To me it feels something like the opening line for the long-running show Meet The Press on NBC, but adapted to my own reality. “If it’s Sunday, it’s an Open House”. More times than not, you’ll find me for a few hours on Sunday afternoon hosting an Open House somewhere, and today is no exception. Usually I decide about a week in advance if and where I’d like to have an Open House as it takes that long to prepare and orchestrate it properly. Ads for the newspaper and websites have to be submitted 6 days in advance, materials for handouts designed and printed, and signs placed stategically in advance. I’ve done so many for so many years that I have that down to a science almost.
The key from my perspective is to pick the right house to hold open. Usually it’s one that’s in a location within my target market area and price range, and one where I think probability is high to get some traffic. Although it does happen every once in a while, it’s highly unlikely that someone coming to an Open House will actually buy that home. But I come to one completely prepared to do so. I also come prepared with knowledge of current market and financing trends, and with general knowledge of other homes within a similar price range and for sale within a mile or two of that home. People who come to Open Houses are trying to get a feel for the market and sense of values. Some are thinking about buying and some are thinking about selling, or both. Typically they are not quite ready to move yet but starting to consider it.
People push back if you try to sell them anything, including homes. So I’ve learned the best thing is to let the home do the talking. A home starts speaking to people when they come in the door. I’m knowledgeable about the house and neighborhood of course and can answer any question, but mainly I just try to be myself and have fun with it, engaging people in conversation about everything other than real estate.
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