Sandy McAlpine - Lake Norman Blog

Open Houses? What are they?

As a Seller, should you have one?

What happens at an Open House?

An Open House in North Carolina is defined usually as a time that the home for sale is Open For Public Viewing. The agent usually advertises the Open House, Turns on all the lights, opens the blinds, puts out balloons, directionals from the main street, and sits at the table with pre-qualifying questionaires, working with real estate agents brochures, and sometimes accompanying a mortgage broker.

 

The smart agents have plenty of cards and brochures marketing themselves and the property so that potential buyers can leave with as much information as possible.

Stickler: A high percentage of these potential buyers cannot afford or will not be a potential prospect on "that" particular home. It is widely known in the real estate world that new agents hold open houses to get acquainted with potential buyers. The sad fact for the seller is that MOST of those buyers are usually months away from buying anything and do not even know what they can afford. Unqualified. 

I make the decision whether to hold an Open House on a case-by-case basis. Since some parts of the Lake Norman area are rural, then I  would probably steer clear of holding one in a house off that is way off the beaten path. My past results have been bleak on those types of properties. Who wants to sit around alone, while you could be calling potential prospects or doing internet marketing on the property? But a home in the heart of the city, and in a high traffic area, might actually have a good turnout.

HGTV?

A lot of folks watch shows on HGTV where most of the Open House are busy and the prospects and properties are in California (in HIGH traffic areas). These homes are also marketed as "Investment Properties" and usually the agents are calling every investor they know to tell them they will be in TV!!! This is NOT real Life!

I usually explain to my sellers that in a "typical" Open House that most agents have, the agent is looking for buyers, and the prospects are unqualified. The open house attendees could possibly be nosey neighbors, could be there for theft, or worse: to hurt or rob the agent.

In my Opinion, It's better idea to have Broker Luncheons where you invite the top producers in the area to preview the home and provide feedback to the sellers, than to have unqualified people through the property. And, in a public Open House, if you happen to have a lot of traffic, how can you watch them all? What if a stranger is upstairs and going through the sellers things, jewelry, and medications? In some areas, criminals target Open Houses. Vacant homes in high traffic areas are a better option for Public Open Houses, when the agent is with another person. That is a safer option.

**picture courtesy of www.sanzospecialties.com where I purchase my signs and branded materials! check them out!

Sandy Aichner, GRI, ABR, Broker, REALTOR ~ RE/MAX Executive Realty (704) 746-7513

Lake Norman Real Estate Copyright 2008-2009 by the Author - Sandy Aichner. Call me at: 704.746.7513 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina or surrounding towns . As a Relocation Broker, I can also Refer you a RE/MAX agent anywhere in the World! Feel free to visit one of my websites: MooresvilleHomeSearch.com, SandyIsYourAgent.com . Or stop by my blogs at: Active Rain; or Twitter.

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