This week Lisa and I held two open houses at my new listing, the Gated Glendale, Celebrity Owned Compound.  

The first open house was Wednesday, which is the day set aside for Glendale’s Broker’s Open Houses.  The Broker’s Open (or broker’s tour, or broker’s preview) provides an opportunity for the local real estate community to view new listings without having to make appointments.  A productive agent can easily view ten or more properties.  The home Lisa and I held open was five bedrooms and also included two separate offices – it is large! 

Lisa and I prefer to walk each group through the home. Realtors on broker’s tour day are in a hurry and it’s easy for them to miss the fact that the master bedroom has two closets and if they don’t step all the way inside the master they won’t notice that there is an attached gym.   In any home there is always some feature that will be missed by Realtors in a hurry to get to the next new listing.

Because I have been listing and selling real estate since 1989, I know most of the Realtors who attend my open houses and usually am not overly concerned about them lingering in bedrooms and bathrooms (prescription drugs).  Then there are always a few potential buyers who are sent by their Realtor.  As I don’t  typically know these people, I am more concerned about them walking through the home unattended and this is one more reason Lisa and I choose to hold my listings open together.



The purpose of any open house is to sell my client’s home.  Add to the mix that there are typically strangers wandering through the home, bedrooms, bathrooms, everywhere!  And then as Lisa and I are both out of the office there is voice mail to check and if time permits, emails as well.  We are busy.

So my newest open house compliant: I had an escrow and loan officer through the home during the broker’s open house.  But their purpose in dropping in was to develop a business relationship with me… which in my opinion is the worst way to do so.  Lisa and I were extremely busy touring, and acting as security.  So, those who want to solicit a Realtor’s business from an open house: try a helpful approach such as coming at the end of the open house and asking if you can pick up their open house signs…. Now that we would appreciate!

Read more about Open House Etiquette
Home Sellers, Learn how to protect your valuables during an open house