So many Sunday’s from 1 – 3 pm I have spent manning the open house!  A great deal of new construction…Voluntown, Gales Ferry, Lisbon, Preston..and the re-sale property.  I know the amount of work that goes into the event for sellers; cleaning, mowing, vacating the premises…all on a hopefully lovely Sunday afternoon.  It can be a pain in the…

Is it Worth it?

I say yes but not for statistical reasons!  The stats, I suspect, are dismal.  My own are at nearly 25 years, 2 resale houses sold immediately from the open house.  Statistically it would be impossible to track whether word of mouth from an open house sold the property, but I think that information would be more impressive.

This information does not apply to the new construction open house. (that is a long process and many, many times sales are a direct result of ongoing open houses)

The following are my reasons why the open house is an invaluable marketing strategy for the seller of real estate:

1.  Advertising – using contemporary methods and traditional print, it pulls the property to the front of the competition

2.  Agent focus – I have learned a tremendous amount about real estate shoppers from the open house.  Concentrating exclusively on one property which amounts to far more than 2 hours, I can truly focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the property and play to the strengths from a PR and marketing stand point.

3.  Anonymity – New potential buyers love it, freedom to look without commitment.  Even if they are not the one for your house, they may know the one and tell them about it.

4.  Neighbors – Who better to help sell your house?  They come to see how their house stacks up but may just know someone in the market who they would like for a neighbor.

5.  Genuine, immediate feedback – My favorite part!  I love to hear the thoughts of the serious and just looking alike..some of it can be invaluable.  There is no accounting for taste, but if I hear the same thing repeatedly..I know there is a selling issue that needs addressed.  It is my wish to hear all about the other houses they have seen and how this one compares.  People are honest at the open house and that is the marketing equivalent of striking gold. 

So…it is all about Public Relations and Marketing.  The open house for sellers can keep the marketing fresh and the public aware you are most interested in selling.