We will be talking to you today about Open House scheduling – especially when to have your open house to ensure the largest attendance possible. The first step in scheduling your open house is to decide which day will best achieve your objective of having a full house. Most open houses are held on Saturdays and Sundays, typically for a two hour period between 12 noon and 5 pm. According to the National Association of Realtors, up to 45% of home buyers will use an open house as a piece of their home search. However, there are no hard statistics as to which day, Saturday or Sunday, brings in the higher traffic. One scheduling aspect to consider is the homeowner’s schedule. Because part of the reason we hold open houses is to please our clients, we want to make the process as painless as possible for them. We also want the home looking its very best when an open house is held. Talk to your client and determine which day of the weekend interrupts their schedule the least. Another aspect to consider is the calendar of events. You do not want to compete with other major events if you can help it. An open house scheduled during on a Sunday during the NFL playoffs when the home team is fighting for the title may not be the best day to schedule. As every community is different, consider talking to other agents in your office about their most successful open house practices. Which day of the week have they had their best open houses? When have they had their worst? Another important scheduling consideration is the weather. Poor weather means poor attendance. When you can, avoid weekends where bad weather is forecast in advance. However, all is not lost should you find yourself in an unexpected blizzard already committed to an open house. Real estate expert Barbara Corcoran shared this observation to the New York Times: “Very few people show up in bad weather,” she said in an e-mail. “But the one that does is definitely hot to trot!”
And lastly, consider the home’s most sellable features. If the home has a stunning view at sunset, a “twilight open house” might be your best bet to get the home sold! It is one thing to talk about the view, but quite another to watch the sunset with clients on a weeknight with a complimentary glass of wine. No matter which day you choose, taking these suggestions into consideration will ensure a well attended open house, a happy client who feels like you are working their listing to get it sold, and that you get the highest return possible on the investment of your time in new contacts and clients.