Open House California Real Estate Exam

Sellers hate to de-personalize, but it's an important step. Remind your sellers that their bowling trophies and family photos need to be stored for their new home. Prospective buyers want to be able to visualize themselves in the home, not your sellers. The more a home can look like a "model home," the better. According to a 2009 survey by the National Association of REALTORS®, 90 percent of buyers can't visualize themselves in a home. So the easier the seller can make that for the buyer, the better chance that the buyer will be in the mood to write an offer. Kitchens are easy to depersonalize because of their utilitarian nature, but be sure to remove refrigerator magnets, the children's drawings and photos, and any handmade décor items. Bathrooms need to lose half their "products" and get down to bare essentials, new towels and a soap dispenser instead of a bar. Ask your sellers if they would want to see a stranger's loofa or razor. Chances are, they would not. Therefore these should be stowed away out of sight. Home offices should be de-cluttered and depersonalized: no diplomas, trophies, photos, etc. The most important bits of personal items to put away are guns and prescription medicines! Make certain sellers lock these up or keep them elsewhere. Some unscrupulous individuals "cruise" open houses specifically looking for these two items. Make sure they don't find them.

Accessorizing can be minimal or major. Some clients hire stagers who move in furniture. Others make a trip to the department store and return with fresh linens, art work, trash bins, etc. Setting a place setting (for two, even in a family home) with stylish table linens and quality china and glassware can help buyers visualize how stylish they will be when they live there. fieldtrip_icon VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP: When it comes to accessorizing, smells matter. "Home buyers don't want houses that stink," starts an article titled, "Home odors that will scare off buyers" on the real estate section of msn.com. If your sellers have an animal that smells—a dog with significant dander odor or a cat litter box that emits a pong—it may be best to have the animals removed from the home during the listing period. This has the added benefit of making showings easier. While there are many products that remove animal odor, one simple solu

Open Houses and Developing a Safety Plan (h) Welcome Bernadette Appling (Save Progress & Exit) Help • Glossary • Reports Table of Contents Completion Introduction Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 1: Conducting Open Houses » » Lesson: Establish Open House Guidelines with Owners Page 4 of 5 Slide: U2C1L6S4 • Print Slide If you plan to have visitors sign in (and we recommend that you do), make sure your seller is aware. Let the seller know that this is partly a safety issue and sign in sheets help protect the property, as well as the host. Be very honest if there are other motivating factors as well. If the host is a new licensee hoping to boost their buyer contact list, share this information. Sellers can be very understanding when they feel like they are on the inside and know you are in their corner. Any level of deception, intentional or not, can be blown out of proportion if your client feels you have not been working in their best interests every step of the way. If you'll be checking for identification at the door, make sure your seller knows this before the open house. If they find out later, they may feel it was unduly restrictive and hurt their chances of finding a buyer, just so your brokerage could grow their contact list. If you are the one who starts the conversation, you have the opportunity to explain the real reasons. Let them know that theft at open houses is not that common, but as their advocate throughout the process, this is just one more way that you are looking out for their best interest. Knowing that their IDs are on file is often enough to prevent minor thefts. Because you employ this tactic at all your open houses, you can assure your sellers that you have a reputation of offering safe open houses, and you plan to maintain that. tip_icon TIP: If you will be requiring IDs from visitors, post a notice outside the home.

Agency Matters at Open Houses Have a frank discussion with the seller before the open house. Will you be conducting the open house? Most sellers assume that their real estate professional will be the one holding the open house. If an affiliated licensee will be hosting, explain this to your client. Will the licensee interacting with prospects at the open house be a designated seller agent or a non-agent facilitator? You can appoint another real estate professional from your brokerage to be the designated seller's agent, as long as the seller has consented to this in writing. Most exclusive listing contracts include this as one of the provisions. As a designated seller's agent, the appointed person will represent the seller, and owe them all the same duties of loyalty, full disclosure, confidentiality, accounting, reasonable care, and obedience. Alternatively, the host may be a non-agent facilitator. Facilitators do not necessarily serve the best interests of the seller, and are not bound by the duty of confidentiality with regard to any information received from the seller. Likewise, they are not duty bound to report any confidential information that prospective buyers may have shared. Facilitators must still present all property honestly and accurately, disclosing material defects and accounting for funds. As the seller's representative, it is your responsibility to ensure that your client knows and understands the implications of having someone else host their open house. You may already have their consent in writing as part of the agency agreement, but they also need to understand what they are agreeing to.

An Office Open House should be done before the property is made available to the public. This gives the other professionals in your office the first opportunity to bring you a buyer. And as most licensees know, an in-house transaction can be a beautiful thing. Whether you serve food at your Office Open House is up to you; you should probably let firm standards dictate this decision. What you should do, however, is obtain information from your peers regarding pricing, showing readiness, the neighborhood, and marketing strategies. If you receive feedback from your peers that the listing price is out of line, now is the time to renegotiate it with your seller. By settling on an appropriate price in the beginning, you won't be forced to do a price adjustment later, which can look like an act of desperation to buyer agents who take the trouble to check the property's history.

An Office Open House should be done before the property is made available to the public. This gives the other professionals in your office the first opportunity to bring you a buyer. And as most licensees know, an in-house transaction can be a beautiful thing. Whether you serve food at your Office Open House is up to you; you should probably let firm standards dictate this decision. What you should do, however, is obtain information from your peers regarding pricing, showing readiness, the neighborhood, and marketing strategies. If you receive feedback from your peers that the listing price is out of line, now is the time to renegotiate it with your seller. By settling on an appropriate price in the beginning, you won't be forced to do a price adjustment later, which can look like an act of desperation to buyer agents who take the trouble to check the property's history.

Visit the property during daylight hours only. To properly survey the entrance and the surrounding yard, you need daylight. Often, the electricity has been turned off, so external light may be your only source when you are inside the home. Carry a high-powered flashlight with you for viewing rooms with fewer windows. Look for signs of squatters. Walk the perimeter of the home, looking for open doors and broken windows. If you find that the home has been easily accessible to intruders, the risk of running into someone inside increases dramatically. An extension cord leading into a window signals that a squatter may be stealing electricity from a neighbor. Wood pallets, cardboard boxes, or garbage cans leaning against the house under a window can indicate that someone has created their own entrance. Graffiti on interior walls, fast-food wrappers and other trash, and scattered blankets also indicate unwanted guests. Clear cut signs like these should not be ignored. In an article from Inman News, Robert Siciliano, CEO of Realtysecurity.com offers this advice. "If you suspect that someone may be inside, leave the property immediately and call the police. Ask them to check the property and clear out anyone who might be there before you decide to enter." fieldtrip_icon VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP: Click here to view the entire article "Vacant Homes Pose

Buddy up for Safety One of the best ways to ensure your personal safety is to work as a team. On paper, that sounds great. But in real life, time is valuable and being your pro bono bodyguard is not on anyone's priority list. Why would someone volunteer to spend an afternoon driving around with you just so you can feel a bit safer? They will do this for a couple reasons, if you set it up in advance. peopleVolunteer to be a mentor to a new licensee. This does not have to be strictly a new co-worker, but could apply to any aspect of the job that is new to them. Are you showing ranch homes in the country, and you know that someone in your office has only dealt with suburban developments so far? Invite them along for the ride so they can pick up some knowledge on what to look for when evaluating a different kind of property. Become the person who is willing to always take someone along and share your knowledge, and you support your reputation as well as ramping up personal security.

Establish Open House Guidelines with Owners Agree on open house timeframes. Open houses are generally held for a couple of hours on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. This can be a huge imposition for some people, so make sure that you get the seller's buy-in before you schedule. To ease the burden, schedule the hours thoughtfully. Don't schedule a showing during the hottest baseball game of the year. If the city is hosting a huge community fair that will draw in thousands of people, avoid competing with it. Aim for slow days during slow times. calendarDo your best to work within the seller's schedule. It will inconvenience them regardless, but if they need time to run home from work, change clothes, and pick up the dog, then make sure you have allowed for this in your scheduling. Keep your open houses short. Advertise them broadly and well in advance. Do your marketing legwork to make sure that when the doors are open, people show up. If you have thoughtfully scheduled and marketed the open house, extended hours should not be necessary.

Consider this scenario. You obtained permission from your seller client to have another licensee from your brokerage conduct the open house. Mrs. Blackstone, one of the neighbors, waddles over to the open house. She has nosy neighbor written all over her. The host meets Mrs. Blackstone at the door, invites her inside, and kindly asks her to sign in. "Why should I have to do that?" she resists. The host explains that we like to keep records of who has viewed the home, it is a standard safety practice, and it is helpful to the brokerage. Mrs. Blackstone insists that she "just wants to see the place and there is no need to give you my name just so I can get a whole bunch of junk mail!" The host apologizes, reminds her that it is standard policy, and that they don't sell names or email addresses. Mrs. Blackstone leaves disgruntled. She waddles to Mr. Jimenez's house to complain about the host's rude and unprofessional behavior. Mr. Jimenez, trying to look out for his neighbor's best interest, calls your seller to warn her that she has a bad agent who is sending people away at the door. Your seller calls you demanding an explanation. If your seller knew in advance that prospective buyers needed to sign in, she may have had a guess as to why you would turn someone away. An informed client is a happier client

esson: Ensure Security at an Open House Guide the traffic flow. When planning an open house, look for the natural paths that best show off the home's potential. If you walk in the front door and have the option of meandering straight into the great room with the arched ceilings, or taking a sharp left into the laundry room, guide visitors into the stunning great room. They can go back to the laundry room later. Follow an intuitive route throughout the home to ensure that all walkways are clear and visitors will see the home from its best perspective. In large properties, station an assistant or observer on each floor. Assign them to specific rooms, especially home offices, media rooms, and other spaces filled with items that might catch a thief's eye. Hopefully your sellers already put away the kids' toys, but make sure that visitors' kids do not take them out. Although bringing kids to an open house is never recommended, people do it. When viewing kids' rooms, these visiting youngsters may see all those great toys lined up on the shelf and cannot resist touching them. It is not your job to parent these kids, but it is your job to protect your seller's belongings, and you need to step in when this is happening.

Creating a path carries extra importance when showing new construction. If visitors walk through a hardhat required area, there can be no exceptions. As the professional here, it is your job to protect the visitors' safety. If you are uncomfortable dealing with someone who insists they are too invulnerable to don the hat, bring along reinforcements. Invite your bossy coworker to join you at the open house and station them at hardhat post. If someone is injured while viewing your open house, you may be liable. You are the licensed professional, after all, and in the court's view, you should have known better. Prior to the open house, work with the workers. If construction workers are hauling loads of cement, let them know your plans for the afternoon. They may choose to walk a different path just to make it easier on themselves. Construction debris can pose a hazard, especially to those unruly kids we mentioned earlier. Often, a simple request to the work crews is all that is needed. (Offering them some goodies can help.) Apologize for the disruption, let them know it is only for three hours, and thank them for their help. It's not their job to keep people safe during the open house, but it is yours. Take it seriously. Unit Quizzes and the minimum required study time must be met to unlock Final Exam.

ights, windows and curb appeal are important considerations. houseHave you ever heard a buyer say, "I really like homes with lots of dark?" Or, "I wish this home had fewer windows." Not likely. Buyers like lots of light, which should be pouring from the windows and from the light fixtures. The highest wattage bulbs should be used that is safe for the fixture, and no lights should flicker or buzz. Windows should be cleaned inside and out; buyers want to see the view, and a dirty window is a turn off. Curb appeal is crucial. Walkways should be cleaned, trash bins should be stored away, and the lawn should be mowed, edged and weed-free. A wreath on the front door or a flower box at the entry can provide a welcome first impression. The front door should be free from marks; the lock and latch should work efficiently and be free from paint and scratches. The porch light should work.

Introduce sellers to the realities of showing their home You've already talked with your sellers about the physical work involved to get a home ready to show, but have you mentioned other events that may take place while the house is on the market? Events such as: Last minute showings No-shows Late shows Sellers should be aware that same-day and even last-minute requests for showings are common, so a seller with a "24-hour notice to show" stipulation often cuts out of a good chunk of the buying market. The only significant lag time that should be necessary is when the seller must give ample notice to a tenant. If sellers choose to make showings difficult, be sure to tell them that the harder it is to show the house, the fewer showings, and the fewer potential buyers, they will have. Explain to your home sellers that most agents do try to arrive within the scheduled showing time, but sometimes it isn't possible. They may get stuck in traffic, or the house they saw prior to your showing took longer than expected. It happens, and sometimes it happens too late to be fixed by a phone call. Encourage sellers to stay away from home a little longer than they think is necessary, just to make sure they don't interrupt a showing.

ur home phone number should not appear on your business cards or ads. (2-min video) Use a separate phone number for home and work, even if they both ring on the same cell phone. If you are currently using your personal cell or home phone as your primary means of contact for your business, Google Voice may be the right solution for you. Just like email forwarding allows you to send all the mail from multiple accounts to one central account, Google Voice provides you with a free phone number that will automatically re-route to your main number. You can learn more about this free service in the following short video.

Keep your personal information personal. Use your brokerage address on all your ads and keep your living situation to yourself. If you live alone, your clients do not need to know that. If your kids walk to school every morning, do not share this detail with strangers. When it comes to you and your family, keep it to yourself. This can be tough in a job that depends on building rapport with your clients, but it can be done with a little practice. There is an art to these conversations where you build camaraderie without divulging too much. In addition to helping your personal safety, it showcases your skills as a true professional. Keep in mind that the entire transaction is about your client, not you.

Don't listen to urban myths. I want to dedicate one slide to addressing one of those viral emails that does more harm than good. Perhaps you received a copy. The story goes that a girl was driving in a remote location at night, when an unmarked police car started flashing its lights. The girl called some number (not 911), and was connected to a local dispatcher, who verified that there were no police in her area. They told her to keep driving and sent backup to arrest the driver of other car. In case you ever find yourself in a similar situation, focus on the facts. Police often use unmarked vehicles specifically because they blend in well with traffic. They use red, white, and blue lights, and the drivers are typically in uniform. What if you are pulled over by an unmarked vehicle that does not have red, white, and blue lights or the driver is not in uniform, and you are on some deserted road at night? Turn on your hazard lights to acknowledge you see their signal and you are complying. Drive safely to the nearest well-lit public area. Call 911 and ask the dispatcher to verify that an officer is attempting to pull you over. There is no other magic number to call, regardless of the number of emails trying to convince you otherwise. Stick with 911. If the dispatcher verifies your vehicle description and location and tells you that an officer is trying to pull you over, pull over immediately. fieldtrip_icon VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP: For more back story and advice, check out the Unmarked Cop Cars and Urban Legends article.

Key Points from Unit 2 Develop an overall safety plan to protect yourself at the office, while working with clients, and at home. Be aware of your surroundings by following the 10-second rule. At showings, keep your cell phone on you at all times, and make sure you always have an escape route available to you. When visiting vacant properties, look for signs of intruders before entering the property. Set up a buddy system whenever something doesn't feel right. Keep your marketing materials professional and eliminate any information that could pose a safety risk. Maintain your vehicle and minimize distractions while driving.

There's a fourth type of open house. It's seldom used, but it can be very effective: 4. Neighbor Open House A Neighbor Open House is one in which you invite the neighbors, prior to the first public open house, to tour the seller's home and offer feedback. This can be effective for the following reasons: Neighbors typically know the history of the house and are eager to share it. This can give you more marketing fodder. Neighbors often know people who want to move into the neighborhood, and may have a willing buyer for you. Neighbors can be a great source of word-of-mouth advertising if you treat them right. Neighbors will be curious about the market price and value (obviously they will have a keen interest, given that they own in the same neighborhood), and it's best to get this information out of the way. This will keep the neighbors from stealing the flyers out of your flyer box! (Seriously.) Often when one For Sale sign goes up in a neighborhood, others do as well. If any of the seller's neighbors are thinking of selling, who would you like them to call? Establishing a good relationship with the neighbors can lead to new business and referrals. It's just possible neighbors have had an eye on the house wishing they'd bought it. Now is

Lesson: Why Bother Holding a Public Open House? Let's take a minute to discuss the point of an open house. Holding one means taking time out of your Sunday afternoon to usher through a motley collection of prospective buyers. These buyers may not be buyers at all, but curious neighbors, bored passersby, maybe someday dreamers, and sellers with competing properties on the market. The sellers have to clean like crazy, find a temporary home for the pets, and get themselves, their kids, and grandpa out of the house for the entire afternoon. Strangers will look in the closets, poke around basements, and become intimately familiar with the property. soldBut it is a great way to find a buyer, right? No, not really. Once in a while, a buyer walks into an open house, falls in love, and puts in an offer. But that is not the norm. So why bother? The answer comes when you analyze the goals of an open house.

ometimes, something about a client just feels wrong. When interviewing people after an attack, the victims often say they felt something was off. Listen to this intuitive alarm. People often have an internal struggle with trying to stay professional and polite, even when it goes against their better instinct. There are often signs. The client mentions they chose you because you have such a pretty face. The client asks how you like living in the Tangletown neighborhood, even though none of your business ads list your home address. When showing your client pictures of possible properties, you catch them looking at you instead of your pictures. In general, something in your client's manner is a little creepy. Before you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, enlist a friend. Agree on an arrangement in advance. If you ever have a creepy client, you can call this friend, and they will join you for all showings with this client to help you avoid being alone with the client. In return, you will help the friend do whatever it was they were supposed to do that day, whether it's clean the gutters or prep for a garage sale. Ideally, you can be this friend back to another licensee, and when they get a creepy client, they can call on you. Unit Quizzes and the minimum required study time must be met to unlock Final Exam.

Marketing Materials and Your Personal Safety Keep your marketing materials professional. business_womanWhen used correctly, marketing materials introduce you to the world. Make sure they send the right message. Use a professional headshot on your advertisements. This is not the place to show off all the hours you have been putting in at the gym, even if your pose rivals those on the magazine covers. Aside from being unprofessional, you also make yourself a target. You are in an industry where it is relatively easy to get you alone in a remote location. You are target enough without adding to that allure.

Disclose your license status to open house visitors. In many states, you must disclose your license status to prospective buyers the first time you meet with them to discuss a specific property. If they walk into your open house, you will undoubtedly be discussing that specific property. In this case, however, introducing yourself and providing the agency disclosure form to every visitor can be impractical. In some states, you are allowed to provide this disclosure using a placard that displays all of the required information instead. tip_icon TIP: Create a quality placard, branded with your company information that you can use at future open houses as well. Details matter. If you do prepare an offer at the open house, remember to fully disclose your relationship with the seller. You should have all the proper forms on hand to accommodate this. In this case, do not rely on a placard, but walk through the ins and outs of agency relationships to give the buyer the full disclosure they deserve. Unit Quizzes and the minimum required study time must be met to unlock Final Exam.

Preparing the Property (and the Seller) for Showings Sometimes a little straight-talk is necessary. Most sellers think their homes are special and that their decorating style is, well, stylish. A lot of them are wrong. When you're representing a seller in the sale of their home, how do you tell your seller that the raised velvet paisley wallpaper they love, and which they paid $60 a roll for five years ago needs to go? Or that the red shag carpet covering up the beautiful hardwoods in the living room may not be everyone's cup of tea? You tell the seller with tact, with diplomacy, and with haste. A seller's home will only have one chance to make a first impression on a buyer, and that first impression must count. Therefore, market preparation is vital. Most staging experts will tell you that sellers must do three things to prepare their home for the market: De-clutter (and clean) De-personalize Accessorize hammerYou know there's a fourth, and that is "Repair." If any repairs are needed (e.g., broken window, broken steps, doors that don't close properly), these should be taken care of right away.

A Broker's Open House can also provide valuable feedback. peopleOften when first listing a property, the first open house will be for your colleagues. At a broker's open house you'll also want to solicit pricing opinions, but since the house has already been exposed to your firm, and you're already on the market at this price, you should carefully consider any adjustments at this time. Ask how they feel the home stands up against others in the area. Most brokers are happy to share their opinions. Broker's Opens are great ways to learn more about other properties in the area that are about to enter the market, because any broker with a listing coming up nearby will likely attend to check out the competition. Most Broker's Opens include food, and those that don't are often poorly attended unless they're held in a very hot neighborhood. To prepare for the Broker's Open and entice other offices to attend, you might want to have a door prize, or a drawing for an item of value. Always ask for feedback and business cards so you can follow up if there is a later price adjustment. Be sure to write and thank every broker for attending. This is rarely done, but it can help foster good relationships in your market.

Public Open Houses should not be held too often. Once every three weeks should be enough. If they're held every week, or even every other week, they can make the sellers appear desperate to sell. Food is not necessary for a public open house, and in fact may not be desired as the public might not be as careful about not spilling as your colleagues. To advertise a public open house, you can use the MLS, craigslist, and the local newspaper. You may also want to put a banner across the For Sale sign and include the time on all flyers in the flyer box until after the open house. At the open house, you can ask guests to sign a guest register. If you like, offer a drawing to entice people to leave their contact information. Don't use this as a sales vehicle, but you can write them or phone them and thank them for attending. Because most people screen their phone calls, and because it's so easy to erase a voicemail message, it's best to follow up by email where you can include your signature block and contact information easily. If you've held a drawing, be sure to state who the winner was. You can include in your signature block: "I'm always ready to help, and I appreciate your referrals," but make this your only sales pitch. People don't like to be "sold" to, and respond better to a lighter touch. fieldtrip_icon VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP: Before holding a public open house, all property hazards should be addressed. See the article "Liability for Slips and Falls" from REALTOR

Open houses also draw in curious neighbors. I often hear these folks referred to as nosy neighbors, but they can be a real asset! Many homes are sold through word of mouth, especially in great neighborhoods. Treat these neighbors like ambassadors who will be selling the home on your behalf. No one wants to live in a neighborhood of vacant properties, which gives the neighborhood a dilapidated look over time. Neighbors are uniquely invested in making sure the property sells quickly. When guiding them through the home, make sure they notice the hardwood floors, the energy-efficient windows, and the top selling points of the property. Draw them away from the personal photographs and the snooping, and lead them to the true amenities of the home. Often they are simply trying to gauge how much their own home is worth. Great! Your listing is appropriately priced. If the listing price is higher than expected compared to their home, they can get a feel for the recovering market. If their home has fewer amenities, they can recognize what a great deal this property is. Neighbors can be an excellent networking opportunity in two ways. They can help your current client by telling their house-shopping friends about the great deal available now, located just two doors down from them. They can also become future clients of yours. Perhaps they are hoping to sell their own home in the next year. Who better to contact then the real estate professional who successfully sold a similar home down the street?

Public open houses are good for brokerages. The landscaped yard will proudly bear the real estate company's advertising sign, spreading the message that the company is active and successful in the community. You meet new contacts, often at a very early stage in their home buying process. New licensees gain experience interacting with prospective buyers. Many sellers expect that any dutiful real estate professional will hold an open house. You may want to address their expectations in advance, and share your entire marketing plan with them so they don't panic if no offer comes in immediately after opening their home to the public. However, sometimes holding the open house as expected is a simple way to get your message across: "I'm working hard for you".

Why Bother Holding a Public Open House? Let's take a minute to discuss the point of an open house. Holding one means taking time out of your Sunday afternoon to usher through a motley collection of prospective buyers. These buyers may not be buyers at all, but curious neighbors, bored passersby, maybe someday dreamers, and sellers with competing properties on the market. The sellers have to clean like crazy, find a temporary home for the pets, and get themselves, their kids, and grandpa out of the house for the entire afternoon. Strangers will look in the closets, poke around basements, and become intimately familiar with the property. soldBut it is a great way to find a buyer, right? No, not really. Once in a while, a buyer walks into an open house, falls in love, and puts in an offer. But that is not the norm. So why bother? The answer comes when you analyze the goals of an open house. Unit Quizzes and the minimum required study time must be met to unlock Final Exam.

Public open houses bring in buyers. Public open houses really do snag buyers, just not necessarily buyers for that particular property. They bring in would-be buyers, who aspire to live in that neighborhood eventually and want to check out exactly how much home their budget will buy. These buyers are probably unqualified right now, but perhaps in six months it will be a different story. This is an excellent networking opportunity for you. Public open houses bring in buyers who are still figuring out what they are looking for. Would a duplex be okay? Do I need a spacious yard, or would a park across the street be sufficient? How much is that open layout worth? Buyers who are still asking these questions learn a lot about themselves at open houses. They start to get a feel for what works for them. They then take this knowledge back to the real estate professional, and help narrow down that list of arranged showings. In short, they become more informed, and thus better clients.

sson: Why Bother Holding a Public Open House? Let's take a minute to discuss the point of an open house. Holding one means taking time out of your Sunday afternoon to usher through a motley collection of prospective buyers. These buyers may not be buyers at all, but curious neighbors, bored passersby, maybe someday dreamers, and sellers with competing properties on the market. The sellers have to clean like crazy, find a temporary home for the pets, and get themselves, their kids, and grandpa out of the house for the entire afternoon. Strangers will look in the closets, poke around basements, and become intimately familiar with the property. soldBut it is a great way to find a buyer, right? No, not really. Once in a while, a buyer walks into an open house, falls in love, and puts in an offer. But that is not the norm. So why bother? The answer comes when you analyze the goals of an open house.

Public open houses bring in buyers. Public open houses really do snag buyers, just not necessarily buyers for that particular property. They bring in would-be buyers, who aspire to live in that neighborhood eventually and want to check out exactly how much home their budget will buy. These buyers are probably unqualified right now, but perhaps in six months it will be a different story. This is an excellent networking opportunity for you. Public open houses bring in buyers who are still figuring out what they are looking for. Would a duplex be okay? Do I need a spacious yard, or would a park across the street be sufficient? How much is that open layout worth? Buyers who are still asking these questions learn a lot about themselves at open houses. They start to get a feel for what works for them. They then take this knowledge back to the real estate professional, and help narrow down that list of arranged showings. In short, they become more informed, and thus better clients.

Protecting Confidential Information while Conducting an Open House Watch your small talk. peopleBuilding rapport serves you well as a real estate professional. Your innate ability to strike up a conversation with anyone can work against you if you forget who your client is. While building relationships with potential buyer clients at an open house, remember that your primary focus at the moment is helping the seller sell the home. Visitor: "It looks like they've already starting packing." Loose -lipped Real Estate Professional: "Yes, well, he's excited about the new job in San Antonio." This chatterbox just revealed the seller's motivation for selling, and implied that there is an upcoming deadline. Giving away these two crucial pieces of confidential information can greatly harm the seller's negotiations, because the potential buyer now knows that the seller must sell and must sell quickly.

Remember your fiduciary duties. If you know why the seller is selling, how low they are willing to go, when they need to leave, if they have issues with neighbors, if they dislike the long commute time, if the street has a bully who picks on their kid, if the HOA is nitpicky and annoying, keep it all to yourself. Even seemingly simple comments can harm your seller's negotiating position. Speak about the property itself. Highlight its lovely features. Notice the private backyard. Help the visitors picture themselves in the home. Ask them questions about what they look for in a home, and point out any congruent features. Focus on the visitors and the property, and momentarily forget everything you know about the sellers.

Safety Tips for Real Estate Agents In an article in REALTOR® magazine titled "Stop Crimes of Opportunity in 2012," four tips were highlighted: Trust Your Instincts. If something doesn't feel right, or someone is making you feel uncomfortable, head for the door. Never ignore your intuition in fear of losing a sale. It's not worth it! Have a Procedure in Place for New Clients. Always meet new prospects at your office when your fellow associates are around. Have them fill out a prospect identification form with their name, phone number, vehicle make and model, and license plate number — and verify their information. In addition, get a photocopy of their driver's license and keep it on file. Use a Buddy System. Establish a buddy relationship with a coworker or fellow agent. Whenever possible, take them with you to vacant listings and open houses. If it's not possible to have the second person with you, make sure they at least always know where you are. Utilize Technology. Always keep your cell phone charged and close to you. Download personal security apps such as StreetSafe. StreetSafe's "Silent Red Alarm" can be enacted with a discrete slide, communicating your location and profile information to the local 911 center. If the situation is uncomfortable, but not significant enough to call 911, the "Walk With Me" green button puts you in contact with a live, 2

Safe Showings for Licensees Personal safety should be your top priority. As a real estate licensee, you put yourself in danger every time you give a stranger a ride in your car, or meet a stranger at an empty house. Practice the following guidelines to minimize risks to your safety: Ask callers to meet you in your office or a public place prior to showing them a house or meeting them at a house. If something about them seems off, don't meet them alone. Check the strength of your cell phone signal in the house you are going to show before it opens. Carry an extra, fully charged cell phone battery. Program emergency numbers to speed dial. Keep your cell phone and car keys handy at all times. Lock your handbag in your car trunk. Ask the local police to place a squad car on patrol in the neighborhood during your open-house hours. Establish multiple "escape" routes before the open house begins. Guarantee that you can escape the backyard. Release all deadbolts and locks. Open all curtains and turn on all lights.

In an article in REALTOR® magazine titled "Stop Crimes of Opportunity in 2012," four tips were highlighted: Trust Your Instincts. If something doesn't feel right, or someone is making you feel uncomfortable, head for the door. Never ignore your intuition in fear of losing a sale. It's not worth it! Have a Procedure in Place for New Clients. Always meet new prospects at your office when your fellow associates are around. Have them fill out a prospect identification form with their name, phone number, vehicle make and model, and license plate number — and verify their information. In addition, get a photocopy of their driver's license and keep it on file. Use a Buddy System. Establish a buddy relationship with a coworker or fellow agent. Whenever possible, take them with you to vacant listings and open houses. If it's not possible to have the second person with you, make sure they at least always know where you are. Utilize Technology. Always keep your cell phone charged and close to you. Download personal security apps such as StreetSafe. StreetSafe's "Silent Red Alarm" can be enacted with a discrete slide, communicating your location and profile information to the local 911 center. If the situation is uncomfortable, but not significant enough to call 911, the "Walk With Me" green button puts you in contact with a live, 24/7 safety advisor who will offer safety tips and contact police if a situation escalates.

Safety When Visiting Vacant Properties Vacant properties host a unique set of risks. Unexpected occupants top the list. Stepping into a vacant home and finding a family living in the basement can be startling, but that is not the worst case scenario. In some instances, predators have been specifically waiting for someone to enter the property. This is a situation to avoid entirely. Even if you have safely viewed dozens or hundreds of vacant homes, it is still worth taking an extra five minutes every single time to ensure that this specific home is also safe. Having a friend with you is always an excellent idea, but is not always practical. tip_icon TIP: Plan a vacant-viewing day with a fellow co-worker. Preview all the recently listed vacant homes as a team, so it is not an inconvenience to either of you and doubles up on safety for you both. There are additional precautions you can take beyond the buddy system. Let's look at some of them now.

u can build rapport without sharing too much. Let's look at a couple of example responses to a client comment. Client: "We would really love something completely landscaped, maybe with a little pond. Emma is old enough now to stay out of the water." Response 1: "I know exactly what you mean! Now that my youngest is five, we can finally go to the mini golf course without risking him jumping in the water with the ducks." Response 2: "I agree. My wife and I have always wanted a pond, but we were also worried that the boys would be in the water all the time." Response 3: "I agree. Water features can be so calming, especially when the kids are old enough to stay out of them!" While all of the responses above help build a relationship of mutual understanding with your client, response 3 is the best option for a couple of reasons. It focuses on your client, not on you. Responses 1 and 2 turn the conversation back to you, but a truly skilled professional always keeps the client in primary focus. If you are talking about yourself and your life, you have lost focus, and you may be divulging too much. Following strict guidelines on professionalism can help you protect your own personal safety by limiting how many personal details you share with others.

Safety on the Road You spend more time in your car than the average office worker. A few preparations can help you stay safe on the road. Your office should have your vehicle information. If it doesn't, start the policy. Records should include your vehicle, make, year, model, color, and license plate number. tip_icon TIP: Most offices require you to fill this out your first day, but fail to keep these records up to date when you purchase a new vehicle. Take responsibility for your own safety, and update these records when you change vehicles.

Homeowners can help with safety. Provide your sellers with a checklist of items to take care of before open house day. Tailor it to address particular troublesome areas with their property. This list should include the following: Clear all pathways and entrances. Install working lights in all stairways. Install banisters on stairways Remove snow and ice from any walkways. Remove valuable items. Remove firearms from the home entirely. (A locked gun cabinet acts as a display, inviting thieves back to" visit" when there are fewer observers around.) Clear the medicine cabinet. Prescriptions should be removed from view and secured. Find a good home for small electronics. iPads, Gameboys, mp3 players, and other easily snagged electronics should be out of sight. Again, proper surveillance can help prevent both theft and injury. Prep the property, provide surveillance, and guide visitors through the home to ensure the open house goes off without a hitch. handout_icon HANDOUT: Safety Tips to Share with Sellers, Article #7 of NAR's REALTOR® Safety Resources Kit, provides additional advice to share with your sellers. Unit Quizzes and the minimum required study time must be met to unlock Final Exam.

Secure the property after an open house. Start with the top floor and work your way down through the house, from the back of the house to the front. Lock windows and doors behind you. By this point, you should be familiar enough with the home to know the exits. Make sure each one is secured before moving on to the next room. Extinguish all candles. Turn off the stove, fireplace, and any free standing heaters. Close the blinds as instructed per the sellers. When you leave, give the sellers a call and let them know they can return at any time.Key Points from Unit 1 Office open houses offer professionals in your office the first opportunity to bring you a buyer. A broker's open house allows other real estate professionals to view the property. A public open house invites potential buyers and curious neighbors to view the property. Public open houses often attract unqualified or undecided buyers who may be good clients down the road, and typically draw in neighbors who can help spread the word to potential buyers they know. Virtual tours are often a better solution if the property is not unique and there are many similar properties in the neighborhood at the same price point, if the property is not easily accessible, if the risk of theft outweighs the potential benefit of finding a buyer, if the property is in disrepair, or if the sellers cannot adequately clean and de-clutter. Public open houses are ideal for unique properties that are easily accessible, well-staged, and offer a positive experience or feeling when entered. Schedule public open houses during a slow weekend day for two to three hours and market them well. Require that your open house visitors sign in, and let your seller client know in advance about this requirement. Prior to the open house, have a discussion with your seller about who will host the open house and who they represent. Disclose your license status to open house visitors per state requirements. Help your sellers prepare for the open house. Recommend they de-clutter, de-personalize, clean, make repairs, and accessorize. Clear all walk ways, move trash bins out of sight, mow and edge the lawn. Pay special attention to the entry and ensure the door is clean, the lock is free of scratches, and the porch light works. The day of the open house, turn on all the lights, open blinds, and clean the windows. Encourage sellers to spend the day away from home for the entire open house, as well as all showings. Pets should be taken with the sellers or boarded for the afternoon. During an open house, keep your small talk professional and avoid disclosing any confidential information about the sellers. Guide traffic flow to ensure security, protect visitor safety, and highlight the best aspects of the house. Unit Quizzes and the minimum required study time must be met to unlock Final Exam.

Some sellers want to be present for showings. This is nearly always a bad idea. Sellers think agents and buyers won't be able to find everything, that they must be there to point out important features. Sellers should be aware that, at the very least, buyers feel uncomfortable when they are present, and that it can actually kill a sale. Buyers often won't even open closet or cabinet doors when the seller is home, and when they cannot view a house comfortably, they hurry up and move on to the next one. Sellers want to talk, and not just about the house. You never know when a buyer will be turned off by the mood of the seller, or by a statement the seller makes. Buyers are there to look at the house, not chit chat about hobbies or the weather or worse—politics and other controversial topics. If sellers must be home during a showing, counsel them to go outside or stay put in one location, not wander around with the agent and buyers.

Some sellers want you to be present for all showings. If you're selling a large estate or complicated property, it might be the norm to plan on being present for all showings, but it's not necessary or smart for the typical house. calendarExplain that other agents generally feel uncomfortable with the listing agent hanging around, listening to and participating in conversations with potential buyers. It will make it difficult for the buyers and their agent to discuss the house openly. Even more important, it will make scheduling difficult. Requiring the listing agent to be present for all showings can give a house a "difficult to show" reputation

Lesson: Identifying Which Properties Deserve an Open House A public open house is not beneficial for every listing. Most buyers begin their house hunting online. Virtual tours are accessible to them 24/7, and allow you to specifically guide buyers toward noticing the property's highlights. They are an excellent solution for properties in a stale neighborhood. In a development with 20 homes on the market, each with nearly the same layout and similar listing prices, your listing is unlikely to stand out through an open house. Highlighting the true details and uniqueness of the home through a virtual tour and capturing the audience's imagination before they enter the neighborhood is a b

Virtual tours work especially well with vacant properties. Buyers may have a hard time envisioning the best way to use large open spaces, and virtual tours offer the unique ability to insert virtual staging. An inexpensive way to stage a home, you can select furnishings that are perfectly scaled to the environment and help illustrate unique ways homeowners could use the space. If you have never tried it before, check out a few of the options on the market. Virtual Staging Solutions is one example. There are other reasons you may want to avoid a public open house. Open houses flop when the home is not easily accessible. Remote locations and gated communities restrict how many potential buyers are likely to come by. If it is inconvenient, fewer people will show up.

Maintain your vehicle. stormDon't ignore a check engine light, and keep those maintenance routines up to date. Keep a kit in the trunk in case you do breakdown. The kit includes flares, a tire inflation canister, basic hand tools, water, a flashlight, and a first aid kit. Learn how to change a flat tire and make sure that your spare tire is inflated. Keep the proper gear in your car to deal with harsh weather. fieldtrip_icon VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP: Vehicle maintenance includes more than regular oil changes. Scan this quick list of Basic Car Maintenance Tips from Nationwide. If any of these are unfamiliar to you, spend a few minutes learning more about your vehicle. If you shudder at the idea of fixing anything with an engine, consider joining a roadside assistance plan such as AAA.

inimize Distractions. Distracted drivers are dangerous. Opening a bag of Doritos or adjusting your radio is distracting enough, but texting adds a whole new level of distraction. According to a study completed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute for the US Department of Transportation, sending or receiving a text takes your eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. If you are driving 55 mph, this is the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field without looking. It is no wonder that texting while driving makes you 23 times more likely to crash. Your car can be your office, but not while you are driving it. Pull over to answer your phone, read a text, and return an email. fieldtrip_icon VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP: You can find the full VTTI study results, as well as other information on distracted driving, at Distraction.gov. If you are in an accident, can emergency responders find your emergency contact information? If you have not already done it, take the time now to program your "In Case of Emergency" contact. Simply add "ICE" before the person's name. Emergency responders will check your phone and look for this person in your contacts if needed.

Safe Showings for Licensees Personal safety should be your top priority. As a real estate licensee, you put yourself in danger every time you give a stranger a ride in your car, or meet a stranger at an empty house. Practice the following guidelines to minimize risks to your safety: Ask callers to meet you in your office or a public place prior to showing them a house or meeting them at a house. If something about them seems off, don't meet them alone. Check the strength of your cell phone signal in the house you are going to show before it opens. Carry an extra, fully charged cell phone battery. Program emergency numbers to speed dial. Keep your cell phone and car keys handy at all times. Lock your handbag in your car trunk. Ask the local police to place a squad car on patrol in the neighborhood during your open-house hours. Establish multiple "escape" routes before the open house begins. Guarantee that you can escape the backyard. Release all deadbolts and locks. Open all curtains and turn on all lights.

n addition to the foregoing safety measures, we also recommend the following precautions: When you arrive at the open house, write the date and time on the back of one of your business cards, along with a note about any special conditions (for instance, whether clients are waiting), then place it in a kitchen cabinet. Jot down descriptions of visitors and their vehicles, including their license numbers. Always walk behind potential buyers as you show them the property, directing them as you go (e.g. "The living room is to your right."). Arrange to call your office, answering service, friend, or relative at timed increments, and request that they immediately notify the police should you fail to call. Ask a neighbor to watch for anything unusual during an open house, and never assume that the house is empty before leaving. Double check the backyard and all of the rooms, then work from the top to bottom floor and back to front of the house, locking the doors behind you. Prepare yourself mentally for any eventuality. Consider having a friend or an assistant with you so that you are not alone.

void flaunting a thief's delight. houseAllowing anyone and everyone to wander through a high-end home can be a security risk. That large glass case displaying the coin collection just waits for a thief with nimble fingers to stroll past. Gun cabinets showing their wares are always a taboo. Ideally, when you took listing photos you made sure to crop out those big-ticket items. Even if you were diligent in your photos, a property may still invite the wrong kind of prospect. You can push sellers to clear out the desirable items, but it doesn't always work. If the risk to security trumps the potential benefits of the open house, call it off. In high-end properties where this is the case, it is likely your ideal buyer is not browsing open houses, and will more likely find you through other means anyway. Some properties deserve the attention. Once in a while, you feel it. Being present in the home provides an instinctual feeling that you know will be the key to selling the home. When approaching the home requires you to drive under a canopy of breathtaking trees into a serene garden, people need to experience that. When you walk into a grand entrance and the light cascades through the home in a way that makes your shoulders relax and your gaze shift upwards, you have stepped into the kind of home that sells itself . Exquisite carved detailing, a backyard sanctuary, an innovative play area with built-in structures are difficult to convey using static photos. Even virtual tours pale when compared to the experience of being in these spaces. Open houses are made for those truly unique homes that capture the essence of... well, anything. Serenity, rock and roll lifestyle, eco-paradise, tech nerd's dream—you name it. If there is an overwhelming sense of belonging in that space, one that you have to see to believe, then hold that open house! Unit Quizzes and the minimum required study time must be met to unlock Final Exam.

ome properties are hard to love. Open houses inspire people to want to live in the wonderful home, yet not all properties are wonderful. When extensive work is needed, walking through the house may create more turn off than appeal. Handyman specials require handy people who are truly signing up for the project, and you are unlikely to find them at the open house. Furthermore, you are unlikely to build consumer confidence in your skills as a real estate professional, and may do more harm than good to your reputation. Just as some properties are harder to love, so are some sellers. If you have a difficult seller who resisted your advice on de-cluttering before you took listing photos, watch out. Some sellers just are not willing to put in the work required to make an open house go well. Holding an open house in a dirty home tarnishes your reputation, making it seem like you were the one who didn't know enough to clean before inviting the public to view the dirty laundry.

Sellers expect open houses, as they have been a key element in seller representation for years. To make sure yours are successful, you first need to identify which properties are most likely to benefit from an open house, and find another solution for the rest of your listings. When you have a great open house candidate, preparing the sellers for the experience is a big part of the process. You need to establish open house guidelines with them and help them prepare their property for the event. During the open house, you guide traffic flow through the property, while ensuring the security of the property and the safety of the visitors. Building rapport with the visitors is a bit of an art form and can make or break your open house. Keep your interactions professional and avoid spilling any confidential information. During this unit, we will look at the entire open house process, and offer tips and strategies for every step along the way. Let's jump in.

sson: Open Houses There are three primary types of open houses. Each of these types has its own audience and its own marketing strategy. The three types are: Office or Firm Open House Broker's Open House Public Open HouseCongratulations! You successfully passed your quiz. Click below to return to the Table of Contents and continue your course. 1. Which of these would indicate there might be a squatter living in a vacant property? A. Garbage in the neighbors garbage can B. Wood pallets stacked under a window Congratulations, this is the correct answer! C. A musty smell when you first enter D. The electricity has been shut off 2. Ground level windows should _________. A. Be kept unlocked B. Have a garbage can or other climbable object under them C. Have good locks that you use regularly Congratulations, this is the correct answer! D. Have easy-to-shatter glass in case of emergency 3. To ensure your safety at open houses, if possible, always try to _______. A. Require visitors to register in advance B. Google visitors` names as they sign in so you know something about them C. Take a photo of every visitor with your camera D. Have another person working with you Congratulations, this is the correct answer! 4. You are taking a new client out to see a few properties. Why should you meet her at your office first? A. So others in your office could recognize her if needed Congratulations, this is the correct answer! B. So others in your office can market to her if your relationship does not work out C. So she knows how to find you when you work alone at the office D. So she knows you are a professional 5. When working alone at the office, you should _________. A. Lock all doors except the main entrance This is the correct answer B. Keep the back door unlocked This was your answer, which is incorrect. C. Keep windows obscured D. Unlock the front and the back doors Feedback: When working alone at the office, ensure all doors other than the main entrance are secure and windows are clear. 6. Karen lost 150 pounds and is creating a whole new set of marketing materials. Which of the following is good advice for her when choosing new photos to use in her marketing materials? A. Use the photo of her in the bikini to capitalize on her results B. Use before and after shots so clients can see the transformation C. Use an up-to-date photo in a professional outfit Congratulations, this is the correct answer! D. Use an artistic collage that blends her with her kids and husband 7. If you are driving at 55 mph and you read a text while driving, you will take your eyes off the road long enough to drive the equivalent of ________. A. a football field Congratulations, this is the correct answer! B. one car length C. one mile D. a kilometer 8. During a casual conversation, Amal`s client mentions that she has three kids. Which of the following is a good response from a safety perspective? A. "I have three kids too! How old are yours?" B. "My wife and I are expecting our fourth kid any day." C. "I love kids. How old are yours?" Congratulations, this is the correct answer! D. "My youngest is just starting kindergarten. How old are your kids?" 9. When showing a house, always walk ________. A. At least one arm`s length in front of prospects B. At least 10 feet away from prospects C. Behind prospects, directing them where to go Congratulations, this is the correct answer! D. Ahead of prospects, requesting they follow you