We ALL know that the market will depend on any given local area and neighborhood. So whoever says Open House's don't work are the ones who are in areas that it really doesn't work. It could be that there area is so rural that it takes an hour to drive from house to house. It could be for a thousand other reasons including the agent just doesn't like sitting at an Open House.
I held an Open House for my listing for Mililani Fairway Village yesterday (Easter Sunday) and though it was slow in the beginning I still had 9 groups of guests attend. Yes, it was slower than the last Open House I had with 17 groups of guests but that's besides the point.
On Oahu, Open Houses work anyway. We all hold an Open House because it IS a Sunday event for all home buyers and sellers who are looking at their leisure. They roam from neighborhood to neighborhood in our densely populated areas and they can hit quite a few in one Sunday.
It's also a great time for agents to attend with their clients without the hassle of making an appointment. They will also make some other appointments for the ones that aren't open so they can get a bunch of showings in on the weekend for their clients who work all week.
I was impressed by one very successful agent in Mililani from RE/MAX Honolulu who came to view my listing. Towards the end another agent from Century 21 All Islands who stopped by as well.
Open Houses work for those who work them.
Even on a Holiday.
Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate® and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocations, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents, Home Buyers and Sellers.
© 2007-2012 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog.
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Sally, I'm a firm believer in Open Houses. They are good on many levels.
I do open houses all the time and pick up a client or two at each one, usually buyers but sometimes sellers. if I can get any business out of it, it's well worth the 4 hours.
Sally, just a question, did you wear the bunny ears? Nevermind.. I won't go there....
So, open houses here are tough, you often have to drive and drive to get to the houses. But I hear that they are getting more attention, which is great news after a few years of nothing.
Depends on where you are, and I applaud you for doing one on a holiday!!!!
Sally, glad to hear that open houses are worth while in Hawaii... however, here in CT they are more of a struggle to do. Only twices in 10 years did anything ever come out of holding one.
Ted: Me too! They do work if you're in an area that it does work!
Bryan: Great way to get the home sold...and to pick up clients too!
Andrea: I bonked out on the bunny ears lol.... Gary said they looked too playboy bunnyish...lol. I would presume that in your area it'd take awhile to drive from house to house... Over here we are in one neighborhood and the next street is another lol.
Valerie....yeah...same as Andrea ...comment above you.
Like many things in this business with open houses you as you said "have to work it" and be creative. You have to look at the opportunities that lie there and make your time productive.
Sally, I am sure that they work well if you go into them with the right attitude. Henry Ford was right when he said: "if you believe you can or you believe you can't you will be right." or something like that!
Open Houses work in Phoenix as well Sally! We also do a lot of prep before the open's to get our cliental base to visit as well as the general public. Open!!
Sally around here these days an Open House that has 9 groups of people going through it would be considered a very good Open House. Got to hand it to you for doing an Open House on Easter Sunday, there were no Open Houses around here.
On the east side of Oahu there were quite a few Open Houses!
Check out our Open House Guide for yesterday!
http://hicentral.com/pdfs/HBROpenHouseReport.pdf
Hi Sally, I am with you on Open Houses. I will be doing more of them almost every weekend. It has always been a good source of leads for me in this business.
Sally
Working them, adn doing so correctly, IS the key. There are bound to be some that are more effective than others, but they can be a great opportunity for buyers. I tend to find a lot of lookers as opposed to serious buyers, on average, but it seems to also depend on the area and the house. Houses with great views (i.e., the ocean) tends to get lots of lookers.
Jeff
Woo Hoo, It used to be that when we held Open Houses, people knew to come early in case they wanted to buy the property. Nothing usual about sitting with Buyers at the Open House and actually writing the offer. That hasn't happened in a bunch of years for me but I came close. About 4 weeks ago, I was holding open 2 properties in the same neighborhood. They were both sold immediatley after that 1st Open House. In one of them, the Buyer was the first person to see the property. In the other, it was the second person as the buyer of the other property was there first. One closed last Thursday and the other closes this Wed.
The next door neighbor said to me that that she has never seen anything like it. Your properties sell while other site for long periods. She asked me why. I told her I staged them to perfection, marketed them widely and that I prayed a lot. I will be listing her property in June.
LOVE the ears... what a great gimmick... may even get you more clients. You could do a Christmas one and a St. Patrick's Day one.... I'm just sayin'! But an open house on Easter? You're definitely braver than me!
Sally,
It really proves "real estate is local." Congratulations on your continued success!
Steve
Open houses can work to get clients. However, I have stopped doing open houses apprx 3 years ago, and I'm usually out on Sunday's showing clients or a listing appointment, etc.
I used to do open houses most every Sunday for almost 10 years. I never personally sold a home that I was having open. Perhaps a couple of times buyers came thru and then their agent would call to make another appointment to view with his/her agents, and then perhaps an offer would come forth.
But most agents that I've ever asked have had the same result as I have had, which is "not much"
Open houses work best in a price range that is "average" and easy to find. (New Construction does well at open houses anytime). Knock on the doors to the right, left, across the street, etc. prior to the open house, hand them a card and invite them over (they usually want to come anyway, and they may remember that you are a "good agent" just by that knock and invite.) Always send "thank you" cards to those who attend.
Linda: When others say nah... I say I will beat the odds. What's to be brave about doing an open on a holiday? (especially in Hawaii)
William: Just goes to show. Needless to say....when buyers know that others aren't open (especially on a holiday) and they see mine...I have the upper hand yay!
Jeff: Bunny ears or not....sometimes the home, the view, the complex or as in this case....on the golf course will sell the home.
Good for you Jerry!
Your timing is great, I'm holding an open house this coming Sunday ... the first in about 2 years!
Go Cynthia go!!!
Thanks for your insight Paul
Thanks Steve! It is local no matter what!
I bet it was those bunny ears that did the trick! Were you waiting out front with those on your head?
Sally Jo, after many years of working for builders, being open on all days except Christmas and New Years provided many opportunities to hang out on Easter. The people coming through? Neighbors and their company. With the emphasis on company. The focus was to sell a house, and on occasion, a guest of an owner would view, and ultimately buy. Of course it works in resale, too- neighbors... and their families. The key was to focus on selling the house- that house- that day, or shortly thereafter.
Sally,
Love the replacement ears. Much larger and fluffier then the last set. Hopefully you can keep the hubby away from those.
Sally
Done right an open house is a branch office for our business.
Good luck and success.
Lou Ludwig
Sally, I have mixed feelings about open houses, but have always gotten good attendance. They do create a happy feeling, especially if it's in a good area where people want to be. Well done
Hi Sally - I am an open house advocate too. I have nearly always gotten a good turnout and some buyer leads, and several times have even sold the house I was holding open to one of the guests.
Hi Sally, love the new ears! I also find that OH are important. Like you said, agents can come with their buyers without making then appointment and going to my office to get a key, etc. I wish I had the turnout you do on your slower days, lol.
If it works in your area....then it's a good thing.... If it doesn't, well, I guess that's just one less avenue to market the home ...I'm just happy it works in ours. I have sold many homes through an Open House...I have picked up new clients as well.