Yes I have and it involves a lot of planning and preparation.  It certainly seems as if you put in the effort to make an open house event successful -- maybe it's your market, timing or some other factor.  I find the best open houses for me are "first time open" as well as marketing "broker caravans" to the public.    

PS Don't discount those neighbors or lookie-loos, I have been "hired" by more than a couple to sell their properties.   

from our open houses, we secure more listings, some buyers and we occasionally sell the home we hold open.... yes..many different success stories from it....but it needs to be marketed properly.... I spend alot of time marketing them every week....

Definitely not only in securing buyers or other homes, but have sold several of the open houses. Nothing like getting paid on both sides of the transaction!

Absolutely.  We intentionally do not do them - and intentionally don't waste our time!! 

It's rare, unless success is having a big turnout. I have sold a couple of homes, not the target one, from an OH. And we bought a home at a OH years ago.

Times have changed. Years ago there was no internet with tons of photos and virtual tours, no electronic lockboxes for easy and secure access, no buyers agents worki g diligently to represent their clients. Open houses were useful and had a purpose for getting people in the door and giving buyers the opportunity to see the home. Now they are antiquated and done to appease sellers that think they must be done or for agents to grab new unrepresented buyers. The purpose of open houses is different than what it once was. We don't do them and explain to sellers why. -Kasey

I don't do open houses.

Nathan,

I agree with Michael Jacobs .  Here is Santa Barbara, they work well.  A

Yes, very successful!

Never did so I quit doing them.

It really depends.  I've had some open houses where one week it was "deader than Vaudville" and the next week it was crazy... on the same house!  I've had open houses where they were sold AT THE OPEN HOUSE!  I've picked up buyers and sellers.

In my market they still work.  Really depends on what your definition of success is too.  Last open house I have several interested parties through on a 1.2m property.  A couple almost bought it, picked one up as a client.  Had 2-3 groups of people in the house at all times, except for a brief quiet from 230-3.

Never did which is why I don't do them anymore

When I did them ... yes I did. I managed to earn the business of many buyers, many who already were "working" with an agent. It was always hands off for me. I never took buyers information unless I promised to send them something. Buyers came to me. They took my card, called and emailed me asking if I would represent them. 

Sometimes those neighbors let their friends know about a home for sale in their community. 

I am a mortgage broker so from my perspective, engage with a mortgage lender and do a joint mailing to the surrounding area plus offer a couple of small doorprizes; $10 gift cards. Plus have them promote on social media as well. 

Or, you could have an hour at the beginning of the time period you are holding the open house for the neighbors and the rest of the time for the public. 

They can be a success.  How do you follow up with the fewer than 10 who do attend?

Not really, but some agents in our office get some decent results. Depends on location and price usually.

Yes, I have success with Open Houses.

However, that success is determined by the purpose of the Open House.

For example, if the PURPOSE is, 'Get More Listings," I must create and place the appropriate self selection materials, and make sure this is the 1st open house. The team must be well prepared to managne those who self select.

If the open house has no purpose and therefore no structure, the end result is spending time. The measure of a successful open house is not the number of attendees but in the number who self-select.

I have not held an open house in many years.

Sometimes yes and sometimes no! Not a fan, but they do work in some areas.

Early in my career but haven't done them in a long time.

I agree that you don't get great turn out but I have sold several homes to people I met from open houses - not necessarily the open house but other houses. 

Not recently.

I never have.   But, right now in Denver if you have an open house, there are WAY too many people in one house to be able to SEE it.

Get signs up 5 days in advance, have a advance open house and invite the neighbors, do a door drop with the neighbors to tell them about it.

Nathan Gesner - last few of my listings are sold at open house - albeit they have been working with other agents...

I think it all depends upon location - some work, some don't!

Even if only neighbors come I use the opportunity to get business from them and usually do.

I haven't had any success with open houses in several years.

all you need is one buyer or seller lead

Depends. We only hold them open if they are easy to get to and brand new on the market. And with that said, houses sell so fast here that even getting to the point to hold an open house is rare. Gone! Sold!

In my area, we don't get a lot of people who attend open houses. I did an open house a week ago and only had two separate people/couples attend. I haven't been able to contact one of them, but I helped the other one get an accepted offer on a different home yesterday. So I wasn't successful in getting a lot of people in the door nor with selling the actual listed house at the open house. I was successful in helping one of the attendees find the right place.

Nathan Gesner No, because I don't do them. I think now you know why.

     The only opens I will do these days is a "grand opening", when it comes on the market for sale.  Invite the neighbors, open house notice in MLS, etc.

In the early days, I did them and they were effective in selling through the Opens.  Times have changed.  If I was in the business now, don't think I'd do them for many reasons.  With drones, virtual tours and professional photos., buyer prospects don't need to go to Open Houses to know if they are interested in a home.   If they ARE interested, they should schedule a private showing.  I know many people go to Open Houses for entertainment.  A waste of an agent's time.   Of course, there is always the argument of picking up prospective buyers from Open Houses.  

Yes...but in a sellers market, whats the point?

Nope, doesn't work for me very well - I have other means of getting buyer leads since that's all an OH is good for these days - IMO of course

Sold the house?  Once.   

Connected with someone who became a client that ended up closing a transaction? I can only think of one there too.

I delegate this event if a seller REALLY wants an open.  :0

Broker Caravan, yes.

Open to the public, no. Stopped doing them 10 years ago.

The goal of most open houses is not to sell the home, but attract new clients. In this day and age, if someone wants to look at a home they simply call and request it

Some, on occasion.

In 25 years never sold the home being held open and it didn't matter how much preparation went into the open hosue... stopped doing these years ago.