How to Host a Successful Real Estate Open House in 2025

Hosting a real estate open house in 2025 is more than unlocking the door—it’s a strategic marketing opportunity. Learn how today’s top Realtors® are using open houses to build their brand, attract buyers, and win more listings.

A well-executed open house is more than a showing—it’s a lead-generating event that builds your reputation and fills your pipeline.

Open houses remain one of the most powerful tools in a Realtor®’s toolkit. They’re high-impact, cost-effective, and give agents a unique chance to connect with buyers, sellers, and neighbors—all in one afternoon. But in 2025, successful open houses require more than putting out a sign and hoping for traffic. This blog will walk you through a modern strategy for hosting open houses that generate leads, boost local visibility, and help convert your next listing appointment.

Let’s start building your brand, growing your pipeline, and generating more high-quality leads with the full-service support of AmericasBestMarketing.com.

Why Open Houses Still Matter in 2025

Despite the rise of virtual tours and online marketing, in-person open houses continue to deliver results for agents who use them correctly. The key is to treat every open house as a branded, multi-channel event that positions you as the local expert.

Why open houses work:

• Offer face-to-face connection with serious buyers

• Showcase your professional marketing skills to sellers

• Create opportunities to farm neighborhoods

• Provide fresh, non-digital content for your social and direct mail campaigns

• Generate leads from visitors who aren’t working with an agent yet

Open houses support both your buyer pipeline and your listing strategy—especially when paired with consistent branding and digital follow-up.

Pre-Open House Strategy: Plan Like a Pro

Build a Timeline 7–10 Days in Advance

A successful open house starts with a plan.

Create a checklist and calendar with marketing, logistics, and follow-up tasks. Starting at least a week out gives you time to build momentum and attract more visitors.

Planning checklist:

• Confirm seller availability and permission

• Create custom open house flyers and social graphics

• Schedule social media posts and email blasts

• Drop neighborhood invites and Just Listed postcards

• Set up retargeting ads with geo-location targeting

Leverage Multi-Channel Promotion for Maximum Exposure

Go beyond the MLS.

To drive real traffic, you need to promote the open house on multiple platforms, using a consistent message and strong call to action.

Promotional channels:

• Instagram and Facebook Reels

• Community groups and local event pages

• Email newsletters and CRM automations

• Direct mail to surrounding homes (100–200 at minimum)

• Listing-specific retargeting ads

• “Coming Soon” stories and countdown posts

Learn how this ties into broader branding on our Multi-Channel Marketing blog.

Stage the Home to Showcase Potential

First impressions matter—online and in-person.

Work with a stager or use your own checklist to depersonalize, declutter, and enhance the property. Great staging not only helps in person, but also in your content leading up to the open house.

Key staging tips:

• Light candles or use subtle scent diffusers

• Turn on all lights and open all blinds

• Set the table or add a touch of fresh flowers

• Display your marketing materials professionally

Create Branded Open House Materials

Make every visitor remember you.

From welcome signs to property flyers, every detail should reinforce your brand and expertise.

Recommended materials:

• Sign-in sheets or digital sign-in via tablet

• Property feature sheets with branded design

• Neighborhood market reports

• Seller guide or buyer checklist (as a lead magnet)

• QR codes linking to CMA request pages or virtual tours

During the Open House: Maximize Every Moment

Engage Without Hovering

Make people feel welcome, not watched.

Greet visitors with a smile, introduce yourself briefly, and let them know you’re available for questions—but give them space to explore.

Tips for engagement:

• Ask how they heard about the open house

• Offer to schedule a private showing

• Provide bottled water or light refreshments

• Invite them to sign in for follow-up info and updates

Use the Event to Build Your Buyer and Seller Pipeline

Ask the right questions to qualify and connect.

Use the open house to uncover leads at all stages of the real estate journey. Many attendees are also sellers checking out how you present listings.

Ask:

• Are you already working with a Realtor®?

• What brings you to the area?

• Are you currently looking to buy and sell?

• Would you like a list of other homes nearby?

This opens the door to follow-up opportunities.

Capture Content During the Event

Open houses create great content moments.

Record a quick video tour, get behind-the-scenes photos, or do a quick Instagram story walk-through. Tag the neighborhood and include a strong CTA for buyers or sellers.

Ideas to capture:

• “What $500K Gets You in [Neighborhood]”

• “Sneak Peek at Our Weekend Open House”

• “Behind the Scenes of Today’s Open House Prep”

This content fuels your brand online—even after the event.

After the Open House: Follow Up and Convert

Email or Text Every Visitor Within 24 Hours

Speed matters.

Send a short message thanking them for stopping by and offering helpful next steps. Personalize each message if possible.

Follow-up ideas:

• “Thanks for visiting—here are similar homes available now”

• “Still thinking about the home? Let’s talk pros and cons”

• “Want a private tour or updated list of nearby listings?”

Add Every Visitor to a Long-Term Nurture Campaign

Don’t rely on one touchpoint.

Place every contact into your CRM and tag them appropriately. Then, add them to a personalized buyer or seller campaign.

Automated email ideas:

• “Buyer Checklist for 2025”

• “How to Prepare Your Home to Sell”

• “Market Update: What’s Happening in Your Zip Code?”

• “Homeownership Guide for First-Time Buyers”

Send a Follow-Up Report to the Seller

This builds trust—and positions you for referrals.

Include visitor feedback, questions, and comments. Let the seller know what worked and what didn’t, and recommend next steps.

Report may include:

• Total visitors

• Visitor feedback highlights

• Offers or next showing requests

• Updated marketing suggestions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are open houses still effective in 2025?
A: Yes—especially when paired with digital marketing and follow-up. Open houses are great for building relationships, winning listings, and generating buyer leads in your local area.

Q: What should I bring to every open house?
A: Branded flyers, sign-in tools, bottled water, digital sign-in option, CMA request forms, and a lead magnet like a seller or buyer guide.

Q: How do I follow up without being pushy?
A: Use value-driven messaging like “Here’s what’s new in the area” or “Would you like a market update?” Keep it helpful, not salesy.

Q: Can I host an open house if the home is already under contract?
A: Yes. It can be useful for collecting backup offers or showcasing your marketing skills to future sellers in the neighborhood.

Q: How can I use an open house to market myself?
A: Take video, create posts, tag local businesses, and mail follow-up cards to nearby homes showing how you marketed the event.

There’s no better time to start growing your business than right now. Let’s Get Started Today!

AmericasBestMarketing.com helps Realtors® host open houses that do more than show a property—they grow your brand, generate new leads, and support your listing strategy. From design to direct mail to follow-up, we’ve got you covered every step of the way.