An open house is one of the few times strangers walk through a door to meet you in person. Too many agents treat it as a chore: unlock, sit at the kitchen counter, collect a few names, go home. An Amazing Open House works for your seller, your buyers and your business all at once.
Before: invite the neighbors first
Neighbors are your best visitors. Many are curious about values, and some are quietly thinking about selling. A few days before, knock on doors or leave a personal invitation for a private “neighbors’ preview” half an hour before the public open house. You’ll meet future sellers, and your seller will see you working.
- Know the home cold: updates, utility costs, taxes, school district, commute
- Bring recent comparable sales and a short list of similar homes for sale
- Prepare a one-page feature sheet and a local information sheet about the town
- Arrive early: lights on, temperature comfortable, signs out, and the home smelling fresh
During: stand up and start conversations
Greet every visitor at the door, give a short welcome, then let them explore. Catch them again in the kitchen or on the way out with open questions, not a pitch:
- “What brings you out today?”
- “How does this one compare to others you’ve seen?”
- “Do you have a home you’d need to sell first?” (That’s how you find sellers.)
- For neighbors: “Have you thought about what your home might be worth in this market?”
Offer something genuinely useful in exchange for contact information: a list of upcoming open houses, a town guide, or a home value review.
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After: the 48-hour follow-up
- Same day: a short text or email to every visitor thanking them and sending what you promised.
- Same day: a report to your seller with the number of groups, feedback and your plan. Sellers who hear from you stay sellers.
- Within 48 hours: a phone call to every serious buyer and every neighbor who asked about value.
- Ongoing: add everyone to your system with a note about what they want, and stay in touch.
Why this wins listings
Every neighbor who watched you work becomes a potential seller who has already seen your marketing. Every seller who gets a professional report after each open house tells their friends. That’s how one open house turns into your next listing, and the one after that.
Open houses are one piece of my Five-Star Listing Program, a complete system that covers listing preparation, presentation follow-up, marketing, vendor and neighborhood programs and more.
Open house checklist
- ☐ Neighbor invitations delivered 3–5 days before
- ☐ Feature sheet, comps and local information ready
- ☐ Three conversation questions memorized
- ☐ A useful offer for every visitor
- ☐ Same-day seller report sent
- ☐ Every visitor followed up within 48 hours
Every agent’s business is different. For a more in-depth discussion about yours, call or text Rose at 781-248-6069.
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I’ve spent 30+ years in this business: listing and selling homes, leading 31+ offices as CEO, Regional VP and VP of Sales, and coaching thousands of agents to do it at the next level. I still list and sell today. I do what I teach, and I teach what I do.
Every agent I coach gets an individualized plan, built around your market, your goals and where you are right now.
- Call or text: 781-248-6069
- Meet on Zoom, from any state
- In person: one-on-one, or at your office or sales meeting
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Rosemary Kelleher, Realtor®
Helping People Make Smart Moves in Real Estate for 30 Years
Founder, ELEVATE! Sales, Training & Coaching
Direct/Text: 781-248-6069 · roseterrykell@gmail.com