To Open House or Not to Open House
While I agree that more and more buyers today are starting their home search on the Internet, I think open houses continue to remain a vital tool in the marketing of homes. And I don't think I'm alone on this issue.
Agree to disagree
Fellow Opening Doors blogger Leigh Brown wrote about this topic in her May 15 blog post 'Home Showings Are a Necessary Evil'.
'Selling a house is stressful.… No matter how great your listing agent is or how perfectly staged it is or how low you're asking price, if you won't let buyers in to see it, they can't and won't buy it,' says Brown, who is also a real estate agent for RE/Max Signature Properties in North Carolina. 'Buyers are looking for motivation right now, and when you don't want to cooperate for showings, it tells them that you are not motivated and not serious about selling.'
According to the Tribune article, 'Though agents, especially experienced ones, prefer not to hold opens unless their client insist and even then, they're more likely to persuade the rookies in their offices to baby-sit the house.'
A committed agent
While that may be the case for some agents, I think the more seasoned professionals are not going to let someone else keep watch over their potential commission. The selling agent of the property has more invested in the property. In addition, agents not only use open houses to help market their clients home, but it's also a way for them to attract new clients passing through.
'Even though the housing market is down right now, I'm still seeing good foot traffic come through my open houses,' says Tim Knipper, an agent with Century 21 Sussex & Reily in Chicago. 'Depending on the location and the property type, the number of people visiting a showing can vary.'
Knipper says when promoting any kind of event or product, a smart marketer doesn't rely on one method to sell his product. 'From newspaper ads to online listings, using open houses is just one of the many tools I depend on to help showcase a home,' he said.
As for consumers, online photos can only do so much justice to a home. Buyers may start their home search on the Internet, but I highly doubt most are basing their purchasing decision off of a slideshow. Nothing beats a live showing or open house. You can't truly gage the quality of a home unless you visit it. And from my personal experience, I use open houses to help me compare properties to better gauge my local housing market. For Realtors and sellers questioning the effectiveness of open houses, I wouldn't close your doors just yet.
Find local open houses on HomeFinder.com.
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@HomeFinder.com.
Comments
I agree, Amy. I think Open Houses are an extremely effective tool for prospective buyers to narrow down their home selections....yes, nosey neighbors or home decorating voyeurs will undoubtedly show up, but I think open houses serve as an effective near-final "filter" and prompt follow-up showings (frankly, I'm surprised even 7% of shoppers start with Open Houses.....this seems high). In Chicago in the Spring on Sundays, Open House signs are everywhere. They must work, otherwise Realtors wouldn't waste their time.
Out of four Chicagoland realtors I've spoken to only 1 has ever sold a house as a result of an open house. 2 of the 4 don't hold them anymore and one even said it does more to generate leads for him than it does the homeowner!
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