subject: Buy Thru An Open House [print this page] Holding an open house is one way to get people interested in buying your property, but the open house isn't the only means of attracting attention to your home that you should consider. It is not the primary marketing tool that agents depend on when selling a property. In fact, open houses are generally thought of as simply a waste of time today. Many agents feel that having an open house might get a lead or two, but not potential buyers.
Nevertheless, there are still agents who continue to use open houses because they have found that open houses help them find a buyer more often than not. Studies show that holding one will take you about sixty-five to seventy-five hours on the average before you can close a deal. A lot of time, effort, and fuss goes into the preparation for an open house event, and yet some people still choose to go through the process for all sorts of reasons.
Not every real estate agent is going to be eager to help you sell your house, and they won't consider the work a priority. They also have other listings on their mind and sometimes they do not even show your property to a specific client just because the agent thinks it is not appropriate for that certain buyer. Buyers have also been know to change their minds, and most of the time they do it without telling the agent. But some buyers still believe in buying a house on their own, and when they do, it usually happens in an open house. If a buyer doesn't think the details in the listing are what they're looking for, they usually won't take the time to call for an appointment to see the house. Open houses are different. Generally speaking, an open house is an easy opportunity to get a good look at the property, inside and out.
But many homeowners wonder if the expense of staging a house is worth the time, money and effort. Sellers also complain about their agents saying that they only use the open house as a means to get clients and not potential buyers. Sellers also have the very legitimate concern for the safety of their home and possessions during an open house event. They worry about items being stolen or that their home could be vandalized during an open house. Some homeowners do not want anyone to enter their house, period. There are private individuals who would only open their house to really interested buyers in order to discourage nosy neighbors and thieves. The choice is up to you, but remember that sometimes not having an open house is the best thing for both the real estate agent and the homeowner.
Here is an important advice, if the real estate market is hot, meaning houses are selling rapidly, then there is no need for an open house. Also, if posting pictures on the internet already helps you in selling houses, then again, an open house is no longer necessary.
