6 Reasons Open Houses Don’t Work Anymore

Greater Milwaukee Real Estate Podcast with Mike Roth

Do you really need an open house to sell your house? Actually, you don’t. There are six reasons why open houses don’t work anymore: 1. Only 1% of all buyers come from open houses. I’ve been in this business 37 years. I’ve done hundreds of open houses and I can count on my two hands the number of buyers that actually purchased a house they walked into during the open house. 2. You tend to get buyers who are just lookers, or looky-loos. You also get nosy neighbors who want to know what your house looks like, people looking for decorating ideas, or other neighbors who want to sell their home and want an idea of how to price it. 3. We can’t pre-qualify the buyers. Even if buyers go to the open house, they may not be able to afford it. They may not be ready to buy because their house isn’t on the market. You simply don’t get qualified buyers. “You don’t get qualified buyers at an open house.” 4. Most buyers are working with a professional Realtor. As a result, they will see your home by appointment. Showings are key. 5. Your home shows better online. We have our photographer take some great listing photos so buyers can see your home online without having to go to an open house. Your house often looks better in those pictures than in person. 6. It’s a passive method for selling your home. With an open house, you’re basically waiting for someone to show up and buy your home. Our real estate team uses an active marketing program. We are out there every day talking to buyers, other agents, and sellers who might need to buy a home to see if they want to buy a home like yours or if they know someone who does. If you want to sell your home, an open house is not necessary. You just need to show your home by appointment and make sure those buyers are pre-qualified. If you have any other questions about selling your home, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!