Can we talk about open houses being a waste of time in this market?

I read a post on here last week where someone said open houses are the best way to get buyers through the door. I gotta disagree hard. I listed my place in Bellevue back in March and had 5 open houses over 3 weekends. Total foot traffic was maybe 20 people and zero offers from them. But I got 3 serious buyers from private showings booked through my agent's network. The open houses just brought neighbors looking for decorating ideas and a couple tire kickers. Am I missing something or are open houses just a feel-good thing for sellers?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_robin1mo ago

but honestly I think you're missing something here. Open houses aren't really for selling your specific house right now. They're more for your agent to find new clients. Every neighbor who walks through is a potential future buyer or seller for them. Plus those tire kickers might not buy your place but maybe they know someone who will. The real value is in the private showings like you said, but open houses can still help with exposure if done right. I had a friend who sold a house to someone who came to an open house six months later after seeing it the first time.

lucasking1mo ago

Oh man, I had a buddy who did an open house every weekend for two months. Not one serious buyer came through. But the third weekend, this old couple showed up just to kill time, ended up loving the place, called their son who was house hunting, and he put in an offer that same week. So yeah, @the_robin, you're right that it's not always about the immediate sale. It's like planting a seed that might sprout six months later. Still drives me nuts standing around waiting for people who are just there for the free cookies though.