an indecisive buyer to get off the fence one way or another. It can also be the starting gun of a bidding war, which can only be good for the seller. Regardless of the numerous technical innovations that have plunged real estate sales into the world of virtual shopping, the open house remains a vital feature of the sales process. Before scheduling your open house, you should study the activities calendar of your area to avoid conflicts such as annual festivals, holidays, or special events to ensure that there is nothing happening that could conflict with attendance and keep your targeted audience from your open house. Look for a weekend that is typically “dead” in your area. Open houses in a seller’s market can be very busy, with many people milling around a property, catching bits of each other’s conversations, and infusing potential buyers with a sense of urgency and competition to place an offer before they miss an opportunity to bid. Should more than one party be interested in the home, a bidding war can begin, which is a great advantage to the seller.
PROMOTING YOUR OPEN HOUSE
If you are using a real estate agent, s/he will send out an email announcement to their own private mailing list, as well as to every real estate broker and agent within the area to ensure that your open house event is publicized on all open house websites to maximize overall attendance. S/he will also promote your open house on his existing social media platforms. Social media is extremely important in real estate marketing, as the majority of potential buyers will look at listings and open house ads online before they physically visit the home or property. If you don’t have a Realtor® and are doing your own marketing, don’t wait until the day of the open house to throw up a couple 81
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