The Altman Close

Chapter 9OPEN HOUSES FOR CLIENTS, BROKERS, AND INSIDERS

Congrats. You opened a client. You landed a listing. Good for you. Don’t you dare celebrate yet – I don’t see a commission check.

You’ve just started out, and you’ve got no reason (and not enough clientele) to be exclusive with this property. You’ve yet to generate the buzz. So you create some. You host an open house.

Contrary to the belief that to kill it in real estate you have to master the proverbial real estate bible, to be a solid agent you have to become an expert on people – reading moods, body language, hesitations, and silences. So sharpen your powers of observation at these events, and learn from the experience. Let’s start with your basic client.

Don’t Tour, Sell

You’ve seen the clients leaning forward as they tour the house, nodding as they go. They smile and focus. They ask questions. They ponder, express interest, and sometimes straight up pretend to know what they’re looking at when they haven’t the slightest clue.

Some are authentic in this, some just want so badly to be pros, others not to look stupid. You can see it on their faces. One way or another they see themselves living there, happy. It doesn’t matter what they’re really thinking. What does matter is that they are there, ready to be worked, and it’s your job to work ’em. These people are your target market. They’re your bulls-eye. Open ’em, work ’em, and close ’em.

Every open house has curious seekers, or Sunday drivers who spot the sign and ...