This sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing this – and now I need a brownie!

I sort of do the same thing but I put a large pan of my Espresso Walnut Salted Pecan Brownies in the over and hour before the Open House so I have time to cut them up and put them in individual little bags for people to take along with their goodie bags of water, gum, large paper clips etc and the house STILL has the scent of brownies! Its ALWAYS a smash!

this is brilliant! And now I’m hungry!

“…the odds of the perfect buyer walking through that door are pretty slim…” Well, that depends on the market, the home, and the quality of buyers walking through. Both my sister and I have owned several houses that were purchased by the first person to walk through the door at our open houses — at close to or above the highest comps in the neighborhood. Both our houses were also beautifully staged.

Thea your job as a Realtor is to sell “A” house not just the house you’re hosting open. You are missing a huge opportunity not to market to those who are not working with an agent

My mentor would go one step further. He would view 5 or 6 other houses listed for sale the neighborhood. By doing so he positioned himself as the “neighborhood expert.” He knew which houses were bigger or smaller, had pools or no pools which one had big yards and small yards, 2 story or one story, etc. Then when you ask the visitors what they like about your open house, you could ask what are you looking for in your ideal house? He would then offer to show them a house in the neighborhood that met their criteria.

Thanks Stephen, that’s what we’re here for!

Chris

Thea, it is a very low percentage of people who buy a house because they went to an open house, but that’s the whole thing about real estate. It’s a numbers game. Your REALTOR’s marketing efforts expose your home to the maximum number of people. Some of these people are buyers. Most are not. However, even the non-buyers will remember your home if they hear of someone they know who wants to move into the neighborhood and may recommend it. Bottom line, however, is that REALTORS will receive benefits from an open house even beyond the selling of your house.

Hey Thea,

People who are interested in your home are going to ask questions regardless of whether or not they’re asked to. Also, the odds of the perfect buyer walking through that door are pretty slim. One useful thing you can have your Realtor do is see if she/he can get feedback on your home from the people who attend the open house.