3 Ways to Spice Up an Open House

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012
Do you want to increase buyer traffic at your next open house? Instead of just a flyer or e-mail blast announcing the event, try to give buyers more reason to come out and tour the home. A recent article at RISMedia offers some of the following ideas:

Host a speaker: A guest speaker, such as a general contractor or home stager, may draw more of a crowd. Your potential buyers may also be looking to sell their own homes, so a stager can offer tips to spruce up a home for sale.
Offer a gift: Hold a raffle, such as by raffling off a gift certificate. Plus, with a raffle, buyers will have to share their contact information with you, which you can then use to follow up. If there’s ever a price change on the house, be sure to notify them.
Involve the community: Invite the neighbors to come to the open house and share their thoughts about the school system or current events in the community, the RISMedia article suggests. You’ll not only be raising awareness about your listing but also helping “to unite the community on important issues,” the article notes. Just be sure to avoid political issues, which can polarize a crowd.
Source: “5 Ways to Increase Open House Traffic,” RISMedia (Feb. 14, 2012)