When
I
first
started
in
real
estate,
I
was
eager
for
advice.
The
best
advice
I
got
from
an
experienced
agent
was
simple
but
powerful:

“Do
as
many
open
houses
as
you
can.”
I
took
his
advice
to
heart.
Running
open
houses
(among
other
strategies)
has
helped
me
build
a
sustainable
career
in
real
estate
at

Your
Property
People.
If
it
worked
for
me,
it
can
work
for
you
as
well.
You
just
need
to
put
in
the
work,
and
the
results
will
follow.

To
help
you
generate
more
(and
better)
leads
from
your
next
open
house,
I
am
giving
you
the
exact
open
house
checklist
I
used
to
generate
millions
in
sales
volume
from
open
houses.
My
checklist
includes
simple
and
repeatable
step-by-step
instructions
for
preparing
for
your
open
house,
networking
strategies
that
actually
work
and
follow-up
tips
to
turn
leads
into
clients.

Short
on
time?
Download
our
checklist
as
a
PDF
below.

The
ultimate
open
house
checklist
for
2025

We
broke
it
down
into
digestible
steps
to
complete
your
game
plan
for
one
week,
two
days,
the
day
of
and
the
day
after
your
open
house.

5
tasks
to
complete
one
week
before
your
open
house

Task
1:
Find
a
listing
to
hold
open

I
always
secure
my
open
house
about
one
week
prior.
If
you
don’t
have
your
own
listings,
ask
other
agents
in
the
office
if
you
can
run
an
open
house
at
one
of
their
listings.
Most
will
be
happy
to
oblige
because
it’s
free
marketing
for
their
listing.
Underpriced
or
unique
listings
are
ideal
candidates
for
open
houses,
but
look
for
listings
that
align
with
your
market
niche.
Running
an
open
house
at
a
mansion
might
sound
fun,
but
it
won’t
help
your
business
if
you
focus
on
new
or
move-up
buyers.

Related
articles

Task
2:
Research
the
listing
on
your
MLS

Ok,
so
now
you’re
excited.
You
have
secured
your
open
house!
Now
what?
Research,
research
and
more
research!
Knowing
everything
about
the
listing
is
impossible,
so
your
goal
should
be
to
minimize
as
many
“I’m
not
sure/I
don’t
know”
responses
as
possible. At
a
bare
minimum,
print
off
and
study
the
MLS
sheet
to
learn
about
property
disclosures,
surveys,
septic
permits,
upgrades
and
any
standout
features
(or
drawbacks!)
of
the
home
and
property.
The
goal
of
your
open
house
might
not
be
to
sell
the
listing,
but
it’s
crucial
to
know
as
much
as
possible
about
the
home.

Here
are
some
crucial
details
you
should
memorize:

• Square
  footage
• Bedroom
  and
  bathroom
  count
• Standout
  features
• The
  home’s
  unique
  selling
  proposition
  (USP)
• Price
• Property
  taxes
• Property
  age
• Amenities
• Roof
  and
  HVAC
  age
• Acreage
• Nearby
  points
  of
  interest
• Distance
  to
  airports,
  town
  centers
  and
  medical
  centers
• Recently
  sold
  and
  recently
  listed
  comps
  in
  the
  neighborhood

Task
3:
Gather
property
info
from
the
listing
agent

Once
you
get
the
green
light,
call
the
listing
agent
to
learn
as
much
as
possible
about
the
home
and
property.
This
shows
the
listing
agent
that
you
are
responsible
as
you
are
asking
probing
questions.
Here
are
a
few
key
questions
to
ask
them:

• Are
  directional
  open
  house
  signs
  allowed
  by
  the
  HOA?
• What
  are
  the
  rules
  or
  guidelines
  for
  signs?
• Is
  the
  home
  vacant
  or
  staged?
• Are
  there
  any
  cosmetic
  issues
  to
  be
  aware
  of?
• When
  were
  the
  roof
  or
  HVAC
  systems
  installed
  or
  refurbished?
• How
  many
  properties
  are
  in
  the
  neighborhood?
• Why
  is
  the
  seller
  moving?

Task
4:
Market
your
open
house 

Now
that
you’re
an
expert
on
the
home,
it’s
time
to
start
marketing
your
open
house.
Use
the
information
you
gathered
about
the
home
to
develop
a
hook
for
your
open
house
marketing.
For
example,
if
the
home
is
listed
below
market
value
or
has
rare
or
unique
amenities
or
architectural
style,
highlight
that
in
your
marketing.

How
you
market
your
open
house
will
vary
depending
on
your
market,
but
here
are
the
tried
and
true
methods
I
use:

• Social
  media
  posts,
  including
  a
  boosted
  Facebook
  post
• Email
  blast
  to
  your
  database
• Call
  buyers
  in
  your
  database
  to
  invite
  them
  personally
• Email
  blast
  to
  buyer’s
  agents
  in
  your
  office
• Request
  that
  the
  listing
  agent
  add
  the
  open
  house
  to
  Zillow
  and
  Realtor.com
• Circle
  prospect
  or
  door-knock
  around
  the
  home
  to
  invite
  the
  neighbors

Related
article

Task
5:
Create
a
one-page
open
house
flyer 

Create
a
one-page
flyer
(front
and
back)
with
the
necessary
details
for
the
buyer.
This
flyer
will
be
a
critical
marketing
asset
for
your
open
house.
When
you
make
your
introductions,
hand
them
out
to
each
guest.
Business
cards
get
lost,
and
guests
are
more
likely
to
hold
on
to
a
full-page
flyer.

Since
buyers
have
access
to
most
of
the
home’s
data
on
Zillow,
here
are
three
key
details
about
the
home
you
can
add
to
your
flyer
to
add
value:

• Property
  tax
  amount 
• Age
  of
  roof
  and
  HVAC
  systems
  (if
  the
  roof
  or
  HVAC
  systems
  are
  old
  or
  need
  repair,
  contact
  someone
  in
  your
  office
  to
  get
  a
  rough
  estimate
  for
  replacing
  them.
• Floor
  plans
  (if
  available)

Your
flyer
should
also
be
printed
on
high-quality,
full-color
paper.
This
is
the
first
marketing
piece
they
will
receive
from
you,
so
quality
matters.
First
impressions
are
everything
in
real
estate.

In
addition
to
my
one-page
flyer,
I
print
out
a
sheet
with
the
neighborhood’s
active,
recently
sold,
and
coming-soon
properties.
The
local
market
almost
always
comes
up
in
conversations
with
guests,
so
having
something
to
hand
them
that
summarizes
the
data
is
helpful.

Related
article

2
tasks
to
complete
two
days
before
your
open
house 

Task
1:
Drive
the
neighborhood 

I
always
visit
the
neighborhood
in
person
a
day
or
two
before
your
open
house.
This
allows
me
to
find
good
spots
to
place
my
signs
and
chat
with
neighbors,
who
can
be
a
goldmine
of
insider
information
about
the
neighborhood.
It’s
also
an
excellent
way
to
introduce
myself
and
invite
them
to
my
open
house.

Task
2:
Install
your
directional
signs

If
my
open
house
is
on
a
Sunday,
I
try
to
get
my
signs
up
Friday
evening
to
capture
commuter
and
nighttime
traffic.
I
generally
start
at
major
intersections
nearby
and
add
signs
strategically
along
the
route
to
the
home.

Do
not
skimp
on
sign
quality—spend
a
few
extra
dollars
here!
Include
your
headshot
and
contact
information
on
each
sign,
even
directional
signs,
to
help
build
your
name
in
the
neighborhood.

13
tasks
to
complete
on
the
day
of
the
open
house

Task
1:
Dress
for
the
occasion

In
addition
to
market
knowledge
and
motivation,
dressing
appropriately
for
your
open
house
is
one
of
the
best
ways
to
make
a
first
impression
that
will
get
phone
numbers.
Being
dressed
well
will
also
increase
your
confidence
and
chances
of
generating
leads.

Your
goal
is
to
appear
professional
and
competent
but
never
too
formal.
I
prefer
smart
casual,
which
means
wearing
a
blazer
with
a
dress
shirt
and
slacks
but
no
tie.
I
also
add
a
clean
shave
and
a
spray
of
cologne
for
good
measure!

Task
2:
Check
your
directional
signs

If
you
put
the
signs
out
days
before
or
the
morning
of,
check
to
see
if
they
are
still
there.
Signs
can
get
knocked
down
by
the
wind
or
vandalized
by
teenagers.
Kids
once
turned
all
my
signs
in
the
wrong
direction!

Task
3:
Arrive
one
hour
early 

You
should
arrive
at
the
property
one
hour
before
the
start
time.
If
it
is
occupied,
ask
the
listing
agent
if
you
can
have
access
for
at
least
30
minutes
before
conducting
your
preparation.

Task
4:
Create
the
right
ambience

When
entering
the
property,
turn
the
lights
on
in
every
room
and
make
sure
the
temperature
is
appropriate.
This
might
include
opening
windows
or
patio
doors
to
let
in
a
breeze
in
balmier
climates.
After
you
turn
on
the
lights
and
ensure
the
temperature
is
appealing,
walk
the
property
and
view
it
as
if
you
were
the
buyer.
Does
it
look
and
feel
inviting?

You
may
also
want
to
experiment
with
music
and
scented
candles
to
create
the
right
ambiance
for
your
guests.
Let
the
home
guide
you.
A
home
with
a
gorgeous
backyard
is
crying
out
to
have
the
back
door
open
to
lure
people
outside
to
see
the
home’s
best
feature.

Task
5:
Set
up
your
marketing
and
refreshments
table

Find
a
good
location
for
your
marketing
materials,
such
as
business
cards,
flyers
and
sign-in
sheets.
A
console
table
near
the
entry
is
ideal.
Offering
refreshments
on
your
marketing
table
is
an
excellent
way
to
make
your
open
house
more
inviting.
Make
sure
to
provide
snacks
and
beverages
to
appeal
to
all
tastes,
and
be
mindful
of
allergies.

Task
6:
Greet
your
guests
with
a
smile
and
make
eye
contact 

As
potential
clients
arrive,
greet
them
with
a
smile
and
make
eye
contact.
This
is
an
easy
way
to
build
rapport
quickly.
People
want
to
work
with
people
they
like.
A
warm,
genuine
smile
is
the
first
step
to
a
lasting
relationship.

Task
7:
Ask
easy
questions
to
break
the
ice

Ask
easy
questions
to
break
the
ice
and
disarm
your
guests.
Focus
on
them,
not
you.
I
always
ask
their
names
first
and
only
give
them
my
name
after
they
ask.
This
puts
people
at
ease
and
reassures
them
that
you
are
there
to
help,
not
sell.

Ask
them
about
the
traffic,
how
easy
it
was
to
find
the
home,
or
what
they
know
about
the
neighborhood.
Let
the
conversation
flow
naturally.

Task
8:
Hand
them
your
flyer
and
let
them
explore
the
listing
on
their
own 

After
you’ve
broken
the
ice,
hand
them
your
flyer
and
tell
them
they
can
explore
the
listing
independently.
Tell
them
to
take
their
time
exploring,
be
comfortable
and
ask
as
many
questions
as
they’d
like.
I
like
to
tell
them
there
will
be
a
test
when
they
finish
the
tour.
This
one
always
gets
a
laugh!

Task
9:
Follow
up
in
15
minutes
to
get
feedback

When
they
have
completed
the
walk-through,
ask
them
for
their
honest
opinion
of
the
home.
Could
they
see
themselves
living
there?
If
the
answer
is
no,
ask
them
why
not.
If
yes,
engage
them
in
casual
conversation
about
what
they
want.
This
is
a
fact-finding
mission,
not
a
sales
mission.
You
aim
to
learn
how
you
can
help
them
solve
their
real
estate
problem.

Task
10:
Find
out
if
they
are
working
with
a
buyer’s
agent

At
this
point,
I
will
ask
who
is
helping
them
with
their
home
search
–
a
softer
way
to
ask
if
they
already
have
an
agent.
If
they
are
working
with
an
agent,
they
still
get
the
five
star
Tom
treatment.

Task
11:
Confirm
their
contact
information
and
the
spelling
of
their
name  

When
your
follow-up
conversation
winds
down,
ask
them
to
confirm
their
contact
information,
including
the
spelling
of
their
name.

Task
12:
Write
down
as
many
details
about
your
leads
as
you
can
remember  

It’s
essential
to
write
down
as
many
details
about
your
leads
as
possible.
As
soon
as
your
last
guest
leaves,
write
down
as
many
details
for
each
lead
as
you
can
remember
while
the
information
is
still
fresh
in
your
mind.

This
information
will
help
you
segment
your
leads
in
your
CRM,
craft
better
follow-up
messages
and
form
personal
connections
with
them
when
you
meet
them.
Who
doesn’t
like
someone
who
remembers
their
name,
their
dog’s
name
or
their
favorite
baseball
team?

Task
13:
When
your
open
house
is
over,
clean
up
—
leave
no
trace!

When
the
open
house
is
over,
walk
through
the
home
and
outdoor
spaces
to
ensure
they
are
clean
and
exactly
as
they
were
when
you
arrived.
Close
and
lock
all
doors
and
windows,
and
turn
off
all
the
lights. Don’t
forget
to
put
the
key
back
in
the
lockbox
and
ensure
it’s
closed
securely!

3
tasks
to
complete
on
the
day
after
your
open
house

Task
1:
Add
leads
to
your
CRM
&
start
segmenting
them

Use
your
sign-in
sheets
with
the
data
you
wrote
down
about
each
lead
to
add
each
lead
to
your
CRM.
The
system
you
use
to
segment
your
leads
is
essentially
a
personal
preference,
but
make
sure
you
are
at
least
segmenting
by:

• Buyer
  or
  seller
• Timeframe
  for
  moving
• Budget
• Personal
  information
  from
  your
  conversation
  (occupation,
  spouse’s
  name,
  biographical
  details,
  etc.)

Related
article

Task
2:
Follow
up
with
your
leads

With
open
houses,
the
money
is
in
the
follow-up.
The
odds
of
your
lead
being
interested
in
the
home
you
held
open
are
slim,
so
follow-up
is
critical.
For
leads
I
had
a
good
conversation
with,
I
generally
call
them
and
invite
them
to
chat
over
coffee.

Task
3:
Email
the
listing
agent
with
feedback
from
visitors

After
you
follow
up
with
your
leads,
gather
all
the
input
from
your
open
house
visitors
and
put
it
into
a
spreadsheet
for
the
listing
agent
to
share
with
the
homeowner.
Here
are
some
data
points
you
might
consider
giving
them:

• How
  many
  people
  attended
  the
  open
  house
• Common
  critical
  comments
  about
  the
  home
• Common
  positive
  comments
  about
  the
  home

The
full
picture

This
open
house
checklist
will
help
you
keep
your
open
houses
organized,
stress-free
and
running
smoothly.