Planning an Open House this weekend- make it a success and be sure to PLAN., PLAN, PLAN. Here is 10 steps to be successful.

1. 10steps
to a successful
open house

2. This exclusive guide from Top Producer
and REALTOR.com® will give you step-
by-step instructions on how to prepare
properly for your next open house so you
can start converting your walk-in
traffic into REAL business.
Read on and get energized, because we just
gave you the tips you need to turn your next
open house into a lead generation landslide.
5

3. 50%
of buyers used
open houses as a
key part of their
home search.
According to The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home
Buyers and Sellers, almost 50% of buyers used open houses as a key part
of their home search. Unfortunately, many agents don’t know how to hold an
effective open house designed for conversion, so many opens turn into lost
opportunities.
When hosted properly, open houses are a very effective way
to promote your seller’s listing while generating new business
opportunities for yourself.

4. 1
Step
Select the Right Property
You want an open house that attracts lots of traffic,
so property selection is critical.
If you select a property that’s in a higher price range, you may limit the
amount eligible buyers due to income. For effective, highly-attended opens,
we suggest using a property that’s moderately priced in a highly-trafficked
neighborhood. Doing this ensures that your property will be visible and
attractive to a large cross-section of eligible buyers, which means more open
house prospects for YOU.

5. 2
Step
Make your home stand out
You’ve selected a home to hold open, and your sellers are excited.
The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and
Sellers tells us that almost 90% of buyers use the internet as part of their
home search, so make your listing shine online. Enhance your listing on real
estate’s most viewed site,1 REALTOR.com®. Add more pictures, videos
and virtual tours, and get a connection point directly to you.
To find out how an enhanced listing will help your open house shine, visit:
www.realtorenhancedlistings.com
comScore Media Metrix, July 2011
1

6. 3
Step
Create a Local Buzz
Get out in the local community.
Visit the local hangout and post flyers promoting the open house. Write a
blog post about the open house complete with virtual tours and videos, and
print up some postcards with a QR code. Leave them at your local coffee
shop and start promoting your open house locally to people in a comfortable
environment. Talk to local businesses about doing some co-marketing;
promote their local business at your open with coupons and giveaways in
exchange for promotion of your open house at their establishment.

7. 4
Step
Preview the Subdivision
While you want to get new clients from any open house, you’ve
got to remember that your primary responsibility is to the seller.
You should be able to answer any questions buyers have at your open and
explain to them why your listing stands apart from the others. Make sure
you walk the neighborhood and get a taste of its unique flavor. Preview other
homes in the area, and scout out comparables so that you know how your
listing stacks up against the competition.

8. 5
Step
Get a Complete Set of
Materials
Get the latest data on market trends and recent sales with
Market Snapshot™.
Include information about the listing you’re holding open and attach your
business card. Make sure that you have a complete package of materials
to be used as takeaways so that even after buyers leave your open, they
remember you as the REALTOR® they need.
To learn more about Market Snapshot™, visit:
www.topproducer.com/products/market-snapshot.aspx

9. 6
Step
Invite the Neighbors for a
Sneak Peek
When you get a listing, you know there are other folks in the
neighborhood who are also thinking of selling.
And they’re going to want to see how other homes in their neighborhood
compare to theirs. So invite them over for a sneak peek. Create a special
“neighbors only” event on a special day. Holding an open on Saturday?
Invite the neighbors to a special preview on Thursday night. Don’t do a
postcard drop – instead, walk the neighborhood, introduce yourself, and
PERSONALLY invite them over. Make sure you have ALL of your listing
materials ready – including your listing presentation and neighborhood
market stats – to showcase when the neighbors stop by, so that when they
think about listing their home, they think about YOU.
Don’t have a listing presentation? Get one at:
www.marketing.realtor.com/listingpresentation

10. 7
Step
Be Engaging
Don’t sit in a corner at your open house.
Set up a “home base” in the kitchen – it’s the most popular place in most
homes where buyers congregate, so you’ll have a chance to strike up
conversations. Greet people when they walk in, and let them know to stop
by the kitchen on the way out to receive more information about the home,
recent sales in the area and neighborhood market trends.

11. 8
Step
Follow Up
Ditch the dusty guest register, and start converting walk-ins
with your iPad® or other tablet.
Fire up the BrightOpen™ app. Load your open house listing, and have
visitors fill out the contact form to receive automatic market updates. You’ll
stay in touch and cultivate REAL clients by sending them RELEVANT
information. And you’re servicing your seller by ensuring that you follow up
with every single person who signed up at the open house, so if there’s
interest in a purchase, you’ll be able to find out. It’s a fast and easy way
to stay in touch with your open house sign-ups, and a surefire way to turn
those walk-ins into real business.
To learn more about BrightOpen™, visit:
www.topproducer.com/products/smartphone-apps.aspx

12. 9
Step
Market Your
Properties Quickly
QR Mobile Marketing System gets all your property
marketing done, FAST.
The REALTOR.com® QR/Mobile Marketing App is a listing agent’s dream,
giving you property specific tools, including: a Mobile Website, QR Code,
Shortcode URL, Listing Flyer and Postcards.
And did we mention that the app is FREE?
Find out more at marketing.realtor.com/mobilelisting/

13. 10
Step
Be Prepared
Light
Bulbs
Trash
Bags Create a preparedness kit and keep it in your car.
Paying attention to those little details when preparing for your showings and
Dusting open houses will ensure you give your clients the best possible experience.
Cloths
And when completed, it will make a difference in impressing that prospective
Mini buyer — making them willing to work only with you!
Vacuum
Windex &
Paper Towels

14. Being prepared in advance for your open
For more information call: houses is the key to success.
1(866) 319-3972
Planning for successful opens begins on Monday, not
Friday. By following these tips and preparing well in
advance, you’ll be able to turn your next open house from a
Or visit: lost opportunity into a lead-generating event. Top Producer
Marketing.Realtor.com/Openhouse & REALTOR.com® have a complete set of solutions that
can help. Get in touch to learn more about the open house
solutions available from Top Producer & REALTOR.com®.
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