I have a listing that is a "mystery." Nice house, aggressive price, well exposed location, and no deal. We've had two offers, but neither went together. One factoid: I get more lawn sign calls on this property than any other. What to do?
Hold an open house? Are you crazy? I HATE open houses.
An open house on a weekday afternoon? Are you nuts?
Well, I guess I'm nuts. Given the close proximity to a local school which dismisses at 3pm and the nice weather, mortgage broker Trevor Curran (who came up with the idea) and I held 180 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, open from 2:30-4pm yesterday. No print ads, just web-driven stuff.
The tally? 4 visitors, one of whom has already scheduled to meet with the mortgage broker for a formal pre approval. Every one of them told me they had been watching the house and waiting for an open. Every one of them complimented the house, as it is very nice
Go figure. So we'll do it again next week.
180 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10805. $449,900, 3 BR, 1.5 Baths
OPEN HOUSE Thursday, October 29, 2:30pm-4pm
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That is quite innovative. I have never thought of marketing and promotion based on traffic patterns. But why not? Thanks for the idea. I hope you get some traction.
I tell all my agents to get out of the office (or the house) and go sit in a listing...They have to sit somewhere. The propensity to find a buyer in a listing is much higher than sitting on your duff in the office gabbing to other realtors, or sitting in your home office, playing solitaire on your computer. LOL!
I think it's a great idea! When I was on vacation in Florida last year, I noticed there were several open houses during the week, and I checked out two of them on my daily walk. When everyone has open houses on Sunday (as do most here in my area), there are only so many houses that one person can attend.
In the business we are in, this idea rates as Brilliant! So few of the Agents around me do get off their "duffs", as Don so succinctly puts it! I try to get my OH Signs out as early in the weekend as permissible, on the busiest roads and with my "Ask For Jim Bath" Rider on top. It is amazing how many people have my name recognition around town because of Riders.
This is so great! I do it alot here in Chicago and I get alot of traffic from my listings and that is what is selling them. They really aren't the typical old open houses of yesteryear. I am finding that the consumers wants to look without the Realtor and then reach out to them. Way to go!
When I first started in the business, I held open houses every weekday afternoon. I sat there like I was at my office. I met a lot of buyers, some of whom later became my clients,
In Naples, it is fun to do an open in the afternoon as people are coming home from the beach. I also do opens on the days that other brokers are having their caravans to preview new listings.
J. good thinking, good luck.
You have to do what you have to do. Good luck on the sale.
I appreciate this post. Very interesting Real estate blog. Hope it will always be alive! Thanks for this
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