If you are working with a real estate agent that will not do an open house because she says they do not work, you may need a new agent.
The argument most Negative Nancies bring up is, “What are the odds that a person randomly walks into your home and it happens to be a perfect fit?” Well, this entire argument is flawed because most buyers start their search online so they are choosing to view this home in person after reading about it and seeing pictures.. Sure, you get people that are out driving around and just swing in because they saw the open house signs yet they are becoming the minority.
Why would an agent say that open houses don’t work? Well…
- They’re lazy. Who wants to spend their Saturday and Sunday afternoon sitting around at a listing for no reason? (Hint, we do).
- They don’t know better. I find that too many new agents hear something like, “Open houses don’t sell homes” and take it as the gospel until they’re out of the business.
- They’re actually doing an open house at a “better” listing. Certain homes are better for open house traffic than others. Perhaps another listing is on a very busy street with lots of places to put open house signs. That’s going to be a better place for the agent to spend his time if he’s out looking for buyers.
So there you have it. Be absolutely careful who you hire to sell your home. Exposure on your listing is what it takes to find buyers and open houses are a phenomenal way to get those potential buyers to fall in love with your home.
