Here's how to host an open house

Planning for Open Houses

Here are a few recommendations to ensure that your event is unforgettable that will have your employees and clients talking for months to come:

Set a date and adhere to it. This may appear simple, but you require a strict deadline to drive and keep you on track. Make it reasonable; depending on the size and breadth of your event, planning may take a few weeks, months, or even a year. You'll be sending open house invites, email blasts, brochures, postcards and other promotional materials to promote the date. Avoid setting yourself up for failure.

Create a budget. Expenses associated with the event rapidly accumulate. Ascertain that the budget is reasonable and allows for occasional overruns.

Hire help. Food and beverage providers and entertainment will be required to keep your visitors entertained and satiated during your gatherings. You may even require bartenders, parking attendants and an open house planner to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Tips for Open House

If you've committed to holding open houses, below are some recommendations to ensure that your experience is as productive as possible:

Make it exciting. Understand your consumer, your budget and the audience you wish to attract and design an enjoyable and engaging event for them. If someone comes to the event and all eyes are on them, it turns the encounter into a painful one rather than a pleasant one. Consider the vibe.

Create an experience out of it. Fill it with various food and entertainment options to ensure that it is more than just a home tour. You may hire a food truck or host contests where entrants can win prizes.

Distribute open house invites to the individuals you wish to invite. These can be digital and distributed via social media or actual invites addressed to their home. Video invites are an option and are thriving.

Virtual Open House

As with any open house, you want yours to be seen and attract a diverse group of home buyers. The same considerations for a successful in-person event must be made to execute successful virtual open houses.

The following is a checklist for virtual open houses:

Pick the best platform. Many real estate professionals know that video conferencing has a few drawbacks. Choosing the right platform for the event is critical to its success. For example, you can hire a cameraperson to create a video of the tour or conduct a live virtual tour using your smartphone and a video streaming platform, such as Facebook Live, which allows the audience to participate in real-time. Before advertising the house tour date, conduct research and analysis to determine which choice is the greatest fit for you and prospective buyers.

Spread the word. Early promotion is critical for attracting the eager customers required for successful virtual open house. As a Neighborhood Sponsor, you will have the ability to post property listings, advertise and interact with area buyers.

Have a tech rehearsal. In theatre, there are two types of rehearsals: dress rehearsals, during which the cast dons costumes and runs the entire show before the audience fills the seats, and tech rehearsals, during which any lighting, music, or sound effects mishaps are worked out before curtain call.

Take the same technique by testing tech equipment, whether it is an iPad, a mobile device, or a video camera, before going live to avoid technical difficulties. For practice, walk your family or friends through your pitch.

Consider 360-degree photos. Many smartphones and recording devices allow for 360-degree images. This can be a selling point because it enables a prospective buyer to feel a space without physically being there. Consider the option of including a 360-degree image in the static video.

Best time for an Open House

Typically, open houses occur on weekends, mainly during the warmer months. When it comes to the best time of day to have an open house, industry professionals agree that the afternoon is the optimal period. To be more precise, the best time frame will be in the afternoon, say 1 PM-4 PM, on the weekend rather than on a weekday.