06/10

Prepare yourself. Open Houses are coming.

Wonderful weather not only means flowers and sunshine, but also preparing for open houses. As an agent, you’ve probably already seen one or two as you’ve driven along your commute.

Setting up and preparing for an open house might be intimidating, but AmeriTitle is here to help guide you through the process. These events are a great way to garner potential clients and showcase your brand.

Here are some quick tips on how to successfully throw an open house:

Get to Scheduling

While most open houses are set for Saturday or Sunday, it wouldn’t hurt to think of days that might attract different audiences (depending on the house and location you’re trying to sell). Maybe your listing would work better if it were held on a weekday during lunch hours or after work; you might have potential clients stopping by along their way home.

Get to Marketing

The most effort will be placed on getting the word out there for your event.

One of the better options is to use social media – post on Instagram and Facebook about your upcoming open house and make sure to include the date, time, and location.

Think about starting a Facebook Live Stream during the event! Viewers and those who follow your page are notified on your stream and could stop by after seeing your update.

It’s also beneficial to invite the neighbors over for a private showing – not only can they possibly lead you to referrals, but they can also provide feedback on living in the area, which can help you sell the home.

Get to Staging

Either the home is completely empty, or the sellers are still currently living within the home.

Pssstt….a new report from Redfin found that vacant homes sell for $11,306 less and spend six days more on the market than occupied homes for sale. But, this shouldn’t discourage you if your listing is vacant. The options either to hire a staging company or to virtually stage the home through an online app are both great ways to showcase the beauty of the home.

If the sellers are living in the home, don’t be afraid to give them some quick tips on tidying up! Suggest the removal of anything personal from the home – i.e., photographs, mail, pets, etc.

You’ll also want to think about setting the mood for the event. Making cookies or warming up appetizers in the kitchen are genuine scents that will be seen as an extension of the home, rather than just an aerosol spray can.

Get to the Basics

One of the more important things to have handy – the sign-in sheet. This form will be vital for your potential lead list. Open Home Pro allows agents to have viewers of the open house sign in on a tablet and even asks custom questions. Their contact data will instantly move to your CRM where you can reach out to them after the event!

Get to Celebrating

The day isn’t done when your event is over. Get together with your client to discuss how it went, and be realistic. While an open house is a great way to get eyes on the home, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee a sale within the day or even week. But let them know how many attended, what questions were asked, and who asked for more information.

After you’ve consulted with your client and packed your balloons in your car, pat yourself on the back! You’re one step closer to gaining more leads and sitting at the closing table.