Open House Ideas for the Modern Real Estate Agent

Why open houses are still relevant in 2025

The internet has significantly evolved the buying and selling of homes. The National Association of REALTORs® (NAR) reported that97% of homebuyers use the internet during their search for a new home.

The ability to take virtual tours enables people to look at properties on their own time, but these digital interactions don’t tell the whole story of a property. Only a physical viewing allows potential buyers to see the actual condition and size of the home as well as the neighborhood around it.

Various statistics claim that open houses have a small impact on buying, but NAR annual home buyer trends survey delivers data straight from the source . The report revealed that50% of homebuyers attended open houses. which includes all ages. Surprisingly, younger generations are more likely to use the report as a source versus older ones.

Many factors may influence whether someone buys a home, including an open house visit. However, real estate agents still believe open houses are good for business, with 54% of agents using them to market a home.

Open houses may not be the sole dynamic of real estate purchases, but they undoubtedly have influence. You can still use virtual initiatives to get your property in front of buyerswhile also promoting open houses. It’s a personalized experience that’s simply not replicable online.

Let's review open house ideas for real estate to ensure you make the most of these events.

9 real estate open house ideas

Here’s a fresh list of what to do for an open house.

1. Promote your open house on social media

Social media is an excellent channel for promoting an open house. In the NAR home buying trends report, social media is a theme. The results reflected that people find real estate agents through the sites and REALTORs® use them to market homes.

The constant consumption of social media feeds has impacted every industry, and you can use these sources of attention to boost your open house attendance.

Here are some examples of how to use social media:

• Sites like Facebook allow you to create events on your page with all the open house details.
• Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook Stories allow you to provide a sneak peek of the property to foster excitement. Remember these are short-term, so you can create several in the week ahead of the event.
• Using video in general across social media sites can work as teasers.
• Hyperlocal social networks are another untapped option. Sites like Nextdoor or Facebook Groups target locals most likely to visit the open house.

In any of your social posts, include useful property details, the time of the open house, your contact information, giveaways, and other information.

2. Use videos and virtual tours

While it’s true that a picture can be worth a thousand words, going beyond just using photos in your listings can attract more qualified leads. In particular, videos and virtual tours can be a powerful way to showcase properties because they’re convenient and accessible.

With virtual tours, potential buyers can view a property at any time. According to a nationwide survey, 67% of homebuyers want a virtual tour when looking at a listing. Additionally, 50% of potential purchasers would consider making an offer based on a virtual tour.

Virtual tours can also save you the time it takes to schedule and coordinate showings and travel to and from the house. Plus, 3D virtual tours can potentially lead to a 9% higher selling price and a 31% chance of selling faster than those without a virtual tour.

3. Invite the neighbors

Inviting the neighbors can pay off in ways you’d least expect it. It’s a great strategy that allows buyers to meet the community and ask them questions about it. Neighbors are unlikely to make an offer, but they might know someone interested. Word of mouth can make a sale happen a lot faster than traditional marketing methods.

Pro-tip: Aim to invite people from at least 10 homes nearby and use a handwritten note instead of flyers if possible. Better yet, walk over to the homes and knock on their doors. Doing so will show people that you genuinely care about their attendance and are serious about cultivating a strong community.

4. Curate a neighborhood showcase

One of the advantages of open houses for real estate is giving potential buyers a preview of the neighborhood.

Neighbors can provide potential home buyers with the inside scoop on the area and its charms. You can add to this with a neighborhood showcase of amenities, fun things to do, and attractions. Depending on the buyer, these could be segmented, such as one for families and others for singles.

You can deliver this information in several ways, including:

• An interactive one-sheet with a map and highlights, using QR codes to highlight schools, restaurants, retailers, and more.
• A slide share of neighborhood hot spots to play on the TVs in the house. You can insert QR codes here, too.

Add testimonials from current residents in either format to convey social proof that the area has everything buyers want and need.

5. Create an experience for guests

Experiences that are memorable in all the right ways can lead to a sale. The more personalized and unique, the better. Some great open house real estate ideas to deliver this include:

• Themed refreshments: Tie food and drink back to the neighborhood’s history or something that aligns with the architecture. If you choose to offer alcohol at an open house, research your local state laws first to ensure compliance.
• Giveaways: Collaborate with other local businesses for prizes, such as restaurant gift cards, to incentivize attendees.
• Special guests: Reach out to your network of designers and contractors who can demonstrate some quick DIY tips and provide advice.
• Kid areas: Set up a kid’s zone at the property with coloring books and crafts to keep them occupied.
• Gamify the experience on social media: Encourage guests to take photos of the property and post them with a specific hashtag. The best one can win a featured prize.
• Branded swag: Leave some of your promotion items like pens, water bottles, or notepads as a thank you. Even if they don’t make an offer, these buyers have all your information to get in touch.
• Interactive activities: Create games like scavenger hunts to get visitors to look throughout the property for a list of things.

6. Don’t forget the follow-up

As an agent, you often have to wear many hats, and all your duties take time. Follow-ups can inadvertently fall through the cracks. A study on follow-ups found that44% stopped after hearing one “no,” and 22% stopped after receiving two.

To ensure follow-ups get a place on your to-do list, consider these benefits of continuing to communicate.

• Engaging with attendees after an open house helps you establish and nurture relationships. This personal connection can be instrumental in converting interested visitors into actual buyers.
• Following up allows you to gauge who’s genuinely interested in the property and who isn’t so you can prioritize your efforts and focus on the most promising leads.
• Potential buyers may have questions or need more information after visiting an open house. When you reach out, you can answer those questions, offer additional details, clarify any concerns, and make it easier for them to make informed decisions.
• If the current property doesn’t meet the needs of a potential buyer, a follow-up gives you a chance to suggest other listings that might be a better fit.

Building a good rapport through follow-ups can lead to positive word-of-mouth and recommendations, which can increase attendance at future open houses. Satisfied attendees are more likely to refer you to their friends and family.

7. Collaborate with other agents in your area

Jointly promoted open house events with other agents can create a buzz in the community, increasing foot traffic and generating interest in multiple properties at once. Working with other agents lets you pool your marketing resources, reach a wider audience, and attract more buyers. If you’ve been trying to stay ahead of your competition, it might just be time to start collaborating with them instead.

8. Use QR codes for more than signups

With internet listings now the primary means for home searches, QR codes have become incredibly valuable. They make the home-buying process smoother and more engaging.

Here are 3 of the many ways you can use QR codes at your next open house to get leads:

1. Set up a digital sign-in station with a QR code for attendees to scan when they enter the open house so they can provide their contact information.
2. Create a QR code that directs attendees to your contact information, website, or social media profiles. This makes it much easier for them to get in touch with you for questions, schedule private showings, or receive additional property details.
3. Generate QR codes linked to virtual tour videos or 360-degree panoramic images of the property. It becomes a takeaway they can refer back to after the open house.

9. Virtually stage empty rooms

Virtually staging empty rooms is a great technique to make a listing more visually appealing. With a little creativity, you can fuel potential buyers' imagination with different styles, decor ideas, and furnishings to help them envision the space’s potential as their future home, which can lead to faster sales and higher offers.

Data from theReal Estate Staging Association reflects that stage homes sell in an average of 23 days, while non-staged homes spend an average of 184 days on the market.

AnNAR survey revealed that 20% of buyers’ agents said staging increased the offer by 1-5%.

Virtually staging a home allows you to emphasize key selling points to impress and intrigue more prospective buyers.

‍Pro-tip: Instead of traditional staging, set up the home to reflect a specific lifestyle that might appeal to your target market. It could be anything from a home gym setup to a cozy reading nook, or a home office for remote workers.

The future of open houses

These open house ideas for real estate should inspire you. We should also look to emerging trends and the future. Technology is already playing a big role in how to promote an open house. It will become increasingly transformative with virtual reality (VR) experiences, real-time drone overviews of the neighborhood, and artificial intelligence (AI) for personalized tours.

Harnessing technology tools for open houses on the backend is also critical. With a platform that allows you to promote listings and manage visitor information, you’ll be more efficient. You can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time fostering relationships.

The human and physical components of open houses will always be crucial, even as technology offers a helping hand.

Make a lasting impression

Hosting a successful open house requires more than opening the doors to potential buyers. You want the experience to be memorable and personalized. These ideas and strategies help you achieve this.

Ultimately, the goal is to stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression. By implementing these real estate open house ideas, you can attract more visitors, generate more interest, and seal deals faster.

Are you finished with your open house and unsure what to do with all the new leads you've captured? Learn how real estate CRM software can help you turn those prospects into future clients down the road.