To host an open house that brings in buyers, treat it as a three-part plan. Before it, invite people on purpose. During it, greet every visitor at the door, ask a few easy questions and offer a sign-in with permission to follow up. After it, follow up within a day with the people who said yes.
An open house is more than a Sunday afternoon. The house gets them in the door. Your plan is what turns a visit into a conversation.
A lot of agents sit at the kitchen counter, scroll their phone and hope someone walks in. The open houses that lead to real conversations are usually the ones where the agent did the work before the sign ever went in the yard. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Every person who walks through that door deserves a warm welcome, whether they buy this house, another house, or nothing at all.
Before the open house: invite people on purpose
- Get the listing agent’s and seller’s okay. If you don’t have a listing yet, ask a listing agent at your brokerage if you can host one of theirs. Agree on the date, the hours and the house rules ahead of time.
- Post it the week before. Share the listing photos, the date and the hours on your social pages (with the listing agent’s okay), then post a short reminder the day before. Our weekly posting plan shows you where an open house post fits.
- Tell your sphere. Call or message the people who already know you and ask, “Do you know anyone thinking about a move? I’m hosting an open house Sunday and they’re welcome to stop by.”
- Invite the neighbors. Drop off a short note or knock on a few doors a couple of days before. Neighbors often know someone who wants to live close by.
- Plan your signs. Check local rules, then place directional signs where drivers make their turns.
The Open House Game Plan
Invite
Post it, tell your sphere, knock on neighbors’ doors.
Welcome
Stand up, smile, say your name. Greet everyone the same way.
Ask and listen
A few easy questions. Sign-in with permission.
Follow up
Reach out only to people who said yes.
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers. Hebrews 13:2
At the door: greet every visitor the same way
Stand up when the door opens. Smile, say your name and thank them for coming. Give every visitor the same warm welcome and the same information. Don’t guess what anyone wants or where they “should” live.
Try this: “Hi, I’m glad you stopped in. I’m the agent hosting today. Feel free to look around, and I’m right here if you have any questions about the house.”
Then give them space. People relax when they don’t feel followed from room to room.
During the visit: ask a few easy questions
When they come back to the kitchen or the front room, ask one or two simple questions. You’re not interviewing them. You’re finding out how you can help.
- “What brought you out today?”
- “Are you just starting to look, or have you been at it a while?”
- “What’s on your must-have list for your next home?”
- “Have you talked with a lender yet, or would it help to know a few you could call?”
Keep the talk on the home, its features, the layout and the commute. If a visitor asks about other towns, let them pick the places they want to see. Have the Realest.net town guides ready to share so they can read up on any town on their own list, and show them how to search homes on Realest.com.
The sign-in: ask, don’t demand
A sign-in sheet or tablet helps you remember who came and keeps the seller’s home safer. Ask for a name, phone and email, and add a simple line that asks if it’s okay for you to follow up and how they’d like to hear from you. If someone doesn’t want to share, that’s fine. Thank them anyway.
Try this: “Would you mind signing in? It helps me keep track of who’s been through for the seller. If you’d like, I can send you similar homes or let you know if anything changes on this one.”
After the open house: follow up within a day
- Same day or next morning. Reach out only to the people who said yes to a follow-up, and only the way they said they prefer.
- Make it about them. “Thanks for stopping by Sunday. You mentioned you need a bigger yard. Want me to send you a few homes that have one?”
- Put every name in your CRM. Add a note about what they liked and a date to check back.
- Update the seller. Tell the seller how many people came and what they said about the home.
Stay safe while you host
- Tell someone at your office where you are and when you expect to finish.
- Bring a partner when you can, especially for a first open house.
- Keep your phone charged and your car where you can get to it.
- Walk the house before you open so you know every exit.
Our full lesson on open house strategy lays out a day-by-day plan from a week out to the follow-up. Sign up for the free Fearless Agents training here.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get buyers to come to an open house?
Invite people on purpose. Post the open house the week before, tell your sphere, invite the neighbors a couple of days ahead and place directional signs where drivers make their turns.
What should I say when someone walks into my open house?
Stand up, smile and say your name. Thank them for coming, let them know you’re there for questions, and then give them space to look around.
Should visitors have to sign in at an open house?
Ask, don’t demand. Ask for a name, phone and email with permission to follow up and the way they’d like to hear from you, and thank anyone who would rather not share.
How soon should I follow up after an open house?
Follow up the same day or the next morning, and only with the people who said yes to hearing from you, using the way they prefer.
Can a new agent host an open house without a listing?
Yes. Ask a listing agent at your brokerage if you can host one of their listings, and agree on the date, hours and house rules with them and the seller first.
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