Open House Etiquette

When a Seller puts his home on the market for sale, one of the ways he and his Realtor may decide to expose the home to potential Buyers is by hosting an Open House.

The primary purpose of an Open House is to allow at a scheduled time (usually 1.5 to 2 hrs) any and all visitors who may have an interest, to view the home.

In order to make your Open House visits positive and effective, there are a few important facts for you to know:

  1. The Realtor hosting the Open House may or may not be the Lister of the property.
  2. Upon entering the home, you will be asked to sign an OPEN HOUSE REGISTER.  This OPEN HOUSE REGISTER is to record for the Seller the people who were in the home.  Please feel free to sign your name and provide whatever other information is requested.
  3. The OPEN HOUSE REGISTER gives you an opportunity to ask for follow-up if you are interested, or to place the name of the Realtor you are already working with, as the appropriate contact person.  If you place the name of your Agent on the OPEN HOUSE REGISTER, that is an indication to the hosting Realtor that there is no need to follow up with you.  You are already working with a Realtor.
  4. The job of the Realtor is to provide you information on the home, offer you a tour, and answer any questions you may have.
  5. Upon completion of your visit, the Realtor may ask for feedback.  Your assessment of the condition, price, appropriateness for your needs, etc. is the type of feedback appreciated.

These are just a few of the TIPS you need to know when planning to visit Open Houses.  Please Contact Us for additional TIPS to make your Buying Experience a positive one!