Hosting an Open House for Another Agent – Get Paid to Show Houses

Table of Contents

1. How to Host an Open House for Another Agent
2. 9 Rules for Hosting Another Agent’s Open House
3. Do Realtors Get Paid for Open Houses?
4. Lead Follow up After an Open House
5. How do Open Houses Work for Buyers?
6. Do Real Estate Agents Get Paid Hourly?
7. Final Thoughts

How to Host an Open House for Another Agent

Newer agents can acquire experience, improve their brand, and meet new clients by hosting an open house on another agent’s listing. Experienced agents are frequently willing to assign an open house to a colleague.

For inexperienced agents, organizing an open house might be intimidating. Don’t worry; we’re here to assist you. From the initial request to nailing it on the day of the event, we’ll cover all you need to know about hosting an open house for another agent in this article.

9 Rules for Hosting Another Agent’s Open House

1. Represent well

Holding an open house for another agent automatically places you as a representative for the listing agent, the seller, and your brokerage’s brand, reputation, and goodwill. Regardless of the property’s location, it’s critical to appear confident and well-prepared. Know it, and own it.

Visitors should be able to tell who the real estate agent is as they walk in. Communication and engaging with others should be respectful and cordial with a professional undertone yet relaxed. As though you were hanging out with friends, be personable but not casual.

2. Understand comparables, the competition, and the neighborhood.

An open house host should be laser-focused and know everything there is to know about the home they are representing and the community, so they can confidently communicate information. This is more than just the amount of bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage, which anyone can look up. There are a few other things to keep in mind:

• The size of the property (with copies of the survey or plot plan available for reference).
• Who was the builder? (if it can be determined depending on the age of the home).
• Improvements and upgrades.
• Average utility expenses and property insurance costs.
• The average age of the home’s systems and structures.
• Understanding applicable homeowner’s association costs and community development district or fees (and what that entails), and any other special assessments unique to the area.
• The subdivision’s total number of houses (if applicable).
• What amenities are available in the neighborhood, and where you find them (if applicable).
• What schools are in close areas, ranging from preschools to colleges.
• The shops, restaurants, services, places of worship, businesses, hospitals, and other major attractions located in this area.
• A basic understanding of travel times to and from work, the airport, and other destinations.
• Commuter train stations, bus stops, public transportation, and other points of interest located in the area.

3. Preview the property

Every realtor hosting an open house should be familiar with the neighborhood’s active, under contract, and recently sold comparables. They should keep this knowledge on hand as a reference to converse intelligently with prospects.

They should know how the existing competition compares to the vacant property and what possibilities are available in the nearby neighborhood and neighboring towns, including new buildings.

The open house agent should be well-versed in a community’s average sold price, days on the market, and percentage of listing to sold pricing. They should also be aware of the most frequent types of financing in the area: conventional, VA, FHA, first-time homebuyer programs, or if cash transactions are common.

They should also be aware of available rentals and their going rates. This may be useful for prospects thinking about renting first and then buying if rental prices are greater than a mortgage payment.

4. Smile, and treat everyone as a potential buyer

If you can, preview the property you’re interested in and several others regarded as immediate competition ahead of time to ensure a successful open house.

If you are unfamiliar with the neighborhood or the surrounding region, you should drive around to get a sense of where everything is in relation to the house.

You never know who will show up at the open house. It could be the seller (who you may not have met) or a friend, neighbor, or family member sent to inquire about your progress. They could impersonate a potential client and “secret shop” you.

Take care. You should never assume that everything you say isn’t being recorded or sent to a third party. It’s possible to jeopardize the listing due to your remarks and conduct.

5. Make a list of talking points

Collaborate with the listing agent on the key aspects they want to discuss, and plan how to answer any potential property concerns based on their previous experience with the listing. If you’re being “secretly shopped,” this will help you avoid any embarrassing moments or awkward discussions.

Another agent’s open house is never the time to air your grievances about the house in public. Find a method to present it positively, even if it is overpriced or in a dated condition. Prospects are unapologetically critical while touring through a home, whether they are in the market to buy or not, and every house has positive and less-than-positive features.

6. Do not leave early

Nothing is more annoying than an open house host who turns off the lights 20 minutes before the event concludes.

Accept that you will likely need to stay past the end time. Individuals frequently stop by regardless of the scheduled timetable. There will always be stragglers, and that one individual could prove to be a potential client.

7. Make sure not to overstep your bounds

Even if you’re holding an open house to meet potential buyers, it’s possible that some of the people who come in have an agent with whom they’re working, or they inquire about the listing agent because they want to speak with them.

When it comes to other people’s consumers, respect those wishes and stay in your lane. There is enough work for everyone willing to put in the effort and persist in this field.

8. Follow up as soon as possible

Lead follow-up after an open house is essential. After the open house, give the listing agent immediate feedback on the number of individuals who came through and what you learned from the traffic regarding serious buyers, lookers, neighbors, and so on. You should communicate any comments based on your talks, interactions and questions answered.

9. Don’t expect anything

One of the most challenging aspects of open houses for a fresh agent to grasp is the chance of quick wins — a legitimate buyer or seller lead may be the exception rather than the rule.

Real estate is not an instant satisfaction business, and success is often achieved through procedures and processes. Consistency is crucial, and the more you put yourself out there and organize open houses, the more likely you are to develop a list of prospects with whom you can work.

Do realtors get paid to show houses?

If you’re wondering “how does a showing agent get paid” or “how do you pay a realtor to show your houses”, we’re here to help. If an agent is hosting a public open house with the possibility of generating business, they do not want or expect to be compensated. Usually, an hourly rate is agreed upon in advance if they see a client on another agent’s behalf.

However, if the other agent expects you to do a lot of work (including promoting the listing), you may be compensated with a flat fee. Unlike a referral, closing fees are rarely paid out as a percentage of the transaction. A one-time, flat-rate cost is more likely to win your approval.

Lead follow-up after an open house?

Most inexperienced agents have no idea how to write effective open house follow-up emails, and they either strive too hard or, even worse, throw them into a drip campaign. Giving prospects something they want and making it easy for them to acquire it from you is the key to sending follow-up emails that convert.

Here are five tips for writing an open house follow-up email:

1. Keep it brief

The length of your email is directly proportionate to your familiarity with your prospect. It’s good to keep it to five lines or less, especially if you don’t know the prospect well.

2. Personalize it

A hundred prefabricated, impersonal follow-up letters are considerably less effective than five personalized, high-quality follow-up letters. You may be able to personalize your follow-ups based on the talks you had at the open house, or you may need to delve a little more on Facebook.

3. Make it catchy

The subject line of your follow-up email should persuade your prospects to open the email. So it’s perfectly normal to devote most of your time to this.

4. Maintain a practical approach

You might as well not have sent the email at all if you don’t include a call to action (CTA) or a simple way for your prospects to contact you. Secure the first conversation—whether over the phone or in-person—and then let your charming salesmanship do the rest.

5. Keep it going

Instead of relying just on email, it’s always good to maintain a regular cadence of follow-ups via phone conversations and video chats. One of the worst things you can do if you want to create a relationship is to let it die in someone’s overloaded inbox.

How do open houses work for buyers?

While house hunting, you’ll need to step away from the online listings and see some properties in person, and attending open houses is a great way to do that.

However, if you’ve never attended an open house before, you’ll need guidance on the rules and how these events usually go. If you’ve asked yourself “can anyone go to an open house” the answer is: yes! Let’s take a look at what happens at an open home so you’ll be prepared.

1. Don’t expect to meet the sellers.

Typically, sellers do not attend their own open houses, and doing so is deemed impolite. Visitors should feel free to look around and imagine themselves in the space. However, you will get to meet the listing agent representing the property when you attend the open house.

2. Expect all kinds of visitors

By its very nature, an open house invites anyone and everyone to come in and look around. You may encounter curious passers-by, nosy neighbors, and some peepers, in addition to serious purchasers. On the bright side, if you’re apprehensive about dealing with the agent one-on-one the entire time, this relieves the burden.

3. Prepare to learn

Visiting an open house increases your confidence as a potential homebuyer and improves your ability to evaluate a home as an asset. Going to many open houses is like dating before you get married: you get to know the area, figure out what you’re looking for, and recognize a good deal when you see one.

4. Share information

Open houses usually contain a sign-in sheet, whether paper or electronic, so that the hosting agency can track how many people came and follow up with those interested.

You could also be asked about your price range, the kind of property you’re looking for (two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and so on), and whether or not you’re dealing with another realtor.

5. Take Notes

Open houses often have brochures with property details, such as square footage and features, but if you have a California king-size bed to move, you’re encouraged to scribble down notes and take measurements.

You’re also urged to perform little checks, such as turning on faucets to check for clear water, decent pressure, and that there’s no banging in the pipes. Same as you might have done before renting a house. There are a few more occasions when it’s acceptable to be nosy during an open house.

6. The agent can answer any questions

If you have any questions about the property, the hosting agent should be able to answer them.

Below are a few basic ones you can use:

• When was the house constructed?
• How long has the home been on the market?
• Why are the owners attempting to sell?
• How are the schools in the area?
• Is a disclosure statement available?
• Is anything included with the house?

7. Avoid bringing food, drinks, pets, and young children

Some hosting agents set out light snacks, but others don’t want to bother with cleaning up after visitors. It’s essential to consider the other guests while browsing. Having a small child or animal with you can distract those wanting to focus solely on the property.

8. Follow the house rules

An open house is still someone else’s home. You don’t have to wear a suit and tie, but don’t also wear old tank tops. You want to look the part as a potential buyer. Wear comfortable shoes for strolling around rooms and up and down stairs, but be prepared to remove them and walk around in socks if the current owner requests it.

Do real estate agents get paid hourly?

If you’re new to the real estate market or thinking about getting into it, you may be wondering how much do showing agents make?

Agents in the real estate industry do not earn money by the hour. Real estate agents are compensated based on the number of homes they sell, and there is a clear link between the number of hours worked and the amount of money earned.

Many part-time agents with real estate licenses will never sell a home. They do not devote time and effort to growing their real estate firm.

Those that make real estate their career and full-time job put in the time and effort necessary to develop a successful career as a real estate agent. These individuals will earn far more than the average real estate agent, who makes $38,067 per year.

Based on the average annual commission rate for agents, working in the real estate industry can be a lucrative career.

Final Thoughts

For decades, sellers and their agents have used open houses to stimulate interest in their properties. Open houses allow the general public to see a home without scheduling a private showing.

While open houses attract a lot of interested neighbors and casual browsers, they may also be an excellent way for serious buyers to assess whether or not a home is worth pursuing further and a means to gain a better sense of local home prices.