An Honest Look at Open Houses in Today's Market

An Honest Look at Open Houses in Today’s Market 

If you’re selling your home, you might expect an open house to be part of the plan. After all, for decades, putting out signs and opening the door on a Sunday afternoon was a familiar way to attract buyers. But does it still work the same way today? 

Open houses have been around in some form since at least the early 1900s. Before buyers could browse listings online, an open house gave people an easy way to discover and tour a home. Newspaper ads, signs, and word of mouth played a much bigger role in getting a property noticed. 

Today, buyers can search by price, location, size, and features without leaving home. They can study photos, watch video tours, and ask their agent to schedule a private showing of a property that fits their needs. Someone who sees an open house sign while driving by may be curious, but the home may be outside their budget or missing a feature they need. Curious neighbors often stop in, too. They may spread the word to a friend, which can be helpful, but a busy afternoon doesn’t necessarily mean the home is closer to selling. 

In my experience, an open house is rarely the reason a home sells. When a serious buyer visits one, they often discovered the listing online first and could have arranged a private showing. That doesn’t mean an open house has no value. It means sellers need to be realistic about the role of open houses in today’s market. 

There are practical considerations as well. During an open house, visitors may be in several rooms at once, and the agent cannot keep eyes on everyone. I take the security of a seller’s home and the safety of everyone involved seriously. A scheduled showing also gives me more opportunity to speak with the prospective buyer or their agent beforehand. 

So when does an open house make sense? For some homes and communities, a well-promoted event shortly after listing can create excitement. Direct mail to the neighborhood, thoughtful presentation, and food or refreshments can make it an occasion people talk about. It may introduce the home to a buyer, a neighbor with a friend who’s looking, or another agent. 

My approach is to decide based on the home, the community, and the likely buyer, not to hold open houses simply because they’ve always been done. I spend my time on the work most likely to help each seller: preparing and presenting the home well, making sure buyers can find it, responding to interest, and guiding the sale through to closing. 

Next month, I’ll share a closer look at how I market a home in Southwest Florida and how I tailor that plan to each property.