Open Days?

happy_2008

We're planning to put our property on the market soon and have suggested to the estate agent to hold a one day open day so that we can tidy & clean all in one go. However, how successful have you found open days to be?

ElizabethRose

Not myself but my old neighbours did two (first sale fell through) and both times they ended up going to full and final offers a few days later. They liked it because it meant they could be out of the house once instead of trying to deal with random viewings with young children. 

I think it depends on your area and how much interest you get. Whilst it works round here if you're in a slower area it probably won't make any difference as you'll still need to do viewings at different times to get a buyer.

SameOldRoundabout

I know some people hate them but it was so much easier for us. We have 4 children and a dog so having just one day where everything had to be perfect and us all out suited us to the ground. We had one open day 2 weeks after going to market, we had about 22 viewings booked, a handful cancelled and out of the 14/15 who came we had 4 offers the next day. 

Until we had one I always thought an open day was a free for all but it was all single booked 15 minute appointments so there was only ever one set of viewers in the house. Well, some appointments were double booked by the end but there were 2 agents to show people around. 

happy_2008

SameOldRoundabout said:

I know some people hate them but it was so much easier for us. We have 4 children and a dog so having just one day where everything had to be perfect and us all out suited us to the ground. We had one open day 2 weeks after going to market, we had about 22 viewings booked, a handful cancelled and out of the 14/15 who came we had 4 offers the next day. 

Until we had one I always thought an open day was a free for all but it was all single booked 15 minute appointments so there was only ever one set of viewers in the house. Well, some appointments were double booked by the end but there were 2 agents to show people around. 

My wife is thinkin of the same thing too, easier to tidy and clean once the open day has concluded. However, i assume this is only good is you get enough interest in the property.

davidmcn

SameOldRoundabout said:

Until we had one I always thought an open day was a free for all but it was all single booked 15 minute appointments so there was only ever one set of viewers in the house. Well, some appointments were double booked by the end but there were 2 agents to show people around. 

Yes, that seems a common (but odd) interpretation of "open day". I would have thought part of the attraction is getting buyers excited about the competition by seeing others there. Only really works though if the market is busy enough for a critical mass of buyers to be wanting to view that day - and could be counter-productive if people see that you had advertised an open day but it's still unsold.

peterhjohnson

I think you need to use a very carefully researched "guide price" and definitely not a very optimistic one. You may feel strongly that your house is worth more than the advertised price and the "best and final offers" process may prove you right. 

happysellerbuyer

I had 10 buyers. They were put in a 15 minute slot. Gave me time to be away. 
Buyers came one by one. Got 2 offers on Monday which went to best and final. Worked for me. 

SuperHan

We bought our house after seeing it an open day. We wouldn't have viewed otherwise as it didn't meet our criteria on paper, so you could get buyers who otherwise wouldn't be bothered to book a viewing (although this was a free for all type open house, but we were the only ones there while we were there). 

fiwen30

Not sure how feasible or advisable an open day would be in COVID times. All viewing we’ve been to recently have been very strict - 10 mins, sanitise, masks, all doors open, no touching, no one home or owners/tenants waited outside, EA waited outside also. Don’t think I’d want to be crammed into a private residence with a bunch of strangers trying to view a property right now.

Edit to add: this has been my experience of ‘open days’ pre-COVID, though reading other responses it may not have been the norm for other areas.