An Open House Works Better When It Is Structured

An open house should not mean throwing the doors open and allowing people to wander in whenever they feel like it.

I prefer a much more organised approach.

Have buyers book individual viewing slots.

Then concentrate those appointments into a fairly short period.

For example, you might have one main viewing day with a number of appointments booked closely together.

This has several advantages.

Firstly, you know who is coming.

Secondly, you can identify buyers who are sufficiently interested to commit to an appointment.

Most importantly, buyers can see that there is activity around the property.

One person leaves and another arrives.

That creates a very different feeling from a buyer viewing an empty property and assuming nobody else is interested.

I would also try to arrange this early in the marketing campaign, ideally while the property is still new and attracting the greatest attention.

Of course, the home needs to be beautifully presented on the day.

The pricing also needs to encourage people to attend.

The aim is to bring together strong presentation, attractive pricing and a concentrated number of serious buyers.

When done well, an open house is not simply a convenient way of arranging viewings.

It is a way of creating momentum.