In today’s online world, people still want to see things in person before making a purchase decision, and buying a property is no different.
An open home remains one of the most important steps to getting an offer on a property and ultimately, getting a sale across the line.
Buyers want to experience the feel of a property, the smells, the light and just generally see how their lives could possibly fit into that home.
Understand the property and target market
Understanding the property that you have on your hands and the likely group of buyers that it will suit is the first step to understanding how to attract traffic to your open home.
A property that is clearly one for families will of course have a different target audience and messaging to those properties that are ripe for property investors.
Get the description right
Your description of the property should clearly target those who you believe will be the most interested buyers for the property and highlight the features that will appeal to them.
Trying to write a description that appeals to all, just in case, is likely to be vague and end up not appealing to any market.
Effective online advertising
While advertising through an online portal is an essential way to bring traffic from those who are actively looking for property, there are other things to consider.
If your budget allows, consider promoting your property on social media.
Not only on the agency’s page but also through advertising which allows you to target people in the area, who are interested in real estate and are within the age bracket of your target audience.
This type of technology can bring you great results which often far outweigh traditional marketing, such as in newspapers for example.
Touch base with active buyers in your database
Much of an agent’s job involves picking up a phone and calling people. Having a database of active buyers is a great place to start.
Having collected these contacts from previous open homes, it’s likely you’ve also learnt some information about the key elements they’re looking for in a property.
Be sure to mention to these in-market buyers exactly how this property can meet these needs and you’ll have a greater chance of seeing them at your open home.
It’s all in the timing
Consider the time of the open home.
You’ll have a pretty good idea from previous open homes and your colleagues about the time of day and day of the week that will see more traffic at your open home. Tailor this knowledge to the times you schedule.
Also, be open to one on one open homes, especially when they are from a buyer who is wanting to see the property a second time.
You’ll often find these buyers are more attentive and have a high interest in the property.
Be visible
Having the open home clearly visible to passers-by on the day is also important. It can be surprising the amount of drop ins you can receive from buyers out and about between other open homes.
The bottom line is that there is no wrong way to get people to an open home.
More often than not it will be a mixture of approaches – depending upon your local area and the property itself -which will see you gaining more traffic at your open home.
