Open House Time

With National Open House Weekend behind us, it makes sense to reflect on why open houses are useful and why we should be attending them. Much has been made about open houses being useful to the listing agent, and there is some truth to that. Realtors can meet new clients in the market for a home by hosting an open house. Everyone who attends an open house is a potential future client, so it is the interest of an agent to host as many open houses to get as much personal publicity and meet as many homebuyers as possible. 

There are many reasons why open houses are useful to the rest of us as well. First and foremost, open houses interest us. Open houses allow people to see multiple properties in one afternoon without having to schedule showings with an agent. How many times have you strolled by an open house on a Sunday afternoon and decided to go in just because the house looked interesting? Honestly, they can be fun to go to. Most Realtors I know actually like going to open houses so they can get a sense of how many buyers are looking at a property. If these agents have a client who is considering making an offer, an open house is a great way to gauge interest and the number of potential bidders on a home, thus giving them insight into how to advise their clients. Open houses are good for the home owner as well. It is a relatively easy way to advertise a property. Also, in today's hot market, many homes are going under agreement after that first open house!

The weather outside is getting nice, so get out there and enjoy some open houses. If you have any questions about real estate, feel free to email me at ryan.guilmartin@gmail.com. Happy house hunting!