Inside Real Estate: Open Houses, part 1

Everyone does open houses differently, based on the type of property or the realtor’s preferences. Some realtors think that open houses are done for the property to get more exposure and some think that it is done for the realtor to get more clients. I like to do open houses for the seller. I advertise in the local newspaper and I put up signs. Sometimes people come because they have seen the ad in the paper; sometimes they come because they have seen the signs. Often, people who come to open houses are people who are not working with a realtor who searches the local multiple-listing system (MLS). This is a way to see the property.

Here in Grand Junction, it is best to have open houses on Sunday. When they are on Sunday, it is best to have them not conflict with baseball games or football games. Realtors CAN have open houses then, but most people don’t show up during the games. They are watching their team instead.

I choose a time slot of 3-4 hours either before or after the game. I have 6 open house signs and I like to have one in the front yard and put the other 5 around two ways to get to the house. I place the open house signs on major roads and then at turns to the property. I like to have 1-3 balloons on each sign. I make sure the signs are obvious at a street corner and that the balloons are tied to the sign with a short ribbon. I don’t want the balloons to be in the way of people who are biking or walking.