As I was driving to my open house today and was listening to the Masters golf tournament I started to wonder whether I could, and more importantly should, have it on at my open house. I have certainly held many homes open and often times there is something compelling on at the time (Dodgers or Laker playoffs, final four...I assume you can tell that I'm from Los Angeles and also a sports fan) and in the past I've turned the TV on to these events if the open house is slow. The reaction is often good as the potential home buyers often linger a bit longer and we get to talking, but I wondered what other Realtors out there think as I'm sure you all have different ideas of how to successfully hold open houses.
Keith Kyle is a licensed Realtor, short sale specialist and Top Producer with South Bay Brokers in Manhattan Beach. He serves his clients throughout the South Bay and his websites KeithKyleHomes.com and FindYourSouthBayHome.com offer the most comprehensive real estate websites in the South Bay with free MLS access, current home listings, open houses, recent home sales information and more. Keith can be reached at 310-251-2344 or by email at info@KeithKyleHomes.com. For more information on the South Bay, visit my Beach Cities Real Estate blog.
Keith, just wanted to drop in on you, it has been a while. I find that it is beneficial. Keeps the potential clients there longer. Shows a human side of the agent potential for bonding. So I am all for it. As long as we remember that we are there to capture buyers and sellers and sell the home and the TV is just background and a tool to accomplish the real mission.
Good post Keith...I suspect most people's initial response is to say no to the TV at an open house. However, when it's the big game or the big tournament you may have found another way to connect with your audience.
As I write this I'm at an open house, which I am 2 1/2 hours in to and have had 2 people through, so the idea of watching the Masters right now is quite appealing. I think the secret is to be interested enough in the people going through the home and be able to completely detach yourself from the TV when it's required.
Who knows, more guys might go out "open housing" if they know they're not going to miss any of the action.
Generally would vote for no -- but maybe if it is something everyone will want to see perhaps yes.
I will have it on if it's an important sporting event, but I also learned that if it's a room that will more than likely have the next owner's television in it that I should leave it off it there is a lot of glare. That has provoked some negative comments on the room and adding curtains or blinds is just adding costs in some buyer's minds.
TV on, no sound. Recommend closed captioning if you can figure out how to bring it up. Always an issue because it's someone else's TV.
Excuse my ignorance, I am not an agent, but if the big game was on, and its such a very big deal, why open the home at a time potential buyers may not show up? Why not just postphone the open home?
Hi Sam,
Thanks for the perspective from a non realtor. Unfortunately it's not quite as easy as postponing or cancelling the open house. Often times it's been scheduled and even advertised without realizing that the event is on TV. Often times the seller expects open houses to be held and they're not concerned with why it is or isnt' a good day to hold it open.