I was trained to be a host at an open house, not a salesperson. I gave up weekends with my family to tell people which room was the bathroom.
9 ways to be an open house salesperson and make the most of your weekend
Here are nine ideas that will help you convert more buyers and find sellers.
Always remember: Your seller’s interests come first, and yours come second.
1. Preview the inventory
Know which listing you’ll hold open by Tuesday to give you enough time to prepare. Spend Wednesday through Friday previewing homes your visitors might also be interested in.
Include properties both above and below the price of the listing you’re holding open. When a visitor describes what they want, you can tell them you were inside that exact house this week, and that’s something they can’t get online.
2. Book a showing before they leave
Greet visitors at the door. Shake hands and trade names. Ask a light question or two, such as where they live now and how long they’ve been looking. Save the harder questions about price range and preapproval for later.
Before they tour, ask them to pay special attention to two specific features in the home, such as the flooring in a particular room or the crown molding. Be careful to remain neutral. Saying, “You’re going to love the backyard, it’s huge” can lose a buyer who wanted a small one.
On the way out, ask what they thought of those two features. This gets them describing what they are looking for in a home. Once they describe a feature they want, repeat it back to them and ask “What else?” until they have listed everything they are looking for.
If you previewed a match, say something like, “This is going to sound crazy, but I was in the exact house you described on Wednesday, and it’s still on the market. I’d love to show it to you. Can you meet me back here at 3:05 p.m. so we can head over and take a look?”
If they say no, offer another time. If you don’t close them while they’re there, your odds of converting them later are much lower.
3. Look for sellers, not just buyers
I was taught that nosy neighbors were bad. They’re the best guests you can have. Many are thinking about selling, and they come to your open house to see how their home compares to your listing. So invite them.
Some visitors come to open houses only to evaluate agents before they list their home. This is your chance to demonstrate how you work.
When your open house is over, send the neighbors a readout that includes how many groups came through. If they’re thinking about selling, you have just shown how much active buyer interest there is in their neighborhood. Then ask if they know anyone who wants to sell.
4. Get the market’s pulse
Your visitors have walked through other homes and talked to other agents. Ask what they’re hearing at other open houses and what they think of the market. As they tour the property, watch where they pause and what they walk past. Use what you learn in your next seller conversation.
5. Brand yourself
Each directional sign is a small billboard. I had mine custom-made with my name and photo. Put out as many as you can, on the busiest corners. If you do this in the same neighborhood several weekends in a row, the neighbors will notice even if they don’t attend.
6. Prove you’re the local expert
Signs make your name familiar, but the conversation at the front door is an opportunity to prove your expertise. Knowing the recent sales and current listings isn’t enough. Learn everything you can about the features, amenities and history of the neighborhood.
Ask neighbors who stop in what they love about living there. Know the area better than any other agent your visitors meet that weekend.
7. Generate social content
Stuck on what to post this week? Post the open house. Fill your grid with real estate, not just community posts. Boost the post. Likes from people who know you help land new followers. Don’t worry about posting about the same house twice. A second open house gives you a second round of posts.
8. Grow your sphere
Invite your past clients and friends. Most won’t come, but they’ll see you’re busy and that they’re welcome.
Offer a drawing open to all visitors. I found that a $20 coffee gift card was enough to get real phone numbers and email addresses.
In quiet moments during the open house, write handwritten notes to your clients and prospects.
9. Partner with other agents
Open houses allow you to build relationships with other agents in three ways.
- Co-host. Bring in a second agent for safety, or when you expect more visitors than you can handle on your own. Agree ahead of time how you will divide the leads, including any listing opportunities that come up. As a managing broker, I had to mediate too many disagreements over whose client was whose.
- Hold their listings open. Busy listing agents often have more listings than they can hold open themselves. Before you hold another agent’s listing open, confirm who keeps the buyer and seller leads. Get written permission to advertise it, too.
- Invite them in. Some listings require agent-accompanied showings, such as units in secure condo buildings or higher-priced homes. Rather than scheduling those showings individually, invite agents to bring their buyers during your open house. You fit several showings into one afternoon and free up the rest of your week.
The bottom line
An open house host spends the afternoon telling people which room is the bathroom. An open house salesperson spends the same afternoon converting buyers, finding sellers and building a brand. If you’re going to give up your weekend, make sure it’s worth it.
Bob Burns is the principal at Bob Burns Coaching. Get connected on LinkedIn and Instagram.
