When people have their house for sale, obviously they would like to sell it as quickly as possible. Home sellers want to have as much exposure for their home as possible in order to find the right buyer, and one way to market the home is to hold an open house. But is it really a good idea to have an open house?
There are statistics that indicate that things like open houses result in a buyer being one in twenty or one in a hundred visitors or anything in between. Not very good odds in my opinion.
There is the issue of safety for both the owner and the real estate agent hosting the open house. Strangers appear and walk around your house practically alone. Most of the time they are nosy neighbors and others who have their own home for sale and are testing the competition for their own property.
When a group appears together (such as a family with adult children) it is very difficult to keep an eye on everyone in the house. Some people can climb the stairs to see the rooms, while others move into the kitchen area and a real estate agent cannot see all of them.
People are getting used to the idea of having to show identification in order to enter an open house. They realize this is a security issue for the homeowner and if you are visiting open houses as a potential buyer, you need to be prepared to identify yourself.
Some real estate agents like to do open houses because it is a good way to meet buyers and it is a legitimate part of the business to do so. Not only are they trying to sell the house they are in, but they also want to get new buyer or seller clients. Some real estate agents are very successful at this. Myself, I can’t remember the last time (if ever) I sold an open house or got a client from one. I guess I’m not aggressive enough!
These days with video tours, YouTube, and websites that allow real estate agents to upload dozens of digital photos, I feel like open houses are a thing of the past and don’t serve you well when trying to sell your home. Anyone who is a serious buyer will make an appointment with their real estate agent to come see your home if they are really interested.