Open house

[snoozybear]

Long term lurker, first post just looking for advice.

We're putting our house on the market this week and I'm keen to do an open house, it's out of the norm for our area but my feelings are 'getting all over and done with' I mentioned this to our EA and she was really against it, says it rarely works people would rather book an appointment to view just for themselves (which me personally would rather view open house as it not as bluddie awkward!) she agreed with me in the end after telling me all the cons and said she'd ring back after she's spoke to colleague to sort the details.
I never heard anything back so I checked my emails and had an 11th hour email of 'can you call the office tomorrow regards open house' I have a feeling it's to put me off doing it, again.

So my question really is have you done one and if so would you recommend, Would you go to an advertised one and if you haven't done one would you consider it?

[bilbodog]

Open houses only work in places when the market is mad and you are going to get a lot of people coming round. Depending on where you are the market is not good at the moment so i think you would be lucky to get 3 people coming round. The other time they are used is when a property is not selling and the agents are trying to drum up interest, generally out of nowhere. Just put it on the market as normal. Might be a good idea to wait until after the election as this always cools things down.

[Ditsy1980]

In my previous flat my landlord was selling. She did an open house, made a big thing of it, it was 10-4 one Saturday and not a single person showed up!

It totally depends on the market in your area. is your street high demand? How often do properties in your area go up for sale? Are you in catchment area for good schools?

I'd be inclined to go with the EA advice, they know the market and selling potential better.

[StressedMover]

Open houses don't work where I am. I live half an hour outside London proper. I tried and failed- only 2 people viewed

It would be a different story if I was close to tube or main line station. My Brother had an open house and lives only 10 miles from me, he had 27 viewings- and accepted £20,000 over asking!

Although the logistics are easy it sounds unlikely you will get much interest.

[RuskBaby]

We brought after viewing at open house, if the market calls for it we would sell with an open house but trust your agent it is what you are paying them for.

[StripyBlanket]

I get put off open houses where you have to register and make an appointment. Seems completely against the whole idea of an open house

[Astro55]

We had an offer in on one house then viewed an open house - I wouldn't have booked as it looked bad online - but DH said we should go in on spec - and brought it -

I don't see any issue

[RandomlyGenerated]

I'm another one that doesn't get the "open house by appointment only" thing - an open house is to draw in people passing by that might not think about booking a viewing otherwise. In the US they put out signs and balloons and homeowners lay on refreshments to make it more welcoming and informal.

[StressedMover]

The open house appointment by viewing is for security reasons- in all seriousness you can't have any Tom, Dick or Harry roaming about! Saying that I don't know how well vetted usual viewers are either....

[snoozybear]

So going with the majority, no then lol.
I just thought 'what do we have to lose' but my OH isn't to keen with people wandering round when we aren't there.

[justdontevenfuckingstart]

Mum did an open house for nana's bungalow but I assume you had to register as she knew 11 people were coming. Got an offer over sale price.
Very desirable property tho. I think mum just wanted it to be easy as possible. Worked in this situation.

[StressedMover]

The idea of getting it done in one go is great, but if the market in your area is slow it's unlikely to happen.

We were on the market for 4 months last year- 1 open day with only 2 viewers that couldn't afford our house and then maybe 2 more normal viewings. One of those was interested in buying but then the samemerry go round- we pulled the house off the market and they sold 6 months later!

Fast forward to now, 3 viewings and sold. The market our way is strange! Cross fingers all goes smoothly.

[snoozybear]

There doesn't seem much on the market our end at the min, we check everyday, like most people buying and selling I suppose, nothing at all as been added in 7 days!

[RandomlyGenerated]

Well it's not a true "open house" if you have to book - it's just for owners and EA's convenience to get as many viewings in a single day. You can get round the security issue by having viewers sign in with their details and surely you have valuables locked away during any viewings? We've booked numerous viewings and have only been asked for name / email / phone etc, never vetted on whether we could afford what we planned to view.

[snoozybear]

I don't know how the EA would play it in the sense of appointment/no appointment we haven't spoke about about that yet, but I agree, it isn't a true open house with an appointment.
I'm ringing them today to see what they thing/suggest.

[anon1987]

It really depends on your property and how the market it.
My partner runs an estate agents and he does open days, some times nobody turns up other times 10 people turn up all putting offers In.

It's a good way to put people under pressure to pay the asking price and it gets things over and done with without too much disturbance for you and the agent.

My auntie sold her house in a day via an open house and it literally went on the market a few days before.