Open houses, open doors: Converting walkthroughs into leads

According to Louis Carr Real Estate licensee, Jennifer Carr, to convert an open house into sales, agents will need to create an experience, focusing on a presentation that is memorable for buyers.

She said that through open houses, agents will also build relationships, helping them create a proactive database that they can leverage through consistent follow-up.

Begin with presentation

According to Carr, first impressions have long-lasting effects, making it crucial for agents to think about the staging process and have a thorough understanding of the property.

Carr said agents should take their time to assess the property and advise their clients on how they can best present the home, including renovations or touch-ups ahead of the inspection.

“We don’t skimp on it and say to vendors, ‘let’s just bring it to the market as it is’. We have the vendors’ best interests at heart, and we want them to get the best price,” she told REB.

She said that agents need to remember that properties are often sellers’ biggest assets, and that getting the presentation right from the start will save time and money in the long run.

“I love a vendor to know that at least if they present a home well, then you have peace of mind that you’ve done all you can.”

“So then you’re bringing it to market looking at its best, which in turn means you’ll have beautiful photography.”

Actively engage with buyers

After attracting activity through staging and photography, Carr said agents should engage with buyers during open houses to form relationships and make them feel comfortable.

To build a connection, she said that property professionals can open a friendly conversation about the buyer’s search and what they were looking for, thereby building trust.

“[Ask], ‘how are you feeling about the process? Have you seen a house that you’ve liked? How many houses have you seen? Well, you must be feeling almost like you’ve seen enough’,” she said.

“When it comes to the crucial point of a buyer making you an offer and potentially negotiating at a price, if there’s a level of trust, it’s a good place to be.”

In addition to being proactive in speaking with buyers, she said agents should also make visitors feel comfortable by using open body language.

“[Some buyers] go to open homes, the agents are on their phones, they’re not focused, they’re not talking to them.”

“If they’re sitting there, judgmental of you as an agent, they’re never going to be comfortable and the best that they can be in their communication.”

Form a database

Aside from forming connections with potential buyers, Carr said agents should use open houses to build their database and generate leads for future properties.

“We just say, ‘oh, you’re new to the area, we haven’t met you. Let’s just grab some details’. And 99.9 per cent of people are happy to give them.”

Carr said that, given that a database enabled regular communication with buyers, it was critical for agents to keep it organised and up to date.

“Everything about attracting the right people to a property is, it is all structured if you do your job as an agent and follow up your buyers and keep your database properly serviced with the correct information on a regular basis.”

She also said that, with a proper database, agents can generate future leads for off-market properties by informing buyers about new homes before they go to market.

“A lot of people go, ‘Yeah, sure, here’s my email’. So they weren’t prepared to give it to you at first, but once you explain why, if they’re a genuine buyer, they’re happy to take it on.”

Promptly follow up

After developing their database, Carr said it was then essential for agents to follow up with potential buyers to generate sales.

She said agents needed to listen to their contacts’ concerns about the property, ask clarifying questions, and show them comparables to help them understand their options.

“It’s your job to listen to them and make sure they’ve gotten to a point where they feel comfortable understanding a market.”

According to Carr, if a buyer does not initially contact an agent after an open house, they are probably not interested, but could be looking for similar properties in the area.

“It’s called referring – you get a lead for a particular property and then cross-reference - you’ve got information about them, what they’re looking for, and then you refer them to other properties.”

“If you are doing your job as a real estate agent, you’re never going to sell them that one house out of that one call. People look at many homes before they buy,” she concluded.