Do Open Houses Really Work?

One of the oldest methods of marketing homes has been the open house. Before we had the Internet and digital cameras that take great images, open houses really played a big part in giving the public visual information about homes and neighborhoods. So the question is… do open houses really work in selling a home?

Overall, open houses do not help sell the majority of the homes being held open. It’s a small percent. And that’s not recent news. Open houses produced about the same result even before the Internet. So why do agents still hold houses open? It does seem a waste of time, considering that buyers are now able to view photos of homes online without the need to drive around looking for an open house. Well buyers still like to drive around and get to know the neighborhoods. After viewing home photos online, buyers like to drive by the listings by themselves to see if they like the area. If they see an open house, they will take the opportunity to go in and see it in person.

With our Multiple Listing System now online, buyers can search for open houses at any given location and the times being held open. It’s a much more efficient system than that of the old days.

But, let’s get back to the topic of this conversation. Is it worth the time spent for the agent and the home seller to do an open house. Depending on the situation, my answer is usually “yes”. I have sold a few properties from the open house so offering to hold a house open is always a part of my marketing system. My marketing system has many parts, some more important than others, but as a system, it gets the job done.

If you are thinking of selling your home and would like to know more about the open house process and other marketing ideas, feel free to call.