Are open houses necessary?

[Nancy Hammock]

With multiple photos and virtual tours online for all to see do we still need to do open houses? I have found that I'm doing them less and less. I'm also available more for other appointments. Is anyone having any luck with good buyers attending open houses?

[Bruce Frager]

I live in a rural area and traffic to open houses is very limited. I have better success when my office has a tour weekend with several agents homes on tour. I will now only do and open house when my client asks for one. I don;t even mention it in my marketing plan anymore. Regards

[Mitchell S. Feldman]

Open houses in my neck of the woods are a very cost effective ways of securing new leads. My practice is in Brooklyn, New York and we have about 20 full time agents in our office. We do as many open houses as possible, maybe up to 20 on any given Sunday (that's the big day in my area). We do not market the open houses in any way other than on the standard web sites including our own which are all FREE and by placing an "Open House" sign in the street in front of the property. When all is said and done we average at least 50 new buyers each weekend. This benefits our agents, homeowners listed with us and ultimately myself. It is another form of networking and meeting people.

[Louis Cammarosano]

In San Francisco, a fairly walkable city in many areas, open houses appear to be a good way to get to know the neighbors who may be buying. I haven't seen the listing agents that I have met in San Francisco, however, make much of this opportunity.

[Rose Weaver]

Open houses in my area are hit or miss, but with so many people just looking prior to a purchase or selection of a Realtor I like them. I hold one of my listings open every weekend. I do this for added exposure for the client and to pick up new leads. I think holding a home open is not necessary but a great way to add clients and get neighborhood exposure. The neighborhood knows I am a Realtor who is willing to hold an open house every weekend or every other weekend. I also walk the neighborhood prior to my open house inviting the neighbors to stop by and bring a friend. I am going the extra step most agents do not and it gets me noticed. I have picked up 2 good buyers from 16 open houses. I also use this time to follow up with clients. Make sure you bring work to your open houses to make it most cost effective for the slow times!

[Patty Trantham]

No I have never had any luck with open houses. My company did a 3 month mass open house marketing in the Spring and I had more people come to an open house than ever, but they were not serious buyers. I try to discourage my sellers from wanting to do them, most the time I am successful.

Patty Trantham

[Jo Soss]

I think that Open Houses are a great tool. Of course I come from a new construction background and have used that experience in the resale area. I have received listings because I would hold an open house. Why not? Are we all so busy that we can't spend 3-4 hours on a client that is paying us thousands in commission?

Of course my sellers know that an Open House will probably not bring a buyer - but it does bring conversation and sometimes all it takes is "word of mouth" from someone that at one time attended an open house.

Jo

[Jeff Bowers]

I have not found that open houses are as effective as they were in the past. I do think that with multiple photos and virtual tours, the web is like a virtual open house all of the time. I have only held a few open houses this year and I have had very little activity.

[Dee Ryan]

At Weichert Realtors, we go out of our way to do opens and have been getting great results. In the past 3 months - 18 homes have sold at open houses and leads have been easy to get. The buyers want info on the $8000 tax incentive, foreclosures and an honest opinion on the market's bottom. We hold Weichert weekends once a month and all agents are consistant with how the home is presented, the agent look and content. Our opens are starting to become well known in the Mid West where Weichert is just breaking into the market.