One of the many ways Realtors today try to market and expose their listings is to schedule and set up an Open House for the property.  This is something that has been done for a long time now and can sometimes gain a few inquiries.

Open houses these days seem to have gotten a bit blah.  Obviously the point of the event is to show off a house that otherwise may not get the same exposure.  However the truth of the matter is that the majority of the people that will stop by are neighbors and friends of the owners.  Now there is nothing wrong with this and it is a good tool to generate word of mouth buzz about a property.  As those neighbors have friends and colleagues and so on…But the truth is that the majority of open house visitors are not actively ready to buy.  The majority of visitors to an open house are those people that are just kind of browsing and checking things out.  Again, nothing wrong with that and it could lead to an eventual client and a sale.

The buyers that are actively looking are usually working with an agent or have made selections on the internet of what homes they are interested in seeing.

Now, that is not to say that conducting an Open House is something that should be shied away from.  If you are the homeowner it is again a good way to generate neighborhood buzz and get the word out around the water cooler.  An open house is also a good way to judge the kind of response you will get when buyers have a private showing of the property.  Perhaps you as the owner will get some great feedback from the open house that will allow you to make some adjustments and deliver an even better showing.

In the end though, the question is TO DO or NOT TO DO…To me it really depends on the property.  I think that an open house can play a role in giving a home a refresh as well.  By that I mean when you announce an open house people tend to pay attention a little closer and just by announcing the event you can gain additional interest online for the property.

Furthermore a home has to be right for an open house to be successful.  Not every house is open house ready nor should every property have an open house. A lot of it depends on the location, the exterior appeal, the interior appeal, any recent updates to show off, recent changes, ect…

If you are a seller that currently has their home on the market and you are interested in conducting an open house, be sure to talk to your Realtor.  As a professional they should be able to tell you whether it would be a beneficial event or be able to give the reasons why it would not serve to better expose and market the property.

Tim Brown
Owner/Broker, Realtor®, ABR,CRS,CDPE®
Auctioneer NCAL#8560
Hines & Associates Realty
TeamHeidi
Direct Line: 704-619-1008
Client Care Line: 704-815-3208
www.CarolinaHomes4Sale.com