Frequently Asked Questions
Selling
How do Open Houses work and how often should my agent hold one?
Open Houses can be a great tool for showing off a listing to people in the neighborhood and potential buyers. However, Open Houses are primarily a tool for a listing agent to find buyers. The fact is that less than 5% of the time (closer to 1% actually) does an open house sell the home. That does not however mean that open houses can't be effective. A successful open house should be done the first weekend the home is listed on the market. There should be a two week marketing period including color flyers/brochure's delivered to the neighborhood and an invitation sent to all of your friends and family by your agent. This type of open house increases the odd's well beyond the 5% threshold and gets your listing started on the right foot. Aside from the first weekend the home is on the market, an open house will generally only bring in 2-3 families and generally works as a tool for agents to get new buyers. Your agent should hold an open house the first weekend your home is listed. After that, it comes down to marketing and price.