The Truth About OPEN HOUSES No Agents Want To Share With You (But I Will)
Open houses sound great in theory but the truth is, most buyers and sellers misunderstand what they actually do. Today, I’m sharing the real truth about open houses that most agents don’t talk about.
Truth #1: Open Houses Rarely Sell the Home
Most homes are not sold directly because of an open house. Many of the people coming into an open house are not true buyers. They are your nosy neighbors or people just wanting to check out the home. For those people who happen to be just driving by and see the signs, it is very rare that they will be ready to buy or even qualify for your price range and home.
The good news is Many buyers today find the open house online before they ever step foot inside. They’ve seen the photos, checked the prices, the neighborhood, the schools. This can give buyers a chance to walk through without pressure, get a feel for the space, and decide if it’s worth taking the next step. And for sellers, they create visibility and activity which can help but it’s rarely the direct reason a home sale.
Truth #2: Open Houses Are Often About Meeting Buyers
Here’s something most agents don’t say out loud open houses are often more about meeting buyers not just selling your specific home.
My son just joined me in real estate last year. I am having him do open houses to connect with people and hopefully buyers who don’t already have representation. And honestly? That’s not a bad thing. Everyone must meet clients somehow. The problem is when sellers aren’t told that upfront and think the open house is only about selling their home.
As a seller, you deserve to understand the real purpose before agreeing to one. An open house can absolutely help with exposure, feedback, and buzz for your home, but it’s also a tool agents use to build relationships with future buyers.
I always believe in being transparent. When my clients know why we’re doing something, they can decide if it makes sense for their goals. There are a lot of tools we use to market and provide exposure for our listings. Open houses just one of them and they can still be valuable I just want sellers going in with eyes wide open and no surprises.
Truth #3: Open Houses Can Help in Certain Situations
Now, here’s where I want to be clear, open houses aren’t useless. They can actually work really well in certain situations.
For example, I’ve sold several homes in Sun City Anthem where the buyer did come directly from the open house. That community is age-restricted, the buyers usually already know the area, many are cash or very well qualified, and they specifically watch for homes with views. When the right home hits the market, they show up.
Open houses also tend to work better for:
• Unique homes or properties with standout features
• Homes in high-traffic neighborhoods where lots of people are already driving by
• Brand-new listings that need visibility and momentum
In those cases, an open house can create buzz and get the right eyes on the home quickly. But and this part matters they’re still not a magic solution. They work best when they’re part of a bigger strategy, not the entire plan. I see a lot of agents that use open houses to appease the seller that they are doing something. I always look at the home, the location, and the buyer pool before recommending one. We have a lot of other tools and marketing to bring exposure and buyers to the home for our listings.
Truth #4: There Are Downsides Sellers Should Know
Open houses aren’t all upside, and I think it’s only fair to talk about the downsides too.
First, there’s privacy. You’re opening your home to people you don’t know, and most of the people are not serious buyers. You’ll also get curious neighbors and people who are “just looking.” That’s normal, but it can be frustrating if you’re expecting only motivated buyers to come through.
Along with that comes security concerns. We have no easy way to prequalify people that walk through the door. It is important to prepare by removing valuables, and having the right agent hosting really matters.
Truth #5: Strategy Matters More Than Tradition
Open houses should be high-impact and intentional, not automatic. High-impact open house’s include promoting it on social media, boosting the post to real buyers, email and mail campaigns, calling our active buyer list, and yes even door knocking the neighborhood to personally invite people.
What truly drives results is the full strategy, pricing the home correctly from the start, launching with strong marketing, great photos, online exposure, and timing everything to match buyer behavior. An open house can be one piece of that puzzle, but it should never be the only plan.
I’ve seen homes with tons of foot traffic and no offers… and others with very few showings that sell quickly because everything else was done right. The difference is strategy.
That’s why strategy always matters more than tradition and why one tactic alone is never enough.
So, what’s the real truth about open houses? They’re not useless, but they’re also not the selling tool most people think they are. The key is knowing when they make sense and when they don’t. If you’re thinking about selling and want a strategy that actually fits your home and your goals, we would love to help!
