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During an open house,
should the owners leave the property? . . . Most real estate agents say
yes, but there's a good argument for homeowners to meet prospective
Buyers at the front door. A warm greeting from the Sellers makes a
positive first impression and can help a home stand out from the crowd,
especially if the homeowners like their house and tell the Buyers how
much they've enjoyed living here.
A brief
meeting isn't likely to affect aspects such as price, but it can ease
the friction over the lesser details that are a part of nearly every
sale. However,
during the open house, Sellers should exchange only a brief greeting
with all potential Buyers and leave them alone to explore the house in
the company of the
real estate agent. It's important to use common sense here, don't greet potential Buyers
if you tend to be too "chatty", or uncomfortable making conversation.
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Open
Houses: Effective?
Home sellers still
favor open houses, but many real estate agents say they are a waste
of time compared with other marketing methods.
Agents surveyed by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M
University said private open houses for other agents are more
effective than public open houses, which many thought were
troublesome, dangerous and generally ineffective
Agents must be on site for the duration of open
houses, which are usually held on weekends, and be prepared to
impress potential Buyers. Safety is a growing concern because there
is no way to know whether a visitor is a serious Buyer, just curious
or has more sinister motives.
Agent open houses are more
effective. Agent open houses are held when the listing agent invites other
agents to view the home when first placed on the market, hoping one or
more agents will have a Buyer interested in the home.
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Holding open houses is not the only way agents can attract listings.
Real estate agent surveys view referral and community involvement as effective
tools, which rank first and second in effectiveness and popularity. Open
houses rank third in familiarity but seventh in effectiveness. One of the keys to selling a
listing is for serious Buyers to see the home. |
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