WELCOME TO THE UN-OPEN HOUSE

BY MELANIE ROBITAILLE, SR. STAFF WRITER AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER

With doors closed more often than opened, and people distancing instead of gathering these days, we’re witnessing the evolution of the time-honored real estate tradition known as the open house.

It’s more vital than ever to stay connected with your clients and customers and their dreams of homeownership, however it’s no longer about attracting as many local onlookers as possible and hosting visitors en masse, but rather curating a series of welcoming, personalized, by-invitation-only engagements.

If you haven’t already put a good time management app or appointment system into place, now is definitely a good time. Prospective buyers can now drive up to any listing and use EXIT Realty’s Smart Sign™ technology and the EXIT Realty Connect app to view property details in the palm of their hand. This empowers digital customers, and keeps you informed on those activities. Well-shot videos and 3D home tours through companies like Matterport are now must-have tools in the digital selling space to create experiences for those seriously interested in listings.

If and when you’re able to welcome multiple prospects into a home, come prepared with all the essentials to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Whether you create your own kit, or purchase one online through companies like House of Magnets, ensure you have all the necessary signage to instruct and direct prospects, as well as individually packaged items like wipes and/or masks. Depending on listing size and layout, you may want to have eyes on all floors, a single point for entry and another for exiting, open cupboards and doors, and a specific path for distanced traffic flow.

Dealing with strict guidelines or comfort levels? Try independent showings with text password lock box technology or telepresence robots in vacant homes, which allows live, digital interaction so you can be there but not there. But before that door even opens, think post-showing by being prepared and educated to answer questions regarding public health or laws related to sanitizing the property between owners. Whether mandatory or not in your market, state or province, it may come up as a condition of sale, and knowing a specialty cleaning firm could put you ahead of the competition, even if only as a thoughtful closing gift.