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Larry Lawfer, "I listen for a living." It's all about you. (YourStories Realty Group)

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Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Let me put it this way.... I've NEVER sold a house from an open house and I've been selling for 26 years. All my houses are sold without open houses and my average DOM are very low.

May 23, 2019 04:52 AM
Rainmaker
1,196,798
Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Evolution - 447 Boston Street, Suite #5, Topsfield, MA - Topsfield, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

Sellers like Open Houses. It can not hurt to have one. Yes I have sold properties without Open Houses

May 23, 2019 06:11 AM
Ambassador
5,230,113
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Larry, I've sold several homes at open houses - in fact, THIS YEAR! 

May 23, 2019 05:11 AM
Ambassador
2,178,603
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

I sold many houses directly from the Open Houses.  I never liked doing them but they were effective so I did.   However, I've been retired for 8 years and things are way different now. I would be very hesitant to even do an Open House for safety and liability reasons.  

May 23, 2019 04:58 AM
Rainmaker
679,404
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

In the 25 years that I have been selling real estate I have sold thousands of homes.  I believe I can refer to two (2) Open Houses that can be claimed Sold due to the OH.  I'm not a fan. Seems it bebefits the Realtor not the Seller in the majority of cases. IMHO

May 23, 2019 05:14 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,301
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

That's what I think. Have never sold an actual open house.

May 23, 2019 05:13 AM
Rainmaker
7,836,164
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

It has been many years since I held an open house.

May 23, 2019 05:44 AM
Rainmaker
911,338
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

They work in some areas, but are usually a waste of time, and many times are used just to "train" newer agents.

May 23, 2019 05:41 AM
Rainmaker
4,882,355
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

I think most are held just to appease the seller.  I have sold many homes with no open house.

May 23, 2019 05:38 AM
Rainmaker
1,751,129
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Larry, they don't seem to make much of a difference here locally. 

May 23, 2019 05:06 AM
Ambassador
3,345,091
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Question #1:  YES.

Question #2:  ALL OF THEM. I have never sold a home from an open house. I did get a crap done of buyers who I sold other homes too. 

A question that fits this: Does the agent double end or dual agency.  I do not. 

May 23, 2019 07:45 AM
Rainmaker
901,535
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

I sell many homes without an open house. Not all sellers want one. I've never had a house sell because of an open house. However, I do believe it gets people in the buying mood. Also, in this busy season, it helps get buyer's in the door while their agent may be busy showing homes to someone else. 

May 23, 2019 05:59 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

In new construction selling from a model they are great, other wise the open house works best at attracting other future clients. 

May 23, 2019 05:14 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Of course.

In some markets 'COMING SOON' is all the front yard needs while other agents have their list, office, then their network and finally SOLD.

Open houses have many purposes. One that benefits the seller is limited access with visual confirmation others have great interest in this house. Last week while one visitor fretted over parking a trailer in the side yard, another submitted an accepted offer. It will be of interest to discover just what the motivator was.

 

 

May 23, 2019 05:08 AM
Rainmaker
585,600
Dee Toohey
Innovative Realty Solutions Group - Longwood, FL
Broker, ABR, AHWD, CIPS, FMS, ePro

This year, i'm not working much but sold two as a result of open houses.  One of my agents has sold three as a result of open houses.  I have sold homes without open houses, too.  Agents that don't do opens make my team look great.  

May 23, 2019 04:53 AM
Rainmaker
2,220,654
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

I sell homes all the time without an open house. 

May 23, 2019 05:07 PM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

I think it depends on the market you are in. A

May 23, 2019 07:25 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,173
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Decades ago, the open was an event to behold and was like a watering hole for the neighborhood, sellers, buyers and the like. You have to ask this question: With all the technology that includes pictures, videos, drone shots, googling the neighborhood, comps, stats & opinions not to mention time and attention spans does open house browsing rate up there for must do? If I was to seriously purchase of course. Other than that....I wonder

May 23, 2019 06:34 AM
Rainmaker
4,572,183
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Every agent/broker has a bit different marketing strategy.  There's room for diverse methods.  Houses sell without having an open house event and some will sell without ever being a part of the multiple listing.  It happens. 

May 23, 2019 06:31 AM
Rainmaker
758,035
Peter Testa
Nationwide Homes - Danbury, CT
PETER TESTA

Open Houses work better for some types of real estate than others. For example, they're the staple for multi unit new construction. If you watch the Agents selling on Reality TV they use Open Houses as a viable tool. When it comes to my area & residential real estate sales, the Open House is an attention getter- it attracts passer bys & neighbors, lots of folks who don't know what the price is or aren't in the market to buy. Yes, they could be potential future listings, but often they're not near ready cold to lukewarm-leads at best.  Open Houses are not my go-to for getting a house sold. The MLS & Internet advertising sell them fast & fine. By me, if a listing is "Hot" (aka - it has it all, look, location & price) then you may sell it at the 1st Open House.  

May 23, 2019 03:19 PM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Yes we have sold our own listings witthout holding open house events.

May 23, 2019 07:41 AM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

99.9% were sold without an open house.

May 23, 2019 07:25 AM
Rainmaker
647,038
Larry Lawfer
YourStories Realty Group - Newton, MA
"I listen for a living." It's all about you.

Confession, I do open houses, I like them. So me saying I have never sold a house without an open house is not fully accurate, because I have never tried to sell one without.  I do know that I have picked up buyers from open houses and gotten deals that way, but I don't do open houses to get buyers. In fact, I always work with a buyer's agent with me so I can get a colleague some deals. I am more restrictive with them now than years ago.  I do like meeting other agents as well. We are in a business where the more you know people and about them in our industry, the better it is for you. I say yes to Open Houses for these specific reasons. Thank you all for commenting

May 23, 2019 07:12 AM
Rainmaker
1,052,211
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

I think it depends on the area. In my area, and during the years that I did residential, they did not work.

May 23, 2019 06:40 AM
Rainmaker
2,390,620
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

#1) No I do NOT believe they only serve the agent. I have sold homes BECAUSE of the open house.

#2) Yes I've sold homes sight unseen Larry Lawfer .

May 23, 2019 06:28 AM
Rainmaker
4,936,705
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Of course sold homes without doing open houses, but if the client wants them you do them.

 

May 25, 2019 08:55 AM
Rainmaker
900,128
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

OH's are often set up for the agent, but no, they don't ONLY serve the agent. Yes, many homes sell without OH's; some sellers don't even want them.

May 23, 2019 05:08 PM
Ambassador
1,452,819
Susan Emo
Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

I've never held an Open House in my entire career so, YES!  My Sellers hire me because of that as they fully understand how this business works.

May 23, 2019 04:57 PM
Ambassador
3,164,294
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I only do broker's opens and I don't get much response at public opens.  And no, I  have never sold a house as a result of an open house (when I did do them)

May 23, 2019 03:56 PM
Rainmaker
5,216,409
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

You have to study your market area. Some areas open houses are a waste of time and some they are very beneficial. It pays to know the difference.

May 23, 2019 03:18 PM
Ambassador
3,587,960
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Yes we've sold lots of homes without doing any opens.

May 23, 2019 02:11 PM
Rainmaker
1,311,397
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Open houses are business opportunities.

House sell whether they are held open or not.

I have sold houses to buyers who have come to my open house.

May 23, 2019 12:17 PM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

we have sold homes from open house events....we have secured new listings from visitors who live in the area of the Open House Event, after they listen to our conversations with potential buyers...

and we certainly sell homes without ever having an open house...no all homes should have an open house... 

May 23, 2019 09:41 AM
Ambassador
6,393,609
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

They serve many purposes and many homes sell before the open house.

May 23, 2019 07:11 AM
Ambassador
5,049,450
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

I've sold several homes at Open Houses. And have sold plenty of homes without ever having an open house.

May 23, 2019 06:59 AM
Rainmaker
469,510
Dan & Laurie Pittsenbarger Team
Keller Williams Western Realty - Bellingham, WA
Lakeside & Coastal Single Family Homes

One's considerations will become their reality. For those that decide they don't want to do Open Houses and that they are just for the agent to pick up buyers - they won't have any homes that sell when they "have" to do an open house for that seller that wants them to be happening. For those agents that believe that open houses are both a great way to get a home sold and pick up buyers and more listings - because that buyer that came to the open house also has home to sell will have the homes they hold open sell to someone that came. Of course not always, not every time. But the point is that one's considerations are senior and will bend the universe to align.

May 23, 2019 06:49 AM
Rainmaker
716,049
Richard Bazinet /MBA, CRS, ABR
West USA Realty - Scottsdale, AZ
Phoenix Scottsdale. Sellers, Buyers & Relocations

It goes both ways Larry. Always did. Nothing new.

May 23, 2019 06:41 AM
Rainmaker
2,241,153
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

All of our houses are sold without an open house component. Unless you count videos as round the clock, open houses on demand. Because they are and not limited to a couple of hours on a weekend afternoon hanging out, waiting for lookey loos to stroll by and check in Larry Lawfer !

May 23, 2019 06:38 AM
Rainmaker
785,475
Abby Stiller
TOP SELLING REALTY - Cape Coral, FL
SW Florida (239) 284-8637

Every market is different, I have sold many homes without open house

May 26, 2019 04:47 PM
Rainmaker
2,182,552
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

There’s been a paradigm shift caused by Buyer Agency Contracts. Most Opens have impressive numbers of buyers attending who were sent by their Agent . So there are times where we actually had 4 showings take place during those 2 hours in addition to mete I represented consumers stopping by

May 24, 2019 02:16 PM
Rainmaker
666,639
AJ Heidmann ~ CRS
McEnearney Associates, Inc. - Alexandria, VA
YOUR Alexandria & Arlington, VA Real Estate Expert

Larry ~ I have sold many homes without an Open House, but I have also held an open house and had someone come through who loved the property, came back that evening or the next day with their agent and then written an offer.  I see my responsibility to the seller as getting as many people to see the property online & in person as possible, as the more people that look at a house the sooner we get an offer and the better it will usually be.  Most people don't write an offer without actually walking through the house, so I do my best to get them into it.  It's a local thing, but here in Northern VA, open houses work.

May 24, 2019 07:50 AM
Rainmaker
851,242
Brenda Mayette
Miranda Real Estate Group, Inc. - Glenville, NY
Getting results w/ knowledge & know-how!

Ever sold a house without an open house event?  YUP!  ALL OF THEM!! 

May 24, 2019 04:36 AM
Rainmaker
62,960
Rae Hoffman
Roots & Wings Realty Group / Walzel - Katy, TX
Real estate agent serving the Katy area

Only been at it for two years now as an agent, but I've never sold a house through an open house. I came close once, but the buyer then waffled. I don't think they're neccessary and only do them when a seller requests them.

May 23, 2019 09:21 PM
Rainmaker
5,868,554
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Have never sold a house WITH an open house! 

Jun 09, 2019 03:17 PM
Rainmaker
2,071,025
Evelina Tsigelnitskaya
SIB Realty - Sunny Isles Beach, FL

Larry, we are condo people and we don't do open houses.

May 27, 2019 05:59 AM
Rainmaker
1,598,452
Valeria Mola
SIB Realty - Miami, Sunny Isles Beach - Sunny Isles Beach, FL
305-607-0709 SIB Realty Condos for Sale and Rent

Yes. price is the King.

May 27, 2019 05:39 AM