If you really stop to dwell on it, there’s something quite strange about open houses. You leave your home- with all your memories and your toys and that open Gatorade bottle in the back of the fridge- in the care of a real estate agent that you may not have ever met or seen or whose name you know, so strangers can walk through your house for a few hours and judge how you live. If you’re fortunate enough to not live in the house anymore by the time it’s for sale, there’s at least some detachment and also no risk of people going through your medicine cabinet. For many though, it requires a deep breath and a leap of faith before handing off the keys, and a firm belief that the ends justify the means.
By my count I’ve hosted about three dozen open houses, everything from bare-bones fixer-uppers to fully pimped-out million dollar-plus (no, Californians, that’s not a tear-down here) spreads. I bring a portable speaker and have a Spotify playlist for open houses (rockin’ with Dokken), and the trunk of my car has a folding chair, a broom, extra booties, a roll of paper towels, and some cleaning spray. I’m a ninja when darting into traffic to set up and pick up signs, and have learned the hard way not to point those signs directly toward someone else’s front door. I’m also good friends with Björksta here, who graces the walls of many a staged home.
I realize that visiting an open house can be anxiety-inducing for some, which is the point of this post. Walking into a house that’s not yours and possibly being the only one there aside from a Realtor would raise my social anxiety, once upon a time. This holds particularly true if you’re not really there to buy a house, but you just wanted to see how the Jones’s down the street decorated their bedroom. And that’s all OK. Wherever you are in the house-hunting game, consider this your clickbaity “What You Need to Know When Visiting an Open House” guide.
First off, let’s talk about you. In my experience, most open house visitors typically fall into one of these categories:
“Just Looking.”
Please believe me when I tell you this, but Realtors do not mind having looky-loos come by. Neighbors are welcome, and personally I enjoy talking to them because you often get some good intel about the neighborhood, which I can then pass along to others as if I knew it all along. There is no shame in the looky-loo game, unless you’re the Karen next door who marches in ten minutes before the open and announces that you’re looking for food- because open houses sometimes have food- and then leave in a huff when there isn’t any. This happened.
The Newcomers
All fresh and rosy, those that have just started looking come by brimming with hope. This is the stage of house-hunting in which the world is your oyster, and you won’t settle for anything less than exactly what you want. It’s a wonderful stage to be in so enjoy it while it lasts. What you don’t know yet is that the house you’re standing in, which you think is nice but you don’t really like that particular shade of paint in the bathroom, is going to be under contract by Tuesday for 20% over the list price after getting 18 offers. You’ll get there, but the ride might be bumpy.
The Veterans
They’ve seen some things. There is some distance between the newcomers and the veteran shoppers, but these days it’s a short trip. This group studies listing photos on Zillow like they’re the Zapruder film and won’t click on a listing that doesn’t have a Matterport, and they can spot busted chimney flashing from six houses away. There’s some chance that they still haven’t given up on finding that unicorn the way the newcomers want, but it’s more likely they’re now acutely aware that houses built in the last five years generally don’t have space to build a barn. They come into open houses asking questions like “how many offers are in hand and is there a deadline” before they even go upstairs. They are not messing around, since they have three more open houses to hit today.
So what can a Realtor like myself teach those who are apprehensive about this part of the process? Some tips:
- Don’t be afraid to pop in to whatever open house you want to, and you don’t need to justify your attendance. It’s an OPEN house, and you’re free to visit even if you aren’t ready to buy that house or any house. You’re not wasting my time and I’m not judging you. Also, just walk in. No need to ring the doorbell and wait for me to answer. I know that flies in the face of social convention, but like I said at the top, open houses are kind of strange for everyone.
- There are plenty of questions the Realtor hosting (who may or may not be the listing agent) should be able to answer. When was the house built, how old is the roof, where’s the closest McMenamin’s, etc. If the Realtor knows what type of insulation is in the attic, or when trash day is, or whether the house has PVC or CPVC piping (all questions I’ve been asked), that’s someone who woke up early.
- If you bring your own agent with you (and you should! Who gave them the day off?), that agent might ask the host a handful of stumpers to attempt to throw them off and look smart in front of you. All in the game. Bring it.
- If you don’t have a buyer’s agent that’s fine, but don’t lie and say you do. I get the defense mechanism that kicks in when the open house host is asking, it’s not all that different than telling the guy hitting on you that you have a boyfriend. What’s your plan though for the follow-up question of “who is your agent, maybe I know them?” If you’re stumbling around and answer Art Vandelay with Flurgeren Realty, the jig is up.
- More to that last point. It isn’t a secret but perhaps it isn’t a well-known fact to everyone, but the Realtor is there for two reasons: to sell the house, and to pick up new clients. These days, unrepresented buyers are about as rare as single-story new construction, but open houses are a good way for those just starting their search to vet potential buyer agents. Just ask them what type of insulation is in the attic.
- I’m terribly sorry but because of “All This” (waves hands around), I’m not offering snacks at my open houses. Keep your mask on. I’m actually not terribly sorry at all because I believe, fellow Americans, that we CAN go ten minutes without cramming anything into our faceholes. Hungry? Great. Allow me to direct you to the nearest McMenamin’s.
- Sign-in sheets. Some use them, but I don’t. Different strokes, that’s all. Feel free to write in art.vandelay@compuserve.net if they want you to sign in but you’re not comfortable with it. Also, if they tell you the sign-in sheet is for COVID contact-tracing…NAH.
- Yes, you can park in the driveway.
- Don’t ask to use the bathroom. Other than just being poor form, neither you nor the host may know that the toilet doesn’t flush or the water has been turned off, and these are not surprises I wish to leave for the homeowner.
- It’s fine if you show up right before closing time. It’s not a restaurant, you’re not keeping the kitchen staff from closing up while you decide what you want. It’s just me, and I’ve got the time.
- Don’t sit on the beds, they might not be real.
I quite enjoy hosting open houses, and sign up for as many of them as I can. It sure beats cold calling. By some miracle, I’ve grown comfortable standing in someone else’s kitchen talking to strangers about all their hopes and dreams. While wearing two masks and no shoes. For you, the house hunter, it should be a fun part of the experience. You never quite know what you’re going to encounter, and the moment you step into a house and feel that rush of knowing it’s everything you’ve been looking for is pretty special. Or at least 80% of what you’re looking for, let’s stay realistic.
Hopefully these tips will be of help to you. I’ll see you on Saturday from 1-4pm, and please use the bathroom elsewhere before you arrive.
About me: I am a licensed Realtor in the state of Oregon. For business inquiries I can be emailed at eli.cotham@eleetere.com or found on the web at eliknowsrealestate.com.
