Furthering Your Training and Marketing by Going to Open Houses
This is an Optional Activity Which May Help to Market Your Business...
Here is an easy way for you to become familiar with using your Staging Reports/Client Action Plans while possibly developing some valuable Realtor contacts! Who doesn't love going to Open Houses! Here's the plan...
1. Go to www.realtor.com and search for homes that will be having an Open House. Cherry pick the homes that you think have great potential and are represented by agents who have other listings.
2. Using our research and buyer demographic tips and video in the Consultation Section, prepare the Pre-Appointment Research Sheet and the beginning of your shortened Staging Report.
3. Go to the home, try and wait till there is no other "buyers" in the home and use the script below to introduce yourself and your project to the agent. Start by saying something positive about the architectural features of the home and then introduce yourself, business and project.
"What a gorgeous home! My name is ___________ from YOUR COMPANY. As part of an advanced staging training course I am taking, I have an "assignment" where I must assess a home for sale using a unique approach Staging Report. I don't want to keep you from any potential "real" buyers that may come in, but would love to see the home if that's okay?"
**Remember, DO NOT take up any of the agent's time if there is a potential buyer in the home with you. The agent is there to sell the home to those buyers, not chat with you...this is common courtesy and shows a strong understanding for the agent's business.
Use the Staging Report (or other Action Plan you have already customized) to easily walk through the home and fill it out as you go. Don't be surprised if the agent wants to know your thoughts on the home and discuss their ideas on the "buyer demographic," price and room merchandising. Act like they are fellow, expert stagers and assume they have had discussions with their clients about some of the horrendous, staging mistakes you see in the home. Listen to their needs and frustrations with this home.
Member Story About Her Open House Assessment:
Hey Audra, I did my first open house this past weekend--and the experience was wonderful! The realtor was very interested in my opinion on how the house could have been staged better. The home owner had refused to have the home staged, so it was in definitely in need of some TLC! I was able to show the realtor several things that could be done immediately to improve the overall impression of each room. By removing old, stained bathroom rugs, cleaning fingerprints from door jams, and placing the few pieces of furniture that the owner had left behind in a pile in the middle of the floor, we were able to immediately see a huge difference.
The realtor was very impressed and has already expressed interest in working with me as soon as my business is up and running. He wants to put me in touch with some investors where I should be able to do some vacant staging soon.
The forms you provided for my walk-through were perfect and made my job so easy. Doing this open house was just the boost I needed for my confidence. The best part was that the entire time I was doing the walk-through and talking with the realtor, I was having the time of my life. I never have this much fun at my "real" job!! Thank you!!!!