What To Do DURING Your Open House!
Before anyone arrives go through the entire home and turn on all the lights, ceiling fans, fireplaces (if applicable), and ALL! If it has a switch turn it on (unless it is marked DO NOT TURN ON or you were told not to). Also, open all the shades/blinds in the home to make it more inviting and full of natural light. If the weather is appropriate you should also open up the windows and get a nice calming breeze going through the home! The main idea here is to make your home appear as the model homes do when you go and view them. AND DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THE TEMPERATURE!!!
Straighten it Up!
As soon as you get to the home (as you are turning on the lights), go through each room and make sure each room is presentable and in good showing shape! It is not uncommon to find some of your sellers slacking with leaving out clothes, shoes, jackets, hats, dishes, etc. If you see some things are out that shouldn't be, simply put them away or out of sight (you may have to get creative). Now I know the picture looks like you actually have to scrub their floors, but that is pushing it a little too far! The main idea here is that you want to make it show its best and besides that, NO ONE WANTS TO BUY A "DIRTY" HOUSE!
Sign In Sheet! 
Make sure that you have a sign in sheet for your open house (my broker actually has pre-printed colored ones made up for us to use). On the sign in sheet you want to make sure all of the important contact information about the people who visit is on it. Make certain at a minimum that you have their: Name(s), Address, Phone Number(s), Email Address(es), How they found out about the open (drive by, internet, paper ad, etc), and if they are working with another agent! If they say they are working with another agent, have them write in their agents name!
Before anyone gets there, I always fill out a bogus name or two at the top with all of the required information so people feel like they have to fill it in too and don't feel like they were the only ones who came to the open house that day (unless someone is there when I get there to open it up)! Make sure you tell everyone that the seller is requesting that EVERYONE sign in who attends (only one person per couple is needed) so they know who was in their home. Make sure you can read what they write. If you can't, ask them what it says and correct it so you can read it (Remember, these are your leads and you need to be able to read them)!
Greet & Go!
As people arrive, greet them and get them to sign in. Tell them to make themselves "AT HOME" and to feel free to ask if they have any questions. Also, tell them you would like to get some feedback from them before they leave. Then LET THEM GO! No one likes to walk around a house with someone following them (unless they ask you to do that). While they are going through the home, look over the sign in sheet and make sure they filled out all of the information that you will need to follow up with them. If they didn't give you all of their information, before they leave, while you are getting their feedback, ask them for the information you were missing. The worst that can happen here is they say "sorry, we would rather not give out our personal information!" If this is the case, DO NOT BE PUSHY, they probably were not serious prospects anyway and even if they would have provided their information they probably would have lied!
However, DON'T LET THEM GO YET! Even if they clearly were not interested in the home (as most of them will not be), ask them what exactly are they looking for and write down what they tell you! Ask them if they would like you to email them everything on the market that meets their needs or perhaps set them up with an automatic email update search that will email them ALL of the daily listings as soon as they come onto the market! If they say yes, but never gave you their email address in the beginning, now is the time they might! Most agents don't do this at all and just by asking them these FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS you will get a good feel if they are serious or not!
STAY TUNED FOR PART III (Next Sunday!) AND A SPECIAL BONUS LIST OF MUST HAVE OPEN HOUSE ITEMS!
PART III will cover "What to do AFTER Your Open House!"
And if you missed PART I "What to do BEFORE Your Open House!" Check it out here on MY BLOG!
Michael D. Klijanowicz
Multi-Million Dollar REALTOR®
Long & Foster Perry Hall
(410) 529-1900 X 3158 Office
(410) 236-3331 Cell
http://www.isellmdhomes.com/
Serving Buyers & Sellers in the
Greater Baltimore & Harford County Metropolitan Areas
Great article, I achieved over $500,000 a year in commission income and most of my business was at Open Houses capturing buyers and sellers.
I added my system on my website FREE to you if you want to review it. You will love it
www.BrettNoel.com
Brett Noel / Success Coach " Creating Millioanires, One agent at a time"
Great points - you can't always rely on the home being at it's show best!
I've been sitting open houses for other agents a lot and tend to follow visitors around the house, pointing out any features that might not be obvious. I feel responsible for protecting the owner's property, plus it allows me more time to ask questions of the visitors and get to know where they are at in the home search process. I do try not to just breath down their neck while they are looking; I will stand in the hallway while they go into bedrooms, for example.
Great List, I have some things I do as a Mortgage Person to help a Realtor capture leads at open houses. I provide free audio cds on credit scoring if house will be targeting first time home buyers and equity management if house is targeting move up buyers. People get the free CD for signing the register book and providing all of their info. If you want to know more, please feel free to contact me.
John Thomas - Citizens Lending Group - http://www.DelawareMortgageLoans.net
Hi Brett..great tips...just one comment about the "let them go part"..Both my broker and many of my sellers require that we accompany all people through the home being shown. There are many legal ramifications that apply and we have had issues with items being taken from homes during an open house..Have you run into any problems like that? Feedback would be great..THANKS