10 Steps I’m Using to Get 50-100 Visitors to My Open Houses

Open houses are still relevant and they don’t have to be 2 hours of thumb-twirling. Putting the house on the MLS, dropping a sign in the ground, and praying people will show up just won’t cut it anymore. We are in a day-and-age where WE, the agent have to get in front of THEM, the buyers. This is your big opportunity to put your expert marketing abilities to the test and impress your seller by packing the house. Sure some of it does have to do with your market, but when I hear agents saying they are only getting 3-4 visitors max, it does make me wonder; are these agents really doing all they can to get bodies in the home?

Our team gets 50-100 people to our open houses almost every weekend. Even when there were more homes for sale and inventory was more abundant, we hit these numbers. Lack of inventory does not equate to massive open house numbers.

Here are the ways you can make open houses successful for your listings:

1. Remember, it’s the whole package!

You are not just an agent, you are also a marketer. From the moment you list that home your goal is to make it look as good as it can and get bodies inside. Don’t focus on the open house and just on that specific weekend, focus on it from day 1 of taking that listing.

2. Offer a professional staging consult.

Most people do not live in a way that appeals to all. Home décor is about your specific taste and it may not always appeal to the masses. Buyers have no imagination. You have to literally show them what the home is capable of doing in a perfect world. For example, if you’re in a first-time buyer market the home should be staged with that in mind. Luxury market? Stage it accordingly as well.

3. Get professional photography and video.

Make sure you not only capture photos of the room as a whole but also capture aspects of the house that wide-shots may not capture; mood and detail shots are growing in popularity and stand out online. These can make for fantastic social media campaigns.

4. Hold a VIP open house for the neighbors ONE HOUR before the public open house.

One week prior to the open house send hand-written invitations to the 100+ homes within the radius of the listed home and follow up the day before the open with a phone call to the same homes. Without fail, when my team does this will get 10-12 neighbors within that hour who come through. This greatly reduces the awkward, “Oh, I’m looking for a friend,” line that we are all so familiar with.

5. Promote your open house on Facebook and Craigslist for 3-4 days before the open house.

Do this with video and the detail/mood shots I spoke about earlier.

6. Blast the open house to your database, SOI, and all leads looking on your site regardless of whether the home is in their price range.

7. Contact local publications in your area to ask them to write a blurb in their real estate section letting their readers know your open house is taking place.

8. Drop your signage on high-traffic street corners with a “text-to-sell” number that when texted will send back photos and directions to your open house.

When someone texts the number you get the notification which makes for a simple, “Are you able to find the home,” phone call.

9. Hang property-specific door hangers on the front door of surrounding homes. Preferably the ones you wrote the hand-written invites to.

10. Partner with a local deli or caterer to supply food at the open and do a co-marketing blitz with them.

Have them tell their database that they are working with you and supplying food and you do the same for them.

Implementing all or a majority if these steps WILL bring more visitors to your opens. Impress your seller, impress potential sellers (the neighbors) and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!