Once you’ve done the prep, it’s game time. Obviously, set up outdoor directional signage in high traffic corners of the neighborhood. Then set up shop in a centered or high traffic area of the home and position yourself to greet guests as they arrive. Have some bottled water in the fridge, put out candy or light snacks, and offer them up as an ice breaker. Introduce yourself and the property, and encourage guests to sign-in on your digital platform.
Getting visitors to sign-in on your tablet is key to gaining and managing leads. Open house products and apps such as Open Home Pro provide a digital sign-in sheet with customizable questions. It’s a great tool that allows you to record notes, such as when buyers don’t already have an agent.
You can also leverage social media while the event is going on. All you have to do is run a Facebook Live Stream at your open house. These live events can create real-time buzz, and better yet, you can repurpose and post the recorded version on your Facebook page afterwards. (More on that below.)
With all those on-site details handled, having RPR reports at your disposal might be the most impactful thing you can prepare ahead of time. The four most popular reports used by REALTORS® at open houses are the:
Market Activity Report: Educate clients on what the local market has to offer by presenting recent price changes; active, pending, sold, expired and distressed properties.
Neighborhood Report: Studying then sharing what you know about the people, economy, quality of life and housing market solidifies your niche as a local expert.
School Report: View student populations, testing outcomes, reviews, and ratings. Compare schools within a district or a specified radius, and/or include up to 20 nearby listings.
Mini Property Report: Just enough data to give buyers a solid understanding of the property, including price, value, comps, home facts, taxes, photos, and neighborhood information.
Having these reports at your fingertips during the open house goes a long way in positioning you as THE local real estate expert. With these reports and the RPR Mobile app at your side, you’ll be able to answer any and every question thrown your way about the property, the neighborhood and the community.
And there are two ways to deliver these reports; you can either instantly send guests a text or email that includes a PDF version. You can also print out the reports, it all depends on your style and how you like to work. Sending the reports digitally can certainly impress open house goers, while having hard copies in hand is preferable to others. Speaking of printing reports…
Here’s a great tactic that one San Francisco Bay Area REALTOR® uses at all of her open houses: Nicole Nicolay displays one copy of a report in a high traffic area. Then, when guests pick it up, she can break the ice and make an intro by saying, “It’s great that you picked up that Property Report. Right now, it’s the only copy I have left but if you’ll give me your contact information, I’m happy to send you a personalized version.” This conversation-starter is a keen lead generation tactic that helps her connect with prospects, without coming on too strong.