TURN OPEN HOUSES

Turn Open Houses into Destinations

People are busy. Even those who are actively looking to buy a house or want to learn about the market for a future purpose have busy schedules. But with bit of added time, creativity and investment in making open house into destinations, you’ll see greater turnout. And we all know that greater turnout increases the likelihood of offers.

There are several creative ways to hold an open house with a mindset of hospitality and with the goal of providing something of value to each person who attends.

The neighbors-only open house

Some agents embrace the “nosy neighbor” concept as a benefit, not an eye-rolling challenge. With his client’s permission, Wesley Peters, a Keller Williams broker in the Baltimore Metro Area, often gets the neighbors together before a home hits the market. “We invite other brokers, too, but we include as many neighbors as we can,” he says, explaining that he schedules these events for a Thursday or Friday evening, happy hour-style, rather than midday on a Sunday. They get a better turnout at 5:00 pm than

midday on a weekend when the neighbors are busy with their lives. In a relaxed setting, conversations flow, neighbors can mingle and catch up, and the buzz begins before the home is listed. In advance, prepare invitations and hand-deliver them to homes on the streets you and your client agree are best to include. The destination is the event; the value each attendee receives is the social interaction and the removal of any awkwardness over visiting their neighbor’s house. Your client’s benefit is the buzz.

A turnkey block party any time of year

Once a property is listed, some agents take on the role of party planners. Certain streets or neighborhoods, they find, are perfect for lowkey social occasions. In some place, such as neighborhoods with many young families, a bounce-house or games may even ramp up the fun factor. But the idea of a seemingly spontaneous block party during an open house can be easy to pull off, whether you’re serving lemonade and cookies or coffee and pastries. The chance to meet prospective neighbors turns the event into a destination for both buyers and the neighbors; the value comes in buyers’ ability to see how the neighbors interact. Your seller’s benefit is that the grapevine will be filled with happy stories about their home. Tips: By keeping basic supplies in storage, you’ll be ready for a pop-up block party any time. Promote this type of event with targeted social media marketing and fliers or postcards to communities within a short distance of your listing.

Invite other professionals

It’s common mortgage lenders to attend open houses. But why not provide even more value to people who attend? Chances are, you have more than a handful of professional partners who welcome an opportunity to join you at your open house. Consider inviting an interior designer, a contractor, a gardener, even a gardener or a painter. Invite them to your broker’s open in advance or give them time to view the property before the open house begins. Then encourage them to stroll the property during the open house or to sit with you. When visitors ask about needs or concerns they may have about the house – such as loan questions, the cost of improvements or upgrades or even remodeling – you’ll be able to introduce them to an expert on the spot. For that matter, your invited pros don’t even necessarily have to be in home-related businesses! Prospective buyers always want to know about the community when visiting open houses. Consider inviting representatives of community

organizations, like youth sports group or owners of mom-and-pop retailers to help your visitors get a feel for the neighborhood or town. For this type of open-house, prepare a flyer or card with your community contacts on it so visitors can leave with resources as well as information.

Open house should be about the buzz. They’re about creating a conversation about your listing and making the home memorable to visitors. By giving people a unique experience they won’t forget, you’ll show your sellers how creative you are in meeting their needs.

STEPHANIE SIMMONS

“Every home is different. Every client is different,” says Stephanie Simmons, a top agent in her first year as an independent REALTOR®. “You can’t ever look at it as selling a house. Real estate is about the people. Every person who is buying or selling their home is doing it for a different reason. They’re all in a different season of their lives.”

Stephanie works out of the great state of Texas and services the greater Fort Worth and Johnson County area. Though her independent business is only a year old, Stephanie has been in real estate for the past five years. She was looking for a change, and she decided that real estate might be a good fit. Both Stephanie and her clients are happy that she gave it a shot.

“Pretty much 100% of my business comes from repeat and referral clients,” says Stephanie. She credits her personable attitude for their loyalty. She explains, “I treat them as people and not as a transaction. I haven’t had to pay for leads as people trust me to take care of their family and friends that they refer to me!”

When it comes to staying in touch and marketing her listings, Stephanie is a big supporter of social media. “The more eyes that see the listing, the better it is for my clients,” she says. She also likes adding a personal touch to her closings by sending follow-up gifts.

When asked what sets her apart from other agents in her area, Stephanie explains that it comes down to the diverse network of contacts that she has built. “I know everyone from successful business owners to those who might be struggling to pay rent,” she says. “I’m able to connect with people at all levels of life. It doesn’t matter if they’re making nothing and trying to save to buy their first home or buying their fifth home. They all get the same level of service from me.”

Stephanie loves getting involved in her community. She has been a member of her local Lions Club for the past three years. Throughout that time, she has served as an executive vice president and headed up several fundraisers. The Lions Club provides eyeglasses for children in need. This is especially near and dear to Stephanie’s heart as she was once one of those children.

Outside of work and giving back to her community, Stephanie loves to spend time with her husband and children. She also enjoys taking time for self-care. “I like to pamper myself!” she says, laughing. “Massages, pedicures, facials. You name it, and I’m all about it!”

Looking to the future, Stephanie plans to grow her business. 2020 was a great year for her. By the end of December, she will have done nearly twice the business that she planned. “This year has been really eye-opening. It’s exciting, and I didn’t anticipate it!” she says. “Everyone’s asking me what my goal is for next year, and I don’t know. I would’ve liked to have done next year what I did this year. God has been very good to me and led me on this journey.”

Mostly, Stephanie is excited to grow her team in order to provide her high-quality service to as many people as possible. She says, “When you buy or sell with me, I will always keep your best interests at heart.”

For more about Stephanie Simmons, email stephaniesimmonsrealtor@gmail.com, call 682-702-6664 or visit www.stephaniesimmons.fathomrealty.com

SEAN STEIMER

Sean Steimer is a third generation Realtor, and a third generation Arizonian. The Steimer family began selling real estate in the Phoenix, AZ metro area in the mid-70’s. “It was my grandfather and grandmother in the beginning, then my dad and uncle got into the business in the 80s, and now my sister and I are in the business, too,” he said. “As you can imagine, conversations around the dinner table were mostly about things like square footage and home appraisals.” After growing up surrounded by all aspects of real estate, Sean said that getting his license was a natural choice.

Once Sean became a Realtor, he co-founded The Steimer Team with his father. They are Realtors with Realty Executives, based in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Steimer Team includes his father, mother, and sister – a true family business that also has an amazing support staff. They mainly serve Maricopa County but have sold properties all over the state. Sean reports that they get their leads/ business mostly from repeat clients and referrals with some social media outreach results. “I am dedicated to the business, and I’m devoted to my clients,” Sean notes. “I’m there with them throughout the entire transaction, which can be very stressful. I walk them through the process and am always available to answer their questions.”

It’s not surprising that Sean receives stellar reviews for his work ethic and knowledge, considering his background. One client recently wrote: “Sean Steimer / The Steimer Team made the process of purchasing a new home quick, easy, and painless. As this was my first time purchasing a home, I had many questions regarding the process, and The Steimer Team was able to answer any and all of them, making me feel very comfortable along the way. They went out of their way on multiple occasions to make sure things were taken care of before I could even ask for assistance. I would highly recommend them to anyone & will be sure to use them in the future!” Sean individualizes the process when marketing his listings, because no two properties are alike. “I like to combine the grassroots method from my dad’s era, like door knocking & person-to-person networking, and using state-of-the-art technology,” he says. “Our print and online media are from a twotime Emmy Award-winning videographer and an award-winning photographer, because we know that quality makes a difference. One of our YouTube videos, for example, received over 30,000 views; that’s how amazing they are.” In addition, Sean sends out email packages and fliers, and also posts to social media and real estate websites.

What Sean loves most about his career are the joys and challenges each day brings. “Every day is different and exciting,” he observes. “And every day I get to help people achieve their real estate dreams. Plus, there’s nothing quite like the experience of handing over the keys to a new homeowner. The expressions on their faces is priceless, and the satisfaction I get as their agent, is unparalleled.”

In addition to being a successful agent, Sean is also a published author. His book, Sean & Maui: Salesman & Sales Puppy, is the story of a salesperson who loves to help people and his puppy assistant who loves to please people. All of the book sale proceeds go to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

When not working, Sean admits he’s a “gearhead” and enjoys tooling around with classic cars. “I love going to car shows, as well as flipping and fixing cars. It’s definitely my go-to after work hobby,” he says.

As for the future, Sean says that even though the pandemic threw a bit of a curve ball into his 5-year plan, he will continue to move forward along his current path to success. He says, “I want to continue to serve my clients and to help them attain the American dream of home ownership.”

To learn more about Sean Steimer, please call (623) 239-7276, email seanmsteimer@gmail.com, or visit www.thesteimerteam.com