

#11 Offer Your Open House 3 Days Ahead 

To get your open house proper exposure, It’s not enough to simply put up a sign the day of and call it good. You need to give people time to plan their visit around your open house. At the very least, send out an email blast and post on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) at least three days in advance.

Make sure your open house is included in your company’s weekly email blast and featured on your website. You should also post about it on social media platforms, using relevant hashtags. For example, #OpenHouse or #RealEstate.

If you have the budget, consider running ads on Facebook or Google leading up to the event.

#12 Advertise on Social Media Beforehand

As we mentioned, you should post about your open houses on social media platforms in the days leading up to the event. But that’s not all you can do.

You can also create online ads such as Facebook or Instagram ads featuring the house you’re showcasing. These ads can target people who live nearby or who have shown interest in similar properties.

#13 Schedule your Open House Efficiently

You should schedule your open house at a time when most people are free, which is typically on the weekends. Avoid scheduling your open house during major holidays or events, as people will have other things on their mind and may not be able to attend.

If you’re having trouble getting traffic to your open houses, consider changing the day or time. You may find that a different day or time works better for your location and schedule.

#14 Invite the Neighbors to Come Take a Look!

One way to get people interested is to invite the neighbors for a sneak peek. This is a great way to get people in the door and generate word-of-mouth marketing. They’ll also feel that they have a personal stake in the open house’s success and may be more likely to tell their friends and family about it.

Before you do this, make sure you’re allowed to invite people into the property before the open house. Once you have permission, send out invitations to your neighbors and let them know they’re welcome to come by for a tour of the property.

You can also invite the neighbors to an open house happy hour, where you serve light refreshments and give them a chance to mingle with potential buyers.

#15 Invite a Home Financier

One way to make your event even more successful is to invite a home financier. This way, prospective buyers can get pre-approved for a loan on the spot and have a better understanding of their budget. This can help you close deals faster and make your open houses even more successful.

#16 Make a list of talking points for viewers ahead of time

When people come to your open house, they’re going to have questions. You should be prepared to answer any questions they have about the property, the neighborhood, and the selling process.

To make sure you’re prepared, create a list of talking points that you can refer to during the open house. This way, you won’t be caught off guard by any questions and you can make sure you hit all the key points you want to make about the property.

Some talking points you may want to include are:

• The history of the property
• Recent renovations or updates
• Features of the property
• Why you’re selling the property
• The selling process
• The neighborhood
• Schools in the area

If you have a team of real estate agents working with you, make sure everyone is on the same page and knows the talking points. This way, everyone will be able to answer questions about the property.

Open House tips: #17 What To Do

There are several things you need to do for your open house. Make sure you do them to achieve success.

#18 Place signs in each room to call out unique features.

As people are walking through the open house, it’s important they pay attention to the details and features that make the property unique. By placing signs around the open house, you can point out these features and ensure that everyone who attends the open house sees them.

Some examples of signs you could use are:

• “The kitchen has been recently renovated with new appliances”
• “This is the perfect home for entertaining guests”
• “The master bedroom has a private balcony with a great view of the city”
• “This home is located in a desirable school district”

You can also use signs to point out things that may not be as obvious, such as the fact that the property is pet-friendly or that there’s a home office that could be used as a guest bedroom.

By using signs, you can make sure guests are fully aware of the property’s assets.

#19 Serve food and beverages

People love free food, so serving refreshments at your open house is a great way to entice people to come take a look.

It also gives them something to do while they’re there, which can make the open house more enjoyable for them.

You can even host themed open houses, such as brunch, wine night, or coffee and pastries in the morning. This can help attract attention and certain kinds of buyers, such as families or young professionals.

No matter what you serve, make sure you have enough food and drinks for everyone who attends the open house. You don’t want to run out of food halfway through the event!

#20 Offer Tours of the Local Community

In addition to giving tours to the property, you can also offer tours to the local community. This is a great way to show off the neighborhood and all it has to offer.

You can give tours to  nearby parks, restaurants, shops, and other attractions. This is a great way to get people interested in the property and the area.

#21 Run a Facebook Live at Your Open House

If you want to get even more people interested in your open house, consider running a Facebook Livestream during the event. This is a great way to give people a tour of the property without having to be there in person.

To do this, set up your camera in each room and give a tour on your Facebook page as people are walking through. You can point out key features and answer any questions viewers have in the comments.

If you don’t want to run the Livestream yourself, you can hire someone to do it for you. This is a great way to drive traffic to your open house.

#22 Use QR Codes Strategically

Instead of having a sign-in sheet, consider using QR codes to collect contact information from guests. You can place QR codes around the house and people can scan them with their phones to sign in.

This is a great way to collect contact information from guests without having to inconvenience  them for it. You can also use QR codes to give people more information about the property, such as a virtual tour or a list of features.

If you’re using QR codes, make sure you have a good strategy for where to place them. You don’t want to overwhelm guests with too many codes, but you also want to make sure they’re placed in strategic locations.

#23 Host an open house for other agents

This is a win-win situation. By hosting an open house for other realtors in your area, you’ll get more people through the property and you’ll be able to build relationships with other real estate professionals.

You can promote your open house to other real estate agents by reaching out to them directly or by listing it on agent-only websites. You may even be able to get other agents to promote it for you.

By hosting open houses for others, you can generate a lot of interest in your property.

#24 Stay Clear of Gated Neighborhoods

Make sure the property you’re showing is not in a gated neighborhood. If it is, you’ll need to get a list of names in advance so that the security guard will let them in.

If people have to go through the hassle of getting on a list or calling someone in advance, they’re less likely to attend. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to visit the property, so avoid gated neighborhoods if possible.

#25 Use Door Hangers to Invite the Neighbors

Another great way to generate interest in your open house is to use door hangers to invite the neighbors. This is a great way to get people who live nearby interested in the property.

Make sure the door hangers are eye-catching and include all the important information about the open house. You can even include a special offer, such as a discount on the listing price, to encourage people to attend.

By using door hangers, you can generate a lot of interest and get more individuals through the doors.

#26 Emphasize 3 Features That Make Your Listing Stand Out From Competition

When you’re promoting your open house, make sure to focus on the features that make your listing stand out from the competition. This could be anything from a unique floor plan to a great view.

By focusing on the features that make your listing unique, you can generate more interest in the property. This is a great way to get people through the door and create leads.

#27 Have a Photographer Come Take Pictures of Buyer’s Agents & Guests

Another great way to generate interest is to have a photographer come and take quality photos of the buyers’ agents and guests. This is a great way to get people talking about your open house and generate buzz on social media.

Make sure the photographer knows what you’re looking for and take plenty of pictures. You can even use the pictures to create a promotional video for your open house.

#28 Give Out Party Favors

Who doesn’t love a good party favor? By giving out party favors, you can create a memorable experience for guests and get them talking about your open house.

Some great party favors include t-shirts, coffee mugs, or even keychains. You can also include a special offer or discount on the listing price.

#29 Don’t Forget to Promote Your Open House to Fellow Agents

Make sure you promote your open house to fellow agents in your area. This is a great way to get more potential buyers through the door and get leads.

You can promote it to other real estate agents by reaching out to them directly or by listing it on agent-only websites. You may even be able to get other agents to promote your open house event for you.

By promoting your open house to agents, you can generate a lot of interest in the property.

#30 Remember that the money is in the Follow-up

Even if you don’t get any leads at your open house, it’s still a valuable marketing tool. You can use the open house to build relationships with potential clients and stay top of mind for future business. 

Make sure you follow up with everyone who attends your open house, even if they’re not interested in the property.

Thank them for coming and invite them to contact you if they have any questions. If you stay in touch with the people who attend your open house, you’re more likely to create leads down the road.

#31 Don’t Miss Your Follow-up Window

The open house is just the beginning of the process. The real work begins when it’s over. You need to follow up with everyone who attends your open house, and you need to do it quickly.

Ideally, you should follow up within 24 hours of the open house. This will help you stay top of mind and increase your chances of generating a lead.

If you wait too long to follow up, people will forget about the open house and they’ll be less likely to do business with you. So make sure you don’t miss your follow-up window.

Open House tips: #32 What NOT To Do!

Now that you know what to do, it’s time to learn about what NOT TO DO. You’ll be certain to create leads if you avoid these typical open-house blunders.

Don’t:

#33 Allow Your Seller to Attend

Your seller should not be present at the open house. This can make potential buyers feel uncomfortable and it can hinder your ability to create leads.

If you have a seller who insists on attending, try to convince them to wait in another part of the house or even leave the property entirely. If they’re not willing to do either of those things, you may have to consider finding another strategy.

#34 Don’t Leave Pets in the House

Pets can be a distraction at open houses. They can make noise, they can be aggressive, and they can make potential buyers feel uncomfortable.

If the homeowners have pets, make sure they’re removed from the property before the open house begins. This will help you generate more leads and close more deals.

#35 Be Unprepared

An open house is a great opportunity to generate leads, but only if you’re prepared. Make sure you have plenty of business cards. This will allow you to focus on generating leads and it will make the open house more enjoyable for everyone involved.

#36 Fail to follow up with attendees

As we’ve mentioned before, the open house is just the beginning of the process. The real work begins when it’s over. You need to follow up with everyone who attends your open house, and you need to do it quickly.

If you don’t follow up with attendees, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to get leads!

#37 Ignore the competition

When you’re holding an open house, it’s important to be aware of the competition. There may be other open houses happening in the area, and you need to make sure your open house is better than theirs.

To do this, you need to know what they’re doing and how they’re promoting their open houses. This way, you can make sure your open house is the best one in the area.

#38 Overlook the importance of quality

It’s not just about quantity, it’s also about quality. You may be tempted to open your doors to anyone and everyone, but that’s not always the best strategy.

Remember that you’re trying to generate leads, so you want to focus on quality over quantity. It’s better to have a few high-quality leads than a bunch of low-quality ones.

Final Thoughts

Open houses are a great way to get leads, but you need to do more than just open the doors. By following these tips, you can make your open house event more successful and generate more leads.

So what are you waiting for?  Get out there and start promoting your open house today!

By following these tips, you can generate more leads and grow your business. By focusing on the follow-up, you can turn a single open house into a long-term relationship. And that’s what it’s all about.

Do you have any open house tips that have worked well for you? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below.  And if you’re looking for more real estate tips, be sure to check out our blog. We post new articles every week!