When it comes to open houses, many agents have already given up. Convinced by some cynical colleague that open houses “don’t work anymore,” they’ll instead spend thousands on online ads. Apply these savvy open house ideas instead, and watch your customer relationship manager (CRM) overflow with leads that are ideal for your nurturing campaign.

1. Use Courtesy Marketing as an Excuse to Meet the Neighbors

Bret Parsons, Compass, Los Angeles, California

With annual production in the top one percent of all agents nationwide, Bret Parsons knows a thing or two about working open houses. His best tip relies on what he calls “courtesy marketing” as an excuse to meet the neighbors. Here’s Bret to explain:

“Before an open house, visit 10 surrounding properties to let homeowners know there will be increased traffic and activity in the neighborhood for three hours. DON’T invite them to the open house, as that’s perceived as selling. They will invite themselves if interested. Residents love the update, and it’s what I call ‘courtesy marketing,’ which has resulted in subsequent listings.”

2. Use Your Open House Marketing to Help Build Your Personal Brand

One of the hardest lessons for new agents to learn is that their personal brands are built by everything they put out there. So if you want to build a brand that lasts, you need to take your marketing seriously, even for open houses.

That’s where LabCoat Agents (LCA) Marketing Center comes in. LCA is the first design app created specifically for real estate agents. They have hundreds of gorgeous, easy-to-edit templates for open house flyers, signs, social media posts, door hangers, and everything else you need to promote your open house like a pro. Think of it like Canva on steroids.

Visit Lab Coat Agents

3. Run a Facebook Livestream at Your Open House

Gary Vaynerchuk | Entrepreneur | Speaker (Crushing It)

What better time to stream and record a video walk-through of your listing than when it’s full of people? Remember, people want what other people want. Here’s online marketing visionary Gary Vaynerchuk on the benefit of livestreaming your open house:

“I can envision a hotshot real estate agent streaming live from an open house while talking to potential clients. Potential buyers will be able to view the house remotely and ask relevant questions that the real estate agent can respond to and show in real time. Think about all the house-showcasing programs that took television by storm in the late ’90s and into the 2000s. It’s MTV cribs made even more compelling with livestreaming.

“Once your video is recorded, you post and boost it on your Facebook page for even more traffic.”

4. Virtually Stage the Home & Offer to Email the New Decor to Open House Visitors

Here’s a great real estate open house idea I learned from a Manhattan listing agent in SoHo. Since most people will have a very hard time visualizing how a space will look with different furniture in it, why not offer your visitors staged images that show how that extra room will look as an office, a nursery, or a man cave?

As you flip through the staged photos on your iPad, offer to email (or better yet, text) them the pictures.

5. Use QR Codes Strategically

Kimberly Jay, Compass, New York City, New York

“When marketing your open house via Facebook and Instagram ads, emails, or regular mailings, add a QR code that links to your website, a video of the home, or even a video of the actual open house. If you take a video of the open house that shows numerous people walking through it, upload the video to your listing page and use a QR code in marketing that directs the consumer to the video.  

“During the open house, use a QR code instead of a sign-in sheet. The attendees’ information will go directly to your CRM, automatically tagging the contact with the address of the open house. Not only will this enable you to easily follow up for feedback from the attendees, but if the property is not for them, they are now a lead.”

While you might not have many open houses scheduled these days, following up with your visitors is a crucial skill every agent needs to learn. That’s why we created seven handy follow-up email templates you can use to convert them to clients down the road. Click below to download it for free.

Download My Follow-up Email Templates

6. Remember That the Money Is in the Follow-up

Beverly Ruffner, Real Estate Coach & Close Contributor

Like all lead generation strategies, the money is in the follow-up. The only problem is figuring out who you need to follow up with, and how often. If you want to compete with the big dogs, guessing won’t cut it anymore.

Luckily in 2022, we have predictive analytics apps like SmartZip that use a billion (yes, really) data points and artificial intelligence (AI) to tell you who is likely to move way, way before they even think about an agent. In fact, SmartZip’s AI is so accurate they predicted 72% of all listings in the US last year.

Visit SmartZip

7. Focus on 3 Features That Make Your Listing Stand Out From Comps

Richard Schulman – Ranked #1 KW Agent in Los Angeles | Keller Williams, Los Angeles, California

“I recommend that agents do their homework on the MLS and find at least three features that their listing has that other comps don’t. Does it have more square footage? Larger bedrooms? Higher ceilings? Being able to confidently rattle off three hot sales features that make your listing unique will show off your market knowledge and help sell the listing.”

8. Invite the Neighbors for a Sneak Peek With This Simple Script

Tom Ferry | #1 Ranked Real Estate Coach

While Bret Parson’s courtesy marketing is a great open house idea, sometimes a more direct approach can work just as well. The trick is to offer visitors an exclusive experience. One open house idea is to offer food and wine. A neighbors-only preview is another great way to do so.

Check out Tom Ferry’s simple script in this video. His proposed script starts at 3:39, but the entire video offers some great advice.

9. Hold Other Agents’ Open Houses & Make It a Win-Win!

Sean Moudry, Real Estate Coach at 16 Strategies & Close Contributor

Do you specialize in a neighborhood but don’t have any current listings? Stop worrying and start asking! Ask the other listing agents in your neighborhood if they would allow you to hold their listing open. As a listing agent, I have allowed agents from other brokers to hold my listings open (especially if it is across town from me). I saw this as an additional service to my seller.

To make this open house idea a benefit to the listing agent, agree to pay them a 10% referral fee for any client you pick up from the open house. If they don’t object, use your own branded open house signs to further build your brand in your neighborhood.

10. Give Your Open House a Quick Boost on Hyperlocal Social Networks

Boosting posts on Facebook and Instagram can work well, but at the end of the day, you’re still paying to reach people who could be hundreds of miles away. Great for brand awareness, but lousy for actually getting people through the door.

Nextdoor is an under-the-radar option to laser-target people who actually live near your listing. Even better, people use Nextdoor to discuss local issues, not argue about politics or look at cute cat videos. They have one of the most engaged local audiences online today.

Nextdoor’s advertising options are affordable, and there’s no long-term contract. Get in now before everyone else in your farm area discovers it.

Visit Nextdoor

11. Offer to Take Visitors on a Tour of the Local Community

Cheryl Lynch, Compass Orange County

Sometimes all it takes to wow your open house guest is an offer to go above and beyond. Even if few take you up on it, they will be impressed with how seriously you take customer service. Orange County Realtor Cheryl Lynch offers to take open house guests on a private tour, right then and there!

“Offer to tour visitors to the local lifestyle places in the community (clubhouse, golf course, downtown, beaches, etc.) to not only showcase the home but the community. Better yet, rent a golf cart and tour that way! Offer right then and there if the buyers are not familiar with the area. It is a great way to really get to know the buyers and their interests. Shows your value and helps to win clients!”

12. Promote Your Open House Video Walk-through as an Instagram Story

Tyler Zey, Easy Agent Pro

Are you active on Instagram? Why not use Instagram stories to promote your open house and Facebook Live Stream? Here’s Tyler from Easy Agent Pro:

“You can also use Instagram and Stories to promote a Facebook Live Stream for an open house. Fact: There are WAY more people on Facebook than there are on Instagram. So try using Instagram posts and Stories like this:

“Showing a crazy nice house right now (or from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., or whatever) on Facebook Live. Use the link in my description to check it out!”

Want more great open house tips? Check out Easy Agent Pro’s quick video on how to get more leads from your open houses below.

13. Don’t Miss Your Follow-up Window

You worked hard to promote your open house, you were a rock star during the event—don’t miss out on your chance to solidify a buyer’s interest after everyone has gone home.

Experienced agents follow up with open house guests the day after the event. They call or text anyone they had rapport with, and put the rest on an open house email drip in their customer relationship manager (CRM). A specialized CRM like LionDesk can make follow-up and lead nurturing after your open house much easier.

Visit LionDesk

14. Hire a Photographer to Take Pictures of Buyer’s Agents & Guests

Eleonora Srugo, Douglas Elliman New York City

They say if you want to get a real estate agent to like you, allow them to like themselves. Hiring a photographer to take pictures of them in action at your open house is a great way to do that. What agent doesn’t want more pictures of themselves for social media? Pictures of people enjoying themselves at your open house will also work great in your next listing presentation.

15. Place Signs to Call Out Unique Features in Different Rooms

Leigh Stubbs, Douglas Elliman Texas

“Use small easels to create signage in rooms that have important features to highlight, especially things that aren’t clearly visible, like a built-in towel warming drawer, a laundry shoot, floor heating, and so on.”

16. Use Door Hangers to Invite the Neighbors

Michael Soon, Compass San Francisco

“At the end of the day, it’s all about the client and the house we’re trying to sell, so I like to focus on the whole experience of the listing itself. I love taking advantage of the area, whether it’s the location or even the sunset for open houses, as it sets the scene. I also invite neighbors to come by, as they usually provide their feedback on living in the area, which, in turn, helps sell the home.”

One of the best ways to get nosy neighbors to your open house is by using door hangers. A targeted door hanger campaign a few days before your open house is the perfect way to pique the neighbor’s curiosity and get them through the door. They’re also a great (and often overlooked) way to stay top of mind in your farm area.

ProspectsPLUS! is a great place to get them. They offer tons of great templates that are super-easy to customize, and shipping is free.

Visit ProspectsPLUS!

17. Give Out Small Branded Gifts as Party Favors

Susan Sanchez, Compass Long Island

Elliman Long Island agent Susan Sanchez gives out small branded gifts to her open house visitors so they will bring something back home with them they might actually keep. She suggests something useful like dishtowels, potholders, compact mirrors, or change purses.

18. Work With Agents Who Have Nearby Listings & Plan an Open House Day Together

Aileen Murstein, Douglas Elliman Long Island

One of the most surprising real estate lessons many agents learn too late is that you should see your fellow agents more as collaborators than as rivals. A great way to do this is to try to find agents who have listings near yours and plan and promote an open house day together. Not only will it let you pool resources, but more than one open house in a neighborhood will be a bigger draw for curious neighbors.

19. Partner With a Local Brand or Shop to Get Influencers to Your Open House

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Experiential marketing is just a fancy way of saying that building an experience for local influencers to write about is a great way to get them through the door. In order to get them to stay, you need a lure other than a backyard that’s perfect for entertaining. You need brands.

That’s why partnering with a local brand, such as a boutique for a fashion show, a restaurant, a mixology bar, a music school, and so on, can be a great way to build buzz around your open houses.

If you want to learn more about experiential marketing, check out our in-depth guide to experiential marketing with examples from Douglas Elliman and Macallan Scotch whiskey to Compass and Steinway Pianos to help get your imagination flowing.

20. Get a Junior Agent or TaskRabbit to Check In Guests While You Mingle

Although many agents feel like they need to do literally everything on their own, the best agents know when to get help. If you’re taking the time and effort to promote an open house and have a large number of RSVPs, then running around like a rabbit checking people in, refilling drinks, and answering questions about the listing is going to drive you crazy—not a good look in front of your future clients!

To avoid coming across as a frazzled server at Denny’s, get a junior agent or even TaskRabbit to help you keep things running smoothly. Checking in is one of those things where a junior agent or TaskRabbit can offer a great return on investment (ROI). That’s because if you’re checking people in, you’re stuck at the front door, which makes schmoozing with your guests nearly impossible. So dig a little deeper in your pocketbook and find $50 or so to have someone man the door for an hour or two. You won’t regret it.

21. Hold Raffles or Contests

Kenneth Er, Compass, San Francisco, California

“I usually hold a raffle at our open houses and advertise it over Facebook and Instagram. Items we’ve raffled off include gift cards, Google Home, Alexa, and more. This really entices people to come to your open house.

“I also host two open houses—one for just the neighbors, and the other for the public. Oftentimes neighbors come to open houses and aren’t looking to buy, but they still enjoy talking with you and learning more about the house. This is great but can take a lot of time away from speaking to potential homebuyers. Separate open houses ensure you’re taking care of both the neighbors and the public. It’s also great to converse with the neighbors as you get to know them and their thoughts on the area. There’s also usually wine, cheese, and sometimes a gelato cart, which can’t hurt!”

22. Create a Unique Experience for Luxury Open Houses

Carol Cassis, The Cassis-Burke Collection, Miami, Florida

“In order for our buyers to get the full feeling of the lifestyle of the property, they have to live in it! For a four-hour open house, we recreate the essentials of a unique experience at the property. We usually have a yacht outside of a waterfront listing.

“We also offer fine champagne and hors d’oeuvres to tour the property while we explain the uniqueness of it. We stage exotic sports cars to show ideas of what to do at the front entrance,” says Carol Cassis. “We cater to the client who expects top-notch marketing and services, whether it be celebrities, jet setters, Fortune 500, CEOs, or cryptocurrency millionaires.”

23. Give Yourself 3 Days to Properly Market Your Open House

Ricardo A. Olea, Olea Realty Group, Chula Vista, California

“Having three days to properly work an open house via cold-calling neighbors will generate leads, and getting face to face with neighbors will show them you’re a working real estate agent and, in turn, will generate listing leads. The open house is not meant to sell the home; it is meant as a lead source method of what you can actually deliver to a seller.”

24. Schedule Your Open House Strategically

Asiyah Ali | 1st Class Real Estate, Virginia Beach, Virginia

“Being unconventional, against the grain, and in my own lane has served my business well over the past 23 years. Off-hour open hours get me more bang for my buck … and time!

• Weekend open houses 9-11 a.m. or 3-5 p.m. While everyone else does 1-3 p.m., I do mine early or late.
• Weekdays-Thursdays 6-8 p.m. It works especially well during the summer hours and has also netted great foot traffic.
• Any day power hours/happy hours 5-6 p.m., 7-8 p.m.
• Choosing hours more conducive to the buyer’s lifestyle and schedule has worked. I especially LOVE after-hours ‘happy hour’ sessions where folks can come through and kick back.”

25. Raise Money for Charity at Your Open House

Let’s face it: Having a social conscience is part and parcel of being a leader in your community. Even though you might not realize it, as a real estate agent, becoming a community leader is in your job description. If you want to succeed, you need to become a leader.

Being a community leader will not only help you close more deals, it will help you feel good about doing it. Giving something back to the community you work in is good for everybody.

So use your next open house as an opportunity to help raise money for a charity that you’re passionate about that will also help your community. Charities like the ASPCA, ACLU, and Criminal Justice Reform are all good picks. Charity Navigator is a great site to help you find worthwhile nonprofits that are actually making a difference for issues you care about.

Visit Charity Navigator

26. Don’t Forget to Promote Your Open House to Fellow Agents

Jared Barnett, Compass, New York City, New York

“It’s important for the listing broker to send a reminder to the local brokerage community a few days before the open house. There are various email marketing platforms today that make it very easy to send flyers directly to brokers.”

27. Invest in a Bootie Machine

When it comes to great customer service, it’s the little things that count. That’s why big chains like Trader Joe’s offer free coffee to all their shoppers. It only costs them a few bucks, but the payoff in customer loyalty is huge.

Since you worked hard to get your listing, going the extra mile with little touches like a bootie machine for your seller is part of your job as a listing agent. Even if they don’t care at all about keeping their floors sparkling, they will notice that you care enough about their happiness to protect them without asking. That’s a powerful testament to your strength as their fiduciary and advocate, and might just be that little push that gets you your next referral.

Want an even better reason? You get to crack corny jokes about your “bootie machine” to other agents at your open house.

You can get a well-reviewed bootie machine for around $90 on Amazon.

3 Common Open House Mistakes to Avoid

You’ve checked all the boxes for a fantastic event. Don’t miss out on all the payoff of your hard work by making one of these common open house mistakes.

1. Allowing Your Seller to Attend

When a buyer is touring a home, they will ask tough questions that could make some sellers uncomfortable, which will, in turn, make it harder for those buyers to get serious about their interest.

Buyers want to know about home repair history, schools, and the neighborhood, but not through the rose-colored glasses of your seller.

Get all the information you need from them, send them to the movies, and then meet them for lunch afterward to tell them how it went.

2. Leaving Pets in the House

We get it—we love our furry family members as much as you do, but Rex and Fluffy won’t do your open house any favors.

Pet smell and hair can be a problem for some buyers who have sensitive pet allergies. You want your prospective buyers leaving your open house with dreams of how this could be their dream home, not with itchy eyes and trouble breathing.

3. Not Using Follow-up Scripts

After the initial rush of excitement from an open house, new agents often stare down at a list of names and email addresses with a furrowed brow. What’s the best way to reach out to open house leads in 2022?

If you ever find yourself asking this question or just want to sharpen your lead generation skills, we put together this list of the best open house follow-up email templates.

Over to You

Have some great open house ideas that are working for you? Let us know in the comments. If it’s super top-secret, send me an email.

The post 27 Open House Ideas That Will Actually Get You Leads appeared first on The Close.

If you want to walk away from your next open house with more leads than you can handle, you’re going to need the right open house sign-in sheet. We’ve got five free PDF templates that you can download, print, and use right away, as well as the option to customize each Close-exclusive template on Canva.

Download 5 Free Open House Sign-in Sheet Templates

5 Open House Sign-in Sheet Templates

1. Basic Open House Sign-in Sheet

Great for: Agents who don’t need customization or info beyond a name, email, and phone number.

Have some extras of this open house sign-in sheet in your bag at all times for impromptu events. Keep them as a back-up in case you’re unexpectedly missing your branded material.

Download Template #1

Customize This Template

2. The Customizable Open House Sign-in Sheet

Great for: Agents who want to customize their open house sign-in sheet with their own branding and a “conversation starter” question.

We suggest “Are you currently working with a Realtor?” but you can choose whatever you like.

Download Template #2

Customize This Template

3. Detailed Open House Sign-in Sheet Questionnaire

Great for: Realtors who want to capture more information about their attendees.

Remember to use this template strategically. Some open house guests are wary of sharing so much information on a publicly visible form and they may want to save the time it takes to complete a lot of fields.

If you’ve got open house guests with privacy concerns, consider using a digital open house sign-in sheet like the one offered from Spacio. Guests can input their information quickly and confidentially, and you’ll never have to worry about illegible handwriting again.

Download Template #3

Customize This Template

4. Open House Sign-in Sheet With Feedback

Great for: Agents who want to start a conversation about the property with visitors or, more importantly, with your seller client.

If you’ve got a seller who’s insisting on a particular price point (against your recommendation), sometimes an open house with feedback from attendees can be a great way to start a conversation about making a price improvement.

Download Template #4

Customize This Template

5. ‘Enter to Win’ Open House Sign-in Sheet Template

Great for: Anyone hosting an open house and also doing a promotional giveaway.

The strategy on this approach is pretty simple: Print up a handful of these pages and cut them into individual sign-in sheets. When your guests arrive, have them sign in and drop their sign-in into a fishbowl. This step is important; studies show guests are more likely to excitedly participate in drawing or contests if they can literally place their information somewhere physical. Also, seeing other slips of paper in the fishbowl encourages people to be a part of the fun.

After your event is over, call everyone! Let the winner know the happy news (and ask how you can help them with real estate). Let every attendee know about your next event and ask how you can help them in the future.

Download Template #5

Customize This Template

The Case for Digital Open House Sign-in Sheets

We know you like the ol’ paper and pen system, but hear us out. A digital open house sign-in sheet makes a whole lot of sense, and here’s why:

• People are comfortable with the format: There are practically no sign-ups nowadays in a retail environment that are anything but digital, so your attendees are already in their comfort zone.
• People type a lot more accurately than they write: We are a lot nimbler with our thumbs than we used to be. When you ask someone to sign in digitally, their accuracy is going to go through the roof, and your chances of a missed opportunity because someone misspelled an email address drops to near zero.
• Your contacts are easily transferable to a CRM: Following up with your open house leads is crucial. A digital open house sign-in sheet enables you to link your sign-in directly with your customer relationship manager (CRM), allowing you to automate the follow-up process. If you need a suggestion on a solid CRM, check out LionDesk. They’re our #1 CRM pick of 2022.

LionDesk syncs with all the major digital open house sign-in platforms, including Block Party. This app offers a ton of functionality, easy sign-in for your guests from just about any device, and best of all, it’s FREE for realtors.

Visit Block Party

Common Open House Sign-in Mistakes & How to Fix Them

We want to help you avoid the pit-in-your-stomach feeling at the end of an open house when you look at your list of attendees and realize there isn’t much there to work with. Here are some common issues agents encounter with open house sign-in sheets and some solutions to help you address them.

1. Your Guests Have Illegible Handwriting

2. You Put Your Sign-in Sheet in the Wrong Place

3. You’re Not Starting Conversations With Your Attendees

Bringing It All Together

Open houses are an essential marketing tool for your business, giving you awesome opportunities to showcase your listings, show off your salesmanship skills for the neighbors and potential new listers, and, of course, meet and greet buyers. Now that you’re armed with some solid Open House Sign-in Sheet strategies and some templates you can use this weekend—get out there and get to work!

Tell us about your most successful open house ever in the comment! What made it stand out above the rest?

The post 5 Free Open House Sign-in Sheets to Try This Weekend (+ PDF Template) appeared first on The Close.

Click on a category or app below learn more about our top open house app picks.

Open House Sign-in Apps

1. Curb Hero

Pricing: Free

What Is Curb Hero?

Curb Hero is an open house sign-in app that is becoming extremely popular with agents and it’s easy to see why. For starters, it’s 100% free for agents. Not $20 per month, not $9 per month, but free. Second, Curb Hero offers branded templates for popular brokerages like Compass, Century 21, and Keller Williams.

What Features Does Curb Hero Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

One standout feature Curb Hero offers agents is a touchless sign-in option. Instead of typing onto your iPad, your open house guests can now just scan a QR code and sign in on their phones. If you get a stand for your iPad and place it at the entrance, your guests can quickly and easily sign in without you hovering over them.

Curb Hero also offers integration with over 2,000 customer relationship managers (CRMs) and built-in verification and background information collection.

Visit Curb Hero

2. Spacio

Pricing: Starts at $25 per month

What Is Spacio?

Recently acquired by Lone Wolf, Spacio is an open house sign-in app that offers lead capture, listing marketing, and lead follow-up. Think of it as a lightweight CRM focused on listings.

What Features Does Spacio Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

Spacio gathers social media information on your open house guests, automates email follow-up, offers customizable seller reports, and has more features for teams and brokerages.

Visit Spacio

3. Open Home Pro

Pricing: Free, Premium version: $20 per month

What Is Open Home Pro?

Recently acquired by Placester, Open Home Pro is one of the first open house sign-in apps used by more than 90,000 agents. Like Spacio, Open Home Pro offers premium marketing and lead follow-up features.

What Features Does Open Home Pro Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

Along with solid digital sign-in, Open Home Pro also offers agents customized lead follow-up emails, in-app lead tracking, and automated seller reports on their Premium plan.

Visit Open Home Pro

Apps to Wow Your Open House Guests

4. Primer

Pricing: Free

What Is Primer?

Primer is an augmented reality (AR) app that lets agents preview what their listing might look like with different color paint, wallpaper, or tiling.

What Features Does Primer Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

Primer is a great way to help open house guests visualize what an empty listing might look like on the fly. For example, let’s say your listing’s living room has dingy beige walls. You can use Primer to show guests what it might look like with a fresh coat of jewel-tone paint or luxurious wallpaper from Farrow and Ball.

Visit Primer

5. Houzz View in Home

Pricing: Free

What Is Houzz View in Home?

Houzz View in Home is a feature of the Houzz app that lets agents choose furniture, tile, and more and preview how it will look in a room. It works a lot like Primer, but with furniture.

What Features Does Houzz View in Home Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

Like Primer, you can use Houzz to show an open house guest what a kitchen might look like with a new tile backsplash or what a bathroom might look like with new tile. Where Houzz outshines Primer is with furniture. You can use Houzz to preview couches, tables, chairs, beds, and more from Houzz’s enormous selection of products.

Visit Houzz

6. Google My Maps

Pricing: Free

What Is Google My Maps?

Google My Maps is a feature in the Google Maps app that lets you create and share custom maps.

What Features Does Google My Maps Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

If you work open houses in areas that are popular for relocation, then creating custom neighborhood maps is a perfect excuse to follow up with your guests. If you’re chatting with someone who doesn’t know the neighborhood very well, you can offer to text them a link to your custom Google Map highlighting all the best restaurants, dry cleaners, or anything else that’s special about the neighborhood.

Visit Google My Maps

Open House Promotion Apps

7. Slybroadcast

Pricing: Starting at $8 per month

What Is Slybroadcast?

Slybroadcast is a ringless voicemail app that lets you send a recorded message to a list of phone numbers without having their phones ring.

What Features Does Slybroadcast Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

When it comes to promoting your open house, a friendly voicemail can get a much better response rate than an email or text. It’s an affordable way to circle prospect around your listing in order to get curious neighbors to come to your open house.

If you want to learn about the power of ringless voicemail, check out our case study of an agent in Tampa who got 200 leads in one day using the technique:

Visit Slybroadcast

8. Instagram Reels

Pricing: Free

What Is Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels is the latest feature from Instagram that allows agents to create and share videos on the platform.

What Features Does Instagram Reels Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

Designed to compete with TikTok, Instagram Reels is being pushed hard by Instagram’s algorithm. That means that content you make with Reels has a much better chance of getting onto your follower’s feeds. The best way to promote your open house on Reels is to create a teaser walk-through video a few days before the event with a save-the-date reminder.

If you want some inspiration or want to learn more about Reels, check out our article from Eric Simon, aka The Broke Agent: 10 Agents & Coaches Crushing It on Instagram Reels.

9. Facebook Live

Pricing: Free

What Is Facebook Live?

Facebook Live is the live video streaming feature for the Facebook app.

What Features Does Facebook Live Have That Make Open Houses Easier?

Even though the pandemic seems to be winding down in most of the country, some people are still not comfortable with attending live events. That means offering them a virtual option is a great way to show off the listing and build your following on Facebook.

The trick is to spend a few dollars to boost your Live to get it in front of as many people as possible. You can then schedule a virtual walk-through before your guests arrive, or get a junior agent to do it while they’re there to capture some of the buzz of a live open house.

[Related article:The Pivot: How Top Producers Are Using Virtual Open Houses]

[Related article: How to Create Real Estate Facebook Ads That Actually Generate Leads]

Over to You

What open house apps are you using these days? Let us know in the comments.

The post 9 Open House Apps Tech-savvy Agents Are Using to Get More Leads appeared first on The Close.

Since we want you to connect with new prospects and get more leads, we worked with top-producing agents at Douglas Elliman to compile this list of nine open house scripts and ice breakers that will actually get you phone numbers at your next open house.

1. Ice Breaker: ‘Are You an Agent, or a Victim?’

Laurie Kradin, Associate Broker, Douglas Elliman California

“Humor is a great icebreaker. I’ve tongue-in-cheek said: ‘Are you an agent or a victim?’ as in vampire movies. Also, a real old-timer in the business passed this on to me: ‘Are you an agent or a normal person?’”

 

2. Ice Breaker + Script: ‘Stay as Long or Short as You Want’ + Offer a Same-day Private Showing

Laura Marie, Agent, Douglas Elliman Florida & Miltiadis Kastanis, Director of Luxury Sales, Douglas Elliman Florida

I have a formula I use, and this is a solid part of the questions to ask and how to implement the questions.

Agent: “Welcome, you are (get their names)? Stay as long as you want or as short as you want.”

Then I walk away and let them wander. Then I find them and ask them by name:

Agent: “Do you want to buy it?”

Generally, they will say no, which leads to the next question:

Agent: “What are you looking for?”

Agent: “Hmmm, I think I’ve seen your dream/perfect home, I’m done here at ______, let’s go take a look. It’s only going to take us five minutes.”

Set the appointment right then and go see a home or two. I’ve found offering showings on the same day has the highest conversion.

Elliman Florida broker Miltiadis Kastanis also offers private showings on the same day:

I like to always invite them back. I think the serious ones come back for a private tour. So I always say:

Agent: “If you could see yourself living here, why don’t you come back later today after the open house. How is 6:00?”

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Free PDF Download: 9 Open House Scripts & Ice Breakers

Send these 9 best real estate open house scripts to your inbox! Download them. Print them. And know your favorite ice breakers by heart before your next open house.

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3. Ice Breaker: If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now’

Cuppy Kraft, Associate Broker, Douglas Elliman Florida

“In this fast-paced market, I haven’t had a recent opportunity to hold an open house, but in the past, I’ve had success with ‘If you lived here, you’d be home now.’ It’s a good ice breaker and usually brings a smile to a buyer or Looky Lou’s face.”

 

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4. Script: Offer Your Door-knocking Services

Roya Oveisi, Douglas Elliman California

One of the things I say at open houses that have landed me contact info is:

Agent: “As part of my great customer service, I work proactively to find the ideal home for my buyers by going door-to-door in their favorite neighborhoods and knocking on doors to see if they want to sell. This way, you will be the only one to make an offer with no competition. Would you like me to provide that level of service to you?”

Lead: “Yes.”

Agent: “Great. Please give me your contact info so I can keep you posted.”

[Related article: Door Knocking for Real Estate in: Will It Still Work? (+ Tips & Scripts)]

 

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5. Script: Just Ask for Their Business

Denine Kerns, Douglas Elliman California

Agent: “Welcome to our open house! Take a look around and let me know what you think.”

Then later, after they have had a chance to go through the home, I ask:

Agent: “How long have you been looking for a home? And have you found anything that you liked that you missed out on? If so, how’s that working out for you? Are you ready to work with an agent and team who goes out of their way to find you the home you want to buy? We will send letters, knock on doors, call into neighborhoods to get the local scoop, and so on, just to help find you the perfect home!”

 

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6. Script: Gift Basket Drawing

Carrie Juliao, Douglas Elliman Florida

I always make a gift basket for my open houses. The price point of the house decides the size of the basket. The baskets include seasonal items, gift cards to local restaurants that I get donated, and a variety of other items that I come across that people love to see in baskets. Sometimes I will have two baskets and do two different drawings.

After I greet them, I say:

Agent: “If you don’t mind, please sign in for me so you can be entered into the drawing for the gift basket. A lot of great items in here! And the winner will be drawn at the end of the open house.”

The sign-in sheet and gift basket are always there together at the entrance, and I also have a sign beside it that says the same thing. I also don’t label my sign-in sheet as “Open House sign-in.” I always label it whatever theme I call my basket. For example, my last one was “Tropical Oasis.” I added several items for the beach and a few gift cards to waterfront restaurants, a beach towel, tropical smelling candle, sunscreen, and so forth.

 

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7. Script: Offer Exclusive Listings From Your Brokerage

Kelly Taylor, Douglas Elliman Long Island

Agent: “If you would like to be contacted with Douglas Elliman’s EXCLUSIVE LISTINGS that are not on the aggregates, please leave me the correct and legible contact information for you.”

 

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8. Script: Offer to Send Comps to Prove the Listing Is Well-priced

Will Metzger, Douglas Elliman Hamptons

Agent: “There are a few other homes on the market right now that show this open house home you are in is well-priced. Just write down your email on the sign-in sheet, and we can send you the necessary NY State disclosure forms and the information on those homes.”

 

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9. Script: Admit the Negative, Offer Up a Positive

Michael Daly, Douglas Elliman Hamptons & Robert Taub, Douglas Elliman New York City

Agent: “Tell me what you like MOST about the property, and tell me what you like LEAST about it as well.”

It opens the door for honest conversation and also provides the opportunity to address objections we may never hear because they may be reluctant to being what they perceive as “negative.”

 

Here’s the script Elliman New York City agent Robert Taub uses when, like almost all Manhattan listings, the views are not as amazing as people think they might be:

Agent: “Although there’s no view, the light is great, and you do see a sliver of the river.”

 

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Useful Open House Links & Resources

Spacio

If you’re still using paper sign-in sheets in 2022, it’s time to join 140,000 other agents and use Spacio. Spacio is more than just an easy-to-use sign-in app for your tablet. It comes with tools to market your listings and even pulls social media profiles from your leads.

Visit Spacio

[Related Article: 29 Open House Ideas That Will Actually Get You Leads]

[Related Article: 17 Open House Food Ideas That Can Help Sell Your Listing (Yes, Really)]

[Related Article: The 9 Best Open House Follow-up Email Templates]

Over to You

Have a great open house script that you swear by? Let us know in the comments.

The post 9 Open House Scripts & Ice Breakers That Actually Get Phone Numbers appeared first on The Close.

To show you how simple it can be, we put together this list of the best open house follow-up emails to send in 2022. After the emails, we’ll give you seven expert tips for boosting open and response rates.

1. The Off-market Listings Invitation Email

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Subject line: Your Private Invite: Get the Best Listings BEFORE They Hit the Market!

Hi [contact name],

Thanks for stopping by my open house at [listing address] this Sunday. As you can imagine, these things can get hectic, so apologies if we didn’t have the opportunity to talk longer.

If you’re still interested in homes in [neighborhood] like [listing address], I’d love to invite you to my private Off-market Listings Alert emails.

Here’s how it works:

• Once a week, I send you the latest and greatest listings the minute (or before) they hit the market.
• If you want to see one, you can schedule an appointment right from the email. Simple!

The only catch is that these emails would be more helpful if I know what you’re looking for.

When would be a good time to set up a quick call so I can tailor this list to your needs?

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

2. The Coffee Meet Email

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Subject line: Coffee This Week? (on me)

Hi [contact name],

Thanks for stopping by my open house this weekend at [listing address].

As you know, these things can be kind of crazy for agents, so apologies if I didn’t get a chance to chat with you in more detail about your hunt.

To make it up to you, I’d like to invite you over to the Starbucks near my office in [office location] for a cup of coffee (on me) to talk about how your search is going.

I’ve been in the industry for [years in real estate] years, so happy to just talk about the market, your expectations, or anything else you’d like to talk about.

My schedule fills up quickly these days, so click below to reserve a time on my calendar below.

[link to scheduling app]

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

3. The Honest Feedback Email

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Subject line: Did You Hate It…?

Hi [contact name],

So nice meeting you this weekend at my open house at [listing address].

The reason I’m reaching out is to get some honest feedback for the listing. Did you hate it? Love it? In between?

I’m looking for honest feedback, no punches pulled, because I didn’t get to this position in my career by lying to my homeowners!

If you have a few minutes, I’d love to chat with you about your thoughts on [listing address] and your experience home-hunting in [neighborhood] in general.

Click below to schedule a call later this week.

[link to scheduling app]

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

Pro tip: If you’re serious about collecting emails at your open houses, an open house sign-in app like Spacio will offer a significant return on investment (ROI). Spacio will not only get you more numbers and emails, but will verify them and dig up social media profiles as well—automatically. It also sends out automated follow-up emails instantly and produces professional seller reports.

Visit Spacio

4. The Comparable Listings Email

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Subject line: If You Liked [your open house address], You’ll LOVE These!

Hi [contact name],

Thanks for stopping by my open house at [listing address] this Sunday. As you can imagine, these things can get hectic, so apologies if we didn’t have the opportunity to talk longer.

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to offer no-strings-attached showings for these [number of bedrooms] bedrooms that I think would be perfect for you.

Which works better for a showing, Saturday or Sunday?

P.S.: If you’re not interested in these listings, let’s grab a cup of coffee (on me) sometime this week to try and narrow down what you’re looking for.

Click below to schedule an appointment.

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

5. The Open House Opinion Email

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Subject line: I Need Your Opinion…

Hi [contact name],

Thanks for stopping by my open house this weekend at [listing address].

Really quick, what did you think of the open house?

I try to make my open houses fun and informative experiences for all my guests, but because we get so busy, I don’t always have enough time to hear from every guest.

I would love to get your feedback, warts and all. If something went wrong, that would help me get it right next time.

We can also chat about the market if you’d like. I have [number of years in real estate] years of experience in [your farm area], so I can talk about this market for days … I’m an open book!

What’s a good day to chat?

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

6. The Personal Connection Follow-up Email

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Subject line: I Have to Ask…

Hi [contact name],

So nice chatting with you about dogs at my open house at [listing address] this Sunday.

If you or any of your dog-loving friends are looking for some no-nonsense real estate advice, would you be willing to come to my weekly Real Estate Q&A Session at [name of the local bar]?

The bar actually allows dogs, so feel free to bring [dog’s name] along.

If you’re busy on Sunday, let’s keep in touch on LinkedIn. I don’t share any listings there, but I occasionally write articles about real estate that might come in handy someday.

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

7. The Hot Lead Email

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Subject line: This Weekend

Hi [contact name],

This is [your name] from the open house at [listing address] this Sunday.

I didn’t get your phone number, so I thought I would reach out here instead.

Just a quick heads-up, we have several pending offers on [the listing address] and wanted to give you the inside track since you loved the backyard so much.

Call me to talk. I can also set up some showings for three places. I know the owners will be flexible on pricing for you.

Call me on my cell when you get this: [your cell phone number]

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

8. The Open House Thank-you Card

Have open house guests you got along with swimmingly? Instead of sending an email (and assuming you have an address), you should think about sending a simple, handwritten, old-fashioned thank-you card. If you don’t have a home address and know where they work, send it to their office to their attention. Here’s an example of what you might say:

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Hi [contact name],

Just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for being patient with me at my open house at [listing address]. These things can get busy, and FAST!

Looking forward to meeting up to talk about strategy and go out to see some listings!

Talk soon,

[Your pen and ink signature]

[Your name and cell number]

9. The Buyer’s Seminar Email

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Subject line:

Hi [contact name],

This is [your name] from the open house at [listing address] this Sunday.

I just wanted to reach out to invite you to my new buyer’s seminar I am hosting at [local bar] next Wednesday at 7:30. I will be covering the many ways that buying in [your farm area] has changed this year. I also invited a mortgage broker for the Q&A session.

Feel free to call me on my cell if you have any questions before the seminar: [your cell phone number] If not, I hope to see you on Wednesday!

Best regards,

[Your name and title]

[Your contact info]

7 Tips for Boosting Open & Response Rates for House Follow-up Emails

1. Always Include a Call to Action (CTA)

When it comes to real estate marketing, one of the biggest mistakes we see Realtors make time and time again is forgetting to include a call to action (CTA). Open house follow-up emails are no different. If you don’t include a short, snappy, and actionable line asking your leads to take action (hence the name), you’re leaving money on the table.

To maximize your contact rates for your emails, website, and even voicemails, always include a short, actionable CTA that will inspire your leads to pick up the phone and call you.

2. Avoid Spammy Words in Your Subject Line

Although Google doesn’t release the exact criteria that can land your emails into someone’s “promotional” folder, or god forbid, their spam folder, there are a few best practices you can follow to make sure.

The first and most crucial step is to avoid using spammy words in the subject line or even the body of your emails. Words like “free,” “limited time offer,” and “Call now” can trip Google’s spam filters and ensure your message is never even read.

3. Follow Up Your Email With a Phone Call

If you’re not already doing it, you should make an effort always to follow up your open house thank-you emails with a quick, personal phone call. NO SLYDIAL.

Here’s Sotheby’s One Miami luxury agent, Selen Arditi, on her excellent open house follow-up system:

“The email should be followed up with a phone call to continue that personal attention and opening the line of communication to address any questions they may have.”

Selen Arditi

4. Avoid Using Questions That Can Be Answered With a Simple ‘No’

This is an old negotiating trick that we learned from several sources, most notably former FBI hostage negotiator Christopher Voss. Like many highly effective persuasion strategies, this one is dead-simple. All you need to do is replace any questions that can be answered with a simple “no” with more open-ended questions.

Here’s a quick example:

Instead of asking your lead if they have time to meet this weekend, ask them which day works better to meet, Saturday or Sunday?

The only caveat here is that you need to be careful not to come across as aggressive or forceful. Both can turn off prospective clients, buyers especially.

5. Keep Your Follow-up Emails Short & Sweet

Another common mistake we see agents make with open house follow-up emails is writing long, detailed emails chock-full of information. They always say the same thing: “But I want to give them as much information as possible!”

While this may be a noble gesture, it’s the kiss of death in the email marketing world for a straightforward reason. People are busy. Very few will have the time to open, let alone read, your 800-word email. Instead, try to stick to 250 to 350 words. This length is ideal because it only takes your lead a minute or two to read and get your message.

6. Try to Move the Conversation Past the Open House

This one is a bit trickier but worthwhile to try and master. While the open house gives you the excuse to email them in the first place, it’s often not a very interesting topic of conversation.

Instead, try to steer the conversation toward something more interesting in your first email. If you’re looking for a hint, learn every human being’s favorite word, their name, and a favorite topic of conversation—their wants and needs.

7. Use a Scheduling App

A scheduling app like Calendly can help improve the response rate on your emails dramatically because it makes scheduling an appointment with you easy. Instead of going back and forth with five emails, all they need to do is click on a button and choose a time.

Over to You

Have a great open house follow-up email template you think deserves to be in this article? Let us know in the comments. If you’re looking for more open house advice, check out our 29 Open House Ideas That Will Actually Get You Leads and our free open house sign-in sheets.

The post The 9 Best Open House Follow-up Email Templates of 2022 appeared first on The Close.

Trendy Food & Drinks That Spark Conversation

Since your goal here is to delight and stand out with your open house food, you might want to consider avoiding the tired standbys and instead go with food that can spark a conversation. Here are a few recipes and ideas for food and drinks that will start conversations with your open house guests:

Salsa Macha With Crudites

Unusual but delicious colors, textures, and tastes make this recipe an open house snack that your guests can’t help but talk about. Get the recipe at Bon Appetit.

Eggplant Parm Chips

Even though they may look like somewhat traditional chips, these eggplant parm chips skirt the line between dinner and snack. A surefire conversation starter. Get the recipe at Delish.

Black Sesame Mochi Cake With Black Sesame Caramel (Cubed)

A treat for the eyes along with the taste buds, this unusual cake will surely get your guests talking and probably asking you for the recipe. You can also dice this up into cubes and serve on toothpicks. Get the recipe at Bon Appetit.

Avocado Chips

If you think avocado is only for guacamole or overpriced millennial toast, think again. This humble but healthy fruit can be used for everything from smoothies to crunchy, salty chips like these. Just be warned that keeping yourself from gorging on them before the first guest signs in will be a challenge. Pair with a spicy Peruvian Aji Verde sauce and you’ll have an irresistible combo to keep your guests chatting. Get the recipe at Delish.

Chocolate Date Caramel Cups

While these decadent little morsels might violate the “no sticky snacks” rule a bit, they’re just too delicious and too pretty to ignore for a winter open house. They also mix dates, chocolate, and caramel, a combo that is sure to spark conversation or at least get people to sigh with pleasure. Get the recipe at Bon Appetit.

Healthy Open House Snacks (Keto, Vegan, Vegetarian)

If you’re working an open house in an area where windsurfing is a competitive sport or there are more bikes than cars, chances are your guests aren’t going to want Doritos and coke. Instead, try some of these healthy yet tasty keto, vegan, and vegetarian ideas to keep them smiling.

Prosciutto-wrapped Avocado With Goat Cheese & Arugula (Keto)

Decadent but good for you, these keto-friendly wraps will please even the non-CrossFit-obsessed who just want a tasty snack. Just make sure to roll them well and you can slice them into smaller portions and serve on toothpicks. Delicious! Get the recipe at thekitchn.

Gobi Manchurian (Vegan)

Gobi Manchurian (Manchurian Cauliflower) is a fiery and sweet vegan Indian delicacy that will leave even the most snobbish meat eater happy. It’s also easy to make and 100% vegan. Get the recipe over at Cook with Manali.

Mocktails

Just because you’re not serving alcohol doesn’t mean you can’t replicate the festive atmosphere that a well-mixed batch of cocktails adds to your open house. Mocktails generally taste just as good, and you won’t have to babysit the drinks table to keep curious kids away. Even better, the ingredients are generally very affordable. Just make sure to label them to tell guests that you’re serving mocktails and not the real deal!

Strawberry or Watermelon Margaritas

Nothing says fun like a margarita, and adding sweet, fruity flavors makes everyone happy. Get the recipe for decadent watermelon margaritas from thekitchn. These taste amazing with or without the tequila, so just leave it out if you want to serve mocktails at your open house.

Or try a recipe for sweet and tangy strawberry margaritas from the king of flavortown himself, Guy Fieri, here.

Mocktail Mule

If you want to go trendy, you could do worse than a Moscow Mule. This Mocktail Mule recipe from Plated brings all the gingery spiciness of the original without the vodka. It’s also easy fodder for topical political jokes if you can keep them lighthearted. The last thing you want to do is start a political argument at the drinks table. Get the recipe along with five more delicious mocktail recipes from Plated.

Kiwi Mojito Mocktail

If you want to go for a more tropical vibe, check out these fun and delicious Kiwi Mojito Mocktails. If you can’t find kiwis in season, swap them out for strawberries or raspberries. Get the kiwi recipe from Brit+Co here.

Trendy Ice Tea, Lemonade, or Fruit-infused Water

If you’re working an open house south of the Mason Dixon line, then serving up some nice cold sweet tea is practically your fiduciary duty to the general public. That said, you can always put a creative spin on tea and lemons if you want to make an impression.

Southern Sweet Tea

A southern classic that even a northerner can’t resist, sweet tea is a surefire winner for summer open houses. Is there anything more refreshing-looking than a big glass pitcher of iced tea on a hot summer day? Check out a recipe for traditional southern sweet tea at add a pinch here.

Passion Fruit Iced Tea

Based on traditional Vietnamese flavors, passion fruit iced tea is a sweet summer treat that everyone will love. Here’s a great recipe using green tea from Martha Stewart.

Fruit-infused Water

If you want to keep the CrossFit crowd happy, nothing beats a nice big dispenser of fruit-infused water with ice. It’s a little bit fancier than plain water, but not as sweet (or sinful) as soda, mocktails, or fruit juices. Taste of Home has a whopping 23 recipes for fruit-infused water here.

Make the Whole House Smell AMAZING by Baking Fragrant Snacks

They say that smell is the sense most linked to memory, so why not trigger some happy memories for your guests by baking delicious-smelling treats before the open house?

Blondies > Brownies

Blondies are brownies’ tastier, more cookie-like cousins and smell absolutely incredible when they’re in the oven. Here’s an easy recipe for blondies at thekitchn.

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

They’re an open house cliche for a very good reason. They smell and taste like childhood for pretty much everyone. Is there anything that reminds you of home more than the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in an oven? Check out the classic Toll House recipe above.

Lemon Bars

If you’re one of those odd ducks who finds the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking too heavy or just want to avoid open house cliches, then sweet, tangy lemon bars just might do the trick. They’ll fill your listing with a bright, energizing scent that will make your guests make a beeline for the kitchen—and your waiting open house sign-in sheet. Here’s a great recipe for lemon bars from the excellently named Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Tasty Frozen Finger Foods & Snacks From Trader Joe’s

Of course, not everyone has the time or talent to cook before an open house. If you’d rather raid the freezer aisle than mix up cookie dough, then Trader Joe’s is for you. They offer all kinds of tasty and affordable hors d’oeuvres, like arancini bites, spicy meatballs, mini quiche, samosas, and more that are tasty enough to pass off as homemade or at least expensive. Just remember that presentation is everything! No one has to know that you didn’t slave away for hours over a hot stove to keep them well-fed and happy!

If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, then check out the frozen section or deli section of your local supermarket or Costco. Just remember to try things out before serving them to your open house guests.

What Top Producers Serve: Open House Food Ideas From Douglas Elliman Agents

Not inspired yet? Take a look at what some top-producing agents from Douglas Elliman are serving their open house guests.

Insta-worthy Rainbow Bagels

Brad Miles, Douglas Elliman New York City + The Hamptons:

“I have tried offering many different foods, but Rainbow Colored Bagels are my favorite—great for social media posts drawing attention to my listing(s).”

Offer Food-related Giveaways

Miltiadis Kastanis, Douglas Elliman Florida:

“When I go to open houses, I love to think outside the box constantly. Most recently, I did something food and beverage-related but beyond what was served. I gave away a culinary weekend getaway at the Four Seasons Surf Club to experience the neighborhood and get to know the fantastic amenities that the Surf Club has.”

Have a Local Restaurant Cater Your Open House

Christina Kremidas, Douglas Elliman New York City:

“I like to have my open house refreshments catered by a favorite local restaurant in the area. I’ll even give the restaurant my marketing materials and have them post on their social media that they’ll be catering my open house for extra exposure of my listing to neighborhood residents. This helps my advertising resonate and brings in a crowd who loves the area, who then share the listing with their friends and family who are looking to buy. It’s always a fun time when we do this!”

Think Like an Event Planner

Jessica Robertson, Douglas Elliman Florida:

“As a former wedding venue owner, I miss events—so I make my open houses unique. I implement ideas like upcoming holiday themes, cuisine that reflects the best of the area, homemade desserts from locals, live entertainment, adding special effects to pools, hiring talent (when appropriate), partnering with local boat or car brokers, and bringing cars/boats to the property for special previews, playing music that matches the environment, and more.”

Make It Fun

Lorna Leibowitz, Douglas Elliman New York City:

“When my son was young, we would make homemade choc chip cookies and he would handwrite in his childlike penmanship—‘cookies for serious buyers only.’”

Have a Mortgage Broker Provide Food for Broker Open Houses

Bridget Harvey, Douglas Elliman New York City:

“My Citibank mortgage banker used to order lobster rolls for broker open houses, broker continuing ed open houses, and first-time buyer seminars.”

Hire a Fresh Fruit Vendor to Provide Healthy Snacks

Kevin Krakower, Douglas Elliman California:

“I was always so disappointed with the little sandwiches and grocery store cookies at open houses. I knew I wanted to do something different for mine. Plus, we live in LA, where everyone is so health-conscious. With that in mind, I drove around the area until I found a fruit vendor on the street and asked them if I could hire them for an open house.

They agreed, and I asked them to make sure everything was ripe and fresh. We agreed on a price, and they showed up the following Sunday. I set them up in the front of the property on the driveway. It was super-busy and by the end of the open house, the guy was completely sold out. Not even a cucumber. People seemed to be so happy to get a treat they actually liked. The house ended up selling in multiple offers and I have received many calls from other agents asking for the fruit stand guy’s number.”

Serve Wine in Custom-branded Bottles

Sherry Cutillo, Douglas Elliman Long Island:

“I recently listed a fabulous 6,000-square-foot waterfront home in South Amityville. I wanted to have an amazing luncheon for the brokers outside on the 150-foot multilevel deck overlooking the open bay. I decided to have wonderful bottles of wine with custom labels made of the home put on them to give as a gift to the brokers who attended the open house. It turned out to be a great hit!”

Offer Brokers Snacks in To-go Boxes

Jennifer Ho, Douglas Elliman Connecticut:

“I like thinking out of the box when hosting my open houses. Last year, I had a listing with an incredible backyard, so I hosted a valentine soirée and we made s’mores on the fire pit outside. This got people to enjoy and see the backyard. This year, I did a Chinese broker’s open house. Because of COVID, I made/served potstickers in tiny takeout boxes for agents to take with them. That was a big hit. Had the offers after the broker’s open.”

Use Food & Drinks to Highlight Home Features

Stacey Pinkas, Douglas Elliman Westchester:

“A glass of sparkling rose at a sunset showing at our property on the water, or freshly baked chocolate chip cookies baked in the home before an open house so the scent drifts through the home.”

7 Rules for Serving Food or Drinks at Your Next Open House

1. Always Include Bottled Water on Ice

While it may not be eco-friendly, if there’s one thing your open guests will want—and expect—it’s cold water. Some people are picky drinkers, and some are counting calories, so that means water should be a no-brainer for your open house.

You don’t have to go super-fancy here. Generic bottled water will work just as well as the good stuff. That said, if you’re hosting a super-high-end open house in say, Manhattan, you might want to spring for some Evian or San Pellegrino. If you buy in bulk, you’re looking at around $1 or less per bottle, which might seem steep until you remember that water lasts forever, and not every guest is going to reach for a bottle of water. You may only give out 10 at a busy open house.

2. Remember to Tailor Your Food to the Listing & Your Farm Area

Whenever we mention this rule, we inevitably get pushback. “Why can’t I serve lobster canapes for my $125,000 listing open house?” We’ll let luxury Manhattan broker Philip Scheinfeld handle this one:

“I always let the property I am holding an open house for dictate what I put out. If it’s a $10,000,000-plus listing and I am holding a broker’s open house where I am expecting a large turnout, I may do a catered lunch or snacks from a restaurant in the area. If it is a lower-end listing that has been on the market, I might just have some water and candy. I have thrown extravagant open houses where I have hired full staff, bartenders, and even had some sushi chefs come and make sushi. Every listing is different and everything must be customized for the listing. There isn’t anything I won’t do, but it has to be a fit for the product I am selling.”

3. Avoid Messy Foods

This one may sound obvious, but you should always avoid sticky, crumbly, or gooey snacks at your open house. First, because balancing a drink, a tiny plate, and a phone will inevitably lead to spills, and second, because those spills are just as likely to end up on your guest’s blouse as they are your homeowner’s white rug. Ditto for red wine. Unless, of course, you want to spend the remainder of your weekend on your hands and knees frantically scrubbing a wine stain out of a white sofa.

4. Make Sure You’re Serving the Right Message With Your Food

Don’t be that guy who serves store-brand cheese puffs to a tech company founder or foie gras to a bunch of new teachers. First, because it will just be weird, and second, because the food you serve sends a message. Make sure the message is friendly and says what you want it to.

5. Avoid Foods That Won’t Keep for a Few Hours

Since there’s nothing nastier than cold French fries or warm shrimp cocktail, make sure the food you serve at your open house will last as long as your open house does. As a general rule of thumb, keeping food warm with chafing dishes and sterno is a bit much for an open house. So make sure to serve food that will be just as tasty in three hours as it is when you serve it. An extra bag of ice in the freezer can be a lifesaver on hot days or at slow open houses!

6. Keep Your Marketing Materials Near the Food

While a table with your business cards, one sheet, and listing packet is easy to slink by and avoid, if you play your cards right, no one will be able to resist your food table. So why not keep your marketing materials on the same table?

7. Always Label the Foods You’re Serving

Before you leave your office, make sure you have a set of little placards to label the food you’re serving at your open house. First, to make sure you can warn people of potential allergens like nuts or gluten, and second, to show off your attention to detail and the delicious food you’re serving your potential clients.

Over to You

Have a great open house food idea we forgot? Have a different opinion about serving alcohol to your open house guests? Let us know in the comments.

The post 17 Open House Food Ideas That Can Help Sell Your Listing (Yes, Really) appeared first on The Close.