Effective strategies for promoting an open house may have shifted over the last decade, but when done right, the results continue to greatly benefit the seller and the agent. Preparing for an open house involves gaining adequate exposure within the community to drive high attendance. Below are some helpful open house tips on how to have a successful open house.
Key Takeaways
- Since 98% of buyers search online, pair high-quality listing media, social media posts, and MLS optimizations with offline strategies like handing out “Just Listed” cards and flyers to local neighbors.
- Boost turnout by timing your event for peak weekend traffic (or a Thursday twilight commuter slot) and always host an exclusive “Broker Open House” first to build early agent-to-agent buzz.
- Flood surrounding intersections with 15–20 directional signs so buyers don’t get lost, utilize a digital sign-in at the door to securely build your database, and always collect visitor feedback before guests leave.
For agents, an open house is a great way to build and maintain a strong network. It can also help bring in future clients that have just started looking for a new home. Moreover, an open house is a fantastic way to show the community the types of listings you offer.
What is an open house?
In real estate, an open house is a scheduled period during which a home for sale is opened to the public for viewing without requiring a private appointment. Typically hosted by the listing agent, it allows potential buyers to tour the property, experience the layout firsthand, and ask questions.
Anyone can go to an open house. So for real estate professionals, it serves as a powerful marketing and lead-generation tool designed to build local buzz and attract unrepresented buyers.
How to plan a successful open house
Planning a high-traffic open house requires a strategic blend of digital marketing, industry networking, and intentional on-site preparation. By aligning your strategy with modern real estate search trends, you can convert casual foot traffic into serious buyers.
1. Leverage broker open houses
Before opening the doors to the public, host an exclusive preview event for local real estate agents. Sparking early industry buzz can lead to direct client matches before the weekend crowd arrives.
2. Maximize online listing visibility
Because homebuyers vet properties online first, your digital presence is critical. Ensure your real estate listings feature high-quality professional photography, virtual tours, and highlights of highly searched features like open-concept designs.
3. Manage etiquette and property access
Set clear parameters for property access to keep the event organized and secure. Greet guests at the door and utilize a seamless digital sign-in process to capture accurate contact info for future lead nurturing.
4. Capture Visitor Feedback and Questions
Never let an attendee leave without gathering their thoughts. Use strategic questions or brief feedback forms to gauge their interest level, address objections, and identify unrepresented buyers.
What’s the best day for open houses?
You won the listing. Now it’s time to plan the open house! So, what’s the best day to host this event?
Realtors see attendance highest on the weekends—with industry experts divided between Saturday and Sunday:
- Sundays: Popular for family house hunts.
- Saturdays: Preferred for house hunting by young couples, empty nesters, and singles.
Consider hosting an open house around weekly rush hour
Another option would be to plan a rush hour/commuter open house. Try this on a Thursday between 4 pm and 7 pm, which will make it a twilight showing as well.
There are two reasons why rush hour open houses may drive traffic to you—literally.
- If the buyer is leaving work for the day, they can attend the event and avoid traffic. A win-win.
- Second, as mentioned above, they will get to visit the home during twilight. This allows buyers to see the space in a different, cozier light. It’s nice to experience what a home feels like during the hours working families actually utilize it most.
How to increase attendance at your open house
To achieve the highest turnout, real estate agents must use a multi-channel marketing approach. Combining modern digital tactics with traditional grassroots strategies ensures your listing gets maximum exposure.
Here are four ways to supercharge your open house attendance:
- Maximize digital reach to capture online buyers.
- Leverage grassroots marketing to engage the hyper-local community.
- Flood intersections with high-visibility signage to guide physical traffic.
- Build a credible personal brand to naturally establish trust and drive turnout.
1. Maximize your digital reach to capture online buyers
With 98% of homebuyers using the internet to find their homes, and Millennials and Gen Z making up 30% of the market, a strong digital footprint is non-negotiable.
- Publish image-heavy blog posts: Highlight your listing’s top features using professional real estate photography to make the content highly shareable.
- Launch standalone landing pages: Create a dedicated page for the property to anchor your email campaigns to local realtors.
- Utilize targeted social media: Share property details across personal and business Facebook pages, Instagram, and local real estate agent groups.
- Optimize MLS public remarks: Update the MLS description early in the week (like Tuesday) with the open house date and time in ALL CAPS to guarantee online visibility.
Denver Real Estate Broker Associate and REALTOR®, Ryan Borger, uses a number of social media channels to get the word out about upcoming open houses. “I utilize Facebook — both personal and business pages and Instagram specifically, as well as post on Realtor Association Facebook Pages, other real estate agent group Facebook pages, and more,” he told us.
2. Leverage grassroots and hyper-local marketing
Traditional, offline marketing methods remain highly effective at capturing local buyers and nosy neighbors who may have friends or family looking to move.
- Pass out “Just Listed” cards: Walk the neighborhood several days prior to the event to personally invite the community.
- Target remodeled properties strategically: Capitalize on local curiosity. Neighbors who watched a remodel from afar are often eager to see the finished interior.
- Distribute physical flyers: Place eye-catching flyers or door hangers on community bulletin boards, recreation centers, and local grocery stores.
- Return to marketing basics: When digital channels feel crowded, stand out by utilizing direct mail, door knocking, and warm calling.
3. Flood intersections with high-visibility signage
Strategic physical signage establishes your open house as a major neighborhood event and prevents potential buyers from getting lost.
- Deploy 15–20 directional signs: Place yard signs at every major intersection and main turn leading from busy streets straight to the property.
- Use sign riders early: Put an “Open House Saturday 12–3” rider on top of your standard “For Sale” yard sign early in the week to build local anticipation.
“A sign is needed at every main turn from the busy street to the property, or people can get lost,” Ryan says. “Sometimes I put 15–20 directional signs and open house yard signs pointing drivers and walkers to the property.”
4. Build a credible personal brand
Establishing a recognizable real estate brand builds long-term credibility that naturally drives traffic to all of your listings.
- Run a Facebook Business Page: Regularly post local industry updates alongside your latest property listings.
- Maintain a user-friendly website: Keep your site optimized to rank on Google when local buyers and sellers search for area agents.
- Standardize high-quality media: Partner with a professional real estate photography company to ensure your listing images look polished and consistent.
The bottom line on open house turnout
Success requires executing across digital, print, and word-of-mouth channels simultaneously. As Denver REALTOR® Ryan Borger notes, “Some things may sound obvious, but it takes a bit more work than one would think to get a big turnout.”
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FAQ
What is a good turnout for an open house?
There isn’t a set number of attendees that make an open house successful. Obviously, the more turnout you get, the more leads you have to work with. Whether that’s one or 25, you need to have a plan for following up to ensure you’re working every lead.
What is the best time for an open house?
Saturday and Sunday are typically the best days. If you plan a weekday open house, consider holding it from 4pm to 7pm to attract potential buyers who want to avoid rush hour or commuter traffic.
What are some effective ways real estate agents can leverage an open house?
An open house allows agents to network, attract potential future clients, and showcase their available listings to the community.
Besides online marketing, what traditional methods can still help promote an open house?
Distributing flyers to neighbors and placing signs strategically throughout the neighborhood remain valuable ways to generate local interest.
Why is having a strong online presence crucial for successfully promoting an open house?
A robust online presence, including social media and a website, helps reach the significant portion of homebuyers who begin their search online.
