I think that (as BG has pounded in my head) if you farm an area well, having an open house is an added farming tool which might lead to more sellers, more buyers and just maybe a buyer for that particular house.

I also think it is VERY geographically specific. Some areas are hotbeds for open houses, some are just looky loos and some just don’t work well at all. Before you decide to hold them or not, I’s spend a few weekends looking around for them, seeing which days and which times are most often held and how they are advertised to double your exposure by having them at the same time as is customary in the area (ie someone is driving to one and sees your sign and stops by as well)

I’d also really try to figure out how the locals find the open houses they go to (ie one community we used to work in used the community center bulletin board to advertise, EVERYONE went there to see what was open)…. Spend the time and do your homework for your particular community before you decide one would or wouldn’t work.

Oh, one more thing, I’d make Fridge Magnets using Avery’s magnets for the listing and hand them out (make them cute) and you have just extended your coverage and exposure for you and your listing to your farm.

I think we’ve gotten a little off topic with the honesty and transparency stuff. I simply meant I’ll say I question how effective an open house is publicly because I mean it. As far as the other topics of honesty you mentioned, I am who I am regardless of Internet or in person.

I don’t think the Internet closes doors because my goal is for you to know me before we meet. Therefore I won’t fake something online just for you to meet someone else in person. You’re welcome to call me yourself!

But you’re right. We’ll have to agree to disagree on the usefullness of open houses. I’ll tell you I think they aren’t that effective just like a coach should tell you that those new shoes might not be effective at making you jump higher. Of course it’s ultimately your decision.

Thanks for the comments dunes.

I said I did not presume to know the answer to your specific question and that RE Pros (You) might….

That does not mean “it’s just a dog and pony show?”

If you want to discuss openness and honesty and transparency then let’s discuss “preferred vendors” or confirming competing offers actually exist or Marketing expense Agents claim to have or Code of Ethic violations/enforcement or or or

Open Houses? I’m not deciding any Agent is open or honest because they came out against Open Houses but I may decide I don’t want that person representing me so I’m not gonna call if I’m thinking I want or need to try every option (You’re not gonna reassure me without me calling for that interview)…It’s just an option!

Would you like a rough estimate of how many Agents have said to me at Trulia or in a discussion I was in…”I’m really not afraid of losing clients due to this post.”

Enough that are no longer Agents that all I can say is…That’s nice, glad you’re doing so well …

In a Forum like this or Trulia or Zillow or ActiveRain or…when an Agent says “I’m honest or I would never, whatever” the truth is often known by a number of other Agents because they know you or about you or where yer comin from..

ME, other people out here…We don’t know, you’re just a Real Estate Agent saying things and we need to determine everything based on what we read, are they worth calling, that sounds suspicious, of course they’d say that they want me to hire them, of course they are honest lol cause they said so……

It’s about First Contact to establish Honesty in person so when you say “I think Open Houses are useless but I’ll do them and do the best I can” they have something more to go on to determine the validity of your claim…There’s just something about Face to Face for many that opens that door….I think the internet often closes more doors for youe industry than it opens because I think a lot RE people think they got it all figured out as a Marketing tool when the results scream otherwise….

That being said I’ll leave this conversation to the RE and Marketing Pros

Thank-you….You are a very civil and interesting person, I have no doubt you are an excellent Agent anyone would be lucky to have representing them (Open House or not ….We just disagree on the relevance/definition of if Open Houses are useless

That’s called open and honest. I’m really not afraid of losing clients due to this post. Why would I be afraid to say something publicly that I’d say to them in person anyway? I’d rather get it out there in the open that I don’t think the success rate for an open house is very successful. Just like I’ll blast on the internet that I’m a new agent. If I’m honest they’ll find that out during the listing interview anyway right? Don’t most sellers want an experienced agent?

So if you don’t have an opinion on whether or not open houses are useful, does that mean it’s just a dog and pony show?

I think that is something the RE Professionals can determine through experience or possibly the data available to them and do not presume to know the answer to that specific question.

I’m just saying that IMO, in this Market, with as many agents that there are competing for business……Perhaps the answer to that specific question does not matter…Yes or No there is a “NEED” to do them if asked and to offer them as an option to compete. I’m also suggesting that from a Marketing point of view (Claim no expertise) perhaps publicly declaring them useless may just alienate any potential clients who may see that on an open venue (internet where how many people research homebuying/selling) and be alienated (He thinks they are useless so even though he says he’ll work hard I’m thinkin..alienation)

I wasn’t discussing right or wrong but discussing Marketing….Lani wrote a nice Blog on Public/Private discussions/internet..What if people could see your Private chat…I wonder why what may best be a “Private chat” would be done in public.

To inform the public you think Open Houses are useless so they are Protected from what?
Added expense? Some may in this market (Heard rumors the Market was tough) might argue if it increases the chance of a sale for their client .01% so their credit or life isn’t destroyed or they can get one client… Open houses are useful

I think it’s moot, it’s a Service and to compete you offer it or you are not a Full-Service Agent….I think most people (potential clients based on their situation) will not be as concerned with anyones findings as much as they will be concerned about exploring every option to solve what they see as their situation and knowing without a doubt that Agent will do their best (That should be reinforced)…I think you publicly have created doubt you would and it does not matter one bit if that’s completely untrue….
Perception of the potential client is what matters…Perception is a POWERFUL thing.

But seriously, what can I say to that? You’re not afraid to to point out the elephant, or 900 pound gorillas in the room, and I can appreciate that. I can’t say I’ll never do an open house, but it’d be nice if they’ve got direct tv.

Thanks for taking the time to enlighten us bawldguy. There’s not much to say as you’ve pretty much covered it all!

Full disclosure: The last time I held an open house, Ford was in office. Also, this is a hot button for me, cuz most agents won’t admit why they hold them in the first place.

Analogy — you’re not mechanically inclined, so you have an experienced auto mechanic, referred by a trusted buddy, to take care of your car. You’ve always heard that changing your oil every 3,000 miles is the proper approach. He tells you, “For Grandpa, yeah, but things have changed.” You insist on your way, which will waste your time/money, while lining your mechanic’s pockets. For Heaven’s sake, Mercedes cars don’t even warn you to change oil ’till you’re approach 10,000 miles between changes. But you know best, so you instruct the experienced pro how to do his job.

I held open houses to impress the folks in my farm, and get more listings, period. I TOLD my sellers that. In seven years listing/selling homes I sold one open house. Hell, ya gotta trip over an open house sale in seven years, right? Most of my opens were held in football season, especially rainy weekends. Why? So I could watch the Chargers on a color set. Meanwhile, the neighbors streamed in and were impressed by how ‘hard’ I was working to sell the home. I averaged roughly .5 homes listed per open.

Agents hold opens cuz they’ll generally do anything, including hold other’s listings open, to avoid cold/warm calling, door knocking, hell, even following up internet leads. They have no stomach for workin’ in the trenches, where the big dogs play. If you’ll notice, they will use any form of marketing/prospecting that avoids them risking anything akin to rejection. Wanna know why the turnover rate in the real estate biz is so high? That’s a major reason, if not the primary one.

The seller insists? Gimme a break. Who’s the pro here? Grow a pair, will ya?

If I was a house agent today, I’d get those who avoid what generates actual business, and have them do my bidding. They’d be welcome to the leads. I remember what Dad used to laughingly tell his seller clients about open houses. “You want me to market your home, or sell it?”

Agents: Do you wanna do BigDog business, or play at being a real estate agent on the weekends?

Michael — you have it dead on.