As a real estate agent, your job while representing a seller is to get the best possible deal as quickly as possible and be able to complete the sale. You are working for the seller and should be able to show them why YOU are the person (or team) for the job. How, why, and when you schedule open houses and/or showings can be a reflection of doing so while also distinguishing your services to other potential clients.
The “easy” way is to schedule your open house on Mulberry Street for Saturday or Sunday from 1 to 4 PM, thinking that people touring the block or the neighborhood will be close by and can stop by and compare. Little thought is given to how confused people become upon visiting multiple homes during the same journey.
Having potential buyers say, “I liked the one with the wide deck. Was that the red one on the corner?” only means they are confused. My feeling is that, in this challenging real estate market, the focus should be on the quality of visitors instead of quantity.
One method I discuss with my clients is scheduling an open house on weekday evenings or early mornings. An example would be holding it on a Tuesday evening from 5 to 8 PM. It is probable that not many people would come. However, the point is that those who do are making a special effort to be there instead of being a “Why not? We are already there”. That time of day may be a good time to show off how the afternoon sun makes the rooms bright, how little rush hour traffic there is, or that it is safe for the kids to ride their bikes at that time.
By doing so on a Tuesday, a potential buyer wanting to “see” other properties nearby either has to wait all the way until the upcoming weekend or schedule a separate showing at an agreed to time. Meanwhile, you have three full days to work on an offer before the upcoming weekend and its open houses and new listings. If two or three people (or groups) show up, you have multiple options for follow up while your visitors are not as easily able to make comparisons.
It is quite possible that a potential buyer or tenant may have coming home to a quiet street or seeing how easily the traffic flows at that time among their most important considerations for where they want to live.
As soon as your weekly open house (or scheduled showings) generate your first quick sale, you now have a marketing weapon to strengthen your listing presentations!
For the price of a single dinner, my “15 Minute Agent Audit” can include a review of your specific showing and open house strategy, whether for residential or commercial. Book yours now!
