4 Tips for Hosting Unforgettable Open Houses

In order to show your listing in the best light possible, you’re likely using a combination of quality photos, video, and marketing content to drum up interest and capture home shoppers’ attention. Still, even the best of virtual reality or 3D walkthroughs of a home can't replace physically being in the property. After all, it’s what allows people to picture themselves living there and gets them interested to learn more and make transaction moves. 

There’s plenty you can do online to promote your listings, but hosting an open house is second to none to getting real-life interest drummed up.

4 Tips for Hosting Unforgettable Open Houses

Want to make a lasting impression with your open houses? Eager to give the neighbors something to talk about — so they know you’re the agent they need to sell their home in the future? Use these 4 tips for hosting unforgettable open houses to make a splash and drive real results.

#1. Spruce Up the Space a Little… or a Lot

You’re already tidying up the property before you open the doors, and maybe you’ve hired a stager —  or done some light staging yourself. Why not treat your open house like a full-on event and add a theme? Whether it’s around a soon-approaching holiday on the calendar or features of the house, adding a fun twist to how you showcase your listing can make your open house one that the neighborhood remembers.

Don’t go too over the top; instead, use themed decor for areas of the home like your check-in station, the refreshments you serve, and small decor touches throughout the house, like a tasteful wooden St. Patrick’s Day sign hung in the kitchen or a yard post for Easter.

#2. Partner Up with Other Vendors or Even Local Businesses

To maximize your open house, why not make it a one-stop shop for prospective home buyers? Going this extra mile will not only build rapport with your professional network, but will showcase the level of effort and care you have for your clients. Home shoppers are used to walking in the front door of a listing and being greeted by a real estate agent, but wouldn’t it be great if they could also connect with loan officers or home insurance agents?

On the flipside, you can really go above and beyond and partner with a local business to add some razzle dazzle to your open house. Maybe they offer their products you can slip into a co-branded goodie bag. Perhaps they host demos in the inviting living room or spacious kitchen. By adding an experiential element to your open house, you’ll draw in an even bigger crowd and leave them with a lasting impression. It’s also a great way to build stronger connections in the community for you, the local business, and home shoppers passing through.

#3. Host a Raffle

This one may be a little cheeky, but it’s also exciting, engaging, and another experiential approach. To draw in more shoppers to your open house and help them remember you and your hosting skills, why not host a raffle? Keep it low stakes to avoid distracting from the property at hand. Consider raffling off things like gift cards to local businesses, quality branded swag, or extra closing gifts you might already have on hand, like champagne or gift baskets.

As a bonus, you can ask for open house visitors’ email addresses as their raffle entries to give your email list a little boost. Just make sure your raffle entry form asks for them to consent to you emailing them.

#4. Livestream Your Open House

To bring technology into the fold, you can livestream your next open house with ease. Simply set up your smartphone, either on a tripod or carefully propped up, and go live from your social media profile on Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok. This gets more eyes on your listing, helps get virtual attendees to see the property, and generates additional interest to an audience that’s not physically there.

It’s also a great tactic to bring in more foot traffic — your followers may have missed your promotion of your open house, and the notification they get of your livestream might be what pushes them to hop in the car and head to your open house!

#5. Offer Elevated Refreshments

You’ve heard of adding a branded label to water bottles but offering an elevated selection of refreshments can take your open house from “good enough” to “unforgettable.” Offer sparkling apple cider in plastic champagne flutes and pick up a premade charcuterie board. If you really want to get fancy, consider tapping a friend or pro for passed hors d'oeuvres. These small touches can add up and make your open house instantly memorable, even if you don’t do much else to the listing.

Ready to get in touch with more seller clients and wow them with your open house skills? Login to your RealEstateAgents.com account now to get connected!