Open Houses; the bane of all Realtors. Clients think it sells homes
but you use them to find buyers. So..what REALLY constitutes a
successful Open House? I GUARANTEE that this works.
Is it quantity? NO
Is it quality? YES. But what is quality? To me, quality is getting EXACTLY what you want from an open house; interested buyers' information so that you can eventually get their name on a Buyer's Brokerage Agreement and in the back of the Hummer with your name on the side.
Here's the trick. I GUARANTEE that this works:
Hold their Driver's License while they tour the home, fill out the buyers information form, hand the form back to them when they retrieve their license and ask for feedback. if they check off that they are represented by a Realtor, find out who it is so you can call them and get their feedback.
I can hear it now..."Brady, you are out of your mind!" Noone will do that! We'll scare away the neighbors! GOOD!
"You are not allowed to do that, Brady!" ...BS...you make the rules; it's your listing.
Here's what you say to them. "Mrs. Goodfellow, I know you are a good person and I hate to ask you this but the sellers have very valuable and confidential business information lying around the home. Their lawyer INSISTED upon this provision before thay allowed me to hold this home open."
Here's another line..." Don't you just hate insurance companies?"
Blame it on President Bush and the Patriot Act if you want to. I don't care.
They'll bitch and moan but they'll do it. Oh, maybe they'll say they really aren't interested in buying...you say "thankyouforstoppingby...would you like a cookie?" Maybe they'll be indignant and say that they would NEVER buy a home from you for asking that (one less follow up call to make).
I show my ID when I buy beer (well, not in the past 10 years), open a checking account, cash a check, use my debit card (remember, that's my money), get a free beach towel at a Padres game (time share companies), or cash in my chips at a casino. This thing you're marketing is more valuable than any of those!
I did it with an agent who sold my good friend's home in Del Mar. We had about 15 people walk in, 8-9 walk away, and four that had Realtors already. Only two signed buyers' brokers agreements with her that week. I only funded two loans from that day.
It was a good open house.
