While open houses are great for potential buyers to explore their likes and dislikes, they’re also a primary way for real estate agents to bring in new buyer leads. And now with so much change in the industry, and with more buyers coming back to the market—open houses are making a comeback. A growing number of buyers are using them to connect directly with a listing agent they can work with, trust—and ultimately help them find home.
This creates a huge opportunity for agents! But following up with all the promising open leads takes time and effort.
Open houses aren’t just about showcasing properties and generating leads—but how you follow up and nurture them.
But is that easier said than done? Ever hosted an open house with a great turnout and promising interactions, only to be met with silence afterward? No calls, emails, or follow-ups can leave you questioning your efforts—and homebuyers questioning if the time is right, or if you’re the right agent for them.
Let's explore how "ghosting" can happen after an open house and some techniques and technology to keep it from occurring again.
Why do potential buyer leads disappear after an open house?
These are just a few reasons that might leave potential buyers spooked.
- The property wasn't the right fit: Maybe the property wasn't what they were looking for.
- They found another property: A competing listing agent may have shown them a property they liked better.
- They didn’t connect with the listing agent at the open house: Or maybe they didn’t sign in and leave their contact information.
- They're not ready to buy: They may not be financially ready or emotionally prepared to purchase a home.
- You've got a lot on your plate: Following up with buyer leads takes time and sometimes guesswork—and it can be easy to lose momentum after the event.
While some of these are out of your control, you do have control over your open house interactions and follow-up efforts. During the open house, ask thoughtful questions to uncover buyers’ motivations, timeline, and budget, and be sure to get their contact information so you can stay in touch. Pay close attention to which attendees seem most engaged and interested. These will be your prime leads to nurture—which leads to your follow-up strategy.
5 steps to follow up with open house buyer leads
After open houses, waste no time in following up! And you don’t have to go about it alone. No more trying to decipher chicken scratch contact details on paper sign-ins, or hard-keying all visitors’ contact information into a spreadsheet or CRM software.
With open house software, like Spacio from Lone Wolf, you can automatically capture visitors’ information with its open house digital sign-ins that also communicates with your CRM to make follow up easy, automated—yet personable—via emails or texts that you can customize.
Plus, with digital open house sign-in software, you can:
- Track attendees: Capture visitors’ information at your open houses, providing you with a list of potential leads to follow up with.
- Integrate with your CRM: Connect it to your CRM to sync lead information and track interactions across all channels. Once a lead is captured, it will automatically be synchronized with your CRM, ensuring that your data is always up to date.
- Send targeted, automated follow-ups: Use automation features to send personalized email or text message follow-ups to attendees to keep them engaged and moving through your sales pipeline.
- Schedule follow-up calls: Schedule follow-up calls with interested leads directly within the app.
- Track lead engagement: Monitor lead activity and engagement using built-in analytics, so you can prioritize your follow-ups for the most serious buyer leads. For instance, Spacio provides additional insights about leads, such as their online activity and social media profiles, which can be valuable for your CRM.
All that to say, no one likes to be ghosted. Open houses remain a vital tool for generating buyer leads in today's evolving real estate market. The effectiveness of open houses hinges on your ability to follow up with potential buyer clients—without spooking them—and nurture them through the sales process, so they don’t end up ghosting you.
For more on this topic, explore our Buyer’s Agent Club to see other tips and techniques to stay on top of every lead that comes your way.
