I have never asked it is a cost of doing business.

Cost?  Do you mean food and beverages, additional advertising?

I have never asked a selelr to pay the cost. I have had seller offer to make something, provide beverages or furnish a give-away and I have let them do that.

That is what the listing agents do. Advertise it, run news advertisement, mailing 500s invitation postcards, professional photography, host open house, pay for catering for the broker tour. In our area most agents are willing pay for staging or share cost.  First 4 hours handiman labor on the house.

In PA, CA private airplane taking prospects looking at home above and view in person all on the house.

Marketing costs is the job of the listing Broker

Cost of doing business...

We are paid to market, sell, and close based on performance only.

My sellers don't want to invest in a party for strangers and they may not even show up!  That is why I seldom hold open houses in a rural area.

Nothing to ask for... I don't do open houses. And if I did, isn't it part of your marketing strategy for their home that you pay for?

Aaron Mtuanwi - What are the things that you expect sellers to pay for? Cookies, Soft drinks?

If not financial payment, what are we talking about?  Their supplying the fresh baked cookies?

I have never asked a seller to do so and if they were to offer, I would politely decline.

Aaron Mtuanwi Never!

What costs are you referring to?

No...what costs?

no

Aaron, this is a cost of doing business.  I did an open house last weekend, the cost was $0.00  Didn't even cost gas money, since it was on the way home from lunch.  I get plenty of foot traffic from open house signs, advertising (for free) on zillow and realtor.com

Nope... I would never attempt to ask the sellers to share or pay for the cost of OH. It is part of the service that I provide...FREE of charge. (wine and cheese at my OH every weekend )

No, but sometimes homeowners offered to bake cookies, for example.

The cost is the time you waste doing open houses; they can't reimburse your time. If you got your full fee, your fee covers the expense of your marketing and open houses would fall into that column on your P&L (under "L").

Anything is possible we know...in this case, it may be out of the box a little

No.

Unless the seller imposed a specific agenda, I would never ask the seller to contribute. The open house is OVERWHELMINGLY beneficial to the agent, not so much the seller.

Now, if the seller REALLY needed to sell the house by a date certain, I would expect the seller to empower me to conduct an open house for the PURPOSE of getting the house sold that weekend.

It is part of OUR marketing plan and therefore a business expense

OMG.... you need to spend money to make money....  I don't ask for anything from the sellers ...

No, and I have never asked. A few times sellers have baked cookies and left them for guests but that was their choice.

Sometimes a seller might volunteer to leave a plate of warm cookies or some bottles of water, which is great. Otherwise, no, if there are any costs for marketing or food, I take care of them.

Pay for which items?

I never request that of the Seller.

What costs do you mean?

If done right you will be selling more than the subject home while at the open, well worth your time and expense to pay for it yourself.

No, those costs are paid for by the agents.

I haven't ever asked a seller to pay for an open house. 

I never even heard that happens.....

You will have better luck talking to your CPA about OH deductions. 

Never; this is one of the costs of doing business.

No, I have never done that...

Most do not ask for this.

I'm not sure what you meant by pay for open house.  To me the cost for the food, drinks, and advertising for the open house is part of the cost of running the business.

Aaron,

No.  A

It would never occur to me to even ask a seller to pay for the cost of an open house. 

Never asked

What are the costs to which you are referring?

Hosting an Open House is part of marketing the property.  Now, open house treats might be provided by the seller.

The only real expense to doing an open house is your time.  Payment for ALL expenses comes from the commission at closing.  

I have not.  

Typically sellers do not pay for an open house, that is part of the listing service. I have had a seller provide goody back with ice treats from their bakery which i handed out

Never asked, even when it was high end!

What is the cost of an open house? You show up with your signs & area info?

How can one pay and it not be financial payment?

I am not sure you should ask this question here.