The ultimate open house checklist for new & experienced agents

When I first started in real estate, I was eager for advice. The best advice I got from an experienced agent was simple but powerful: “Do as many open houses as you can.” I took his advice to heart. Running open houses (among other strategies) has helped me build a sustainable career in real estate at Your Property People. If it worked for me, it can work for you as well. You just need to put in the work, and the results will follow.

To help you generate more (and better) leads from your next open house, I am giving you the exact open house checklist I used to generate millions in sales volume from open houses. My checklist includes simple and repeatable step-by-step instructions for preparing for your open house, networking strategies that actually work and follow-up tips to turn leads into clients.

Short on time? Download our checklist as a PDF below.

The ultimate open house checklist for 2025

We broke it down into digestible steps to complete your game plan for one week, two days, the day of and the day after your open house.

5 tasks to complete one week before your open house

Task 1: Find a listing to hold open

I always secure my open house about one week prior. If you don’t have your own listings, ask other agents in the office if you can run an open house at one of their listings. Most will be happy to oblige because it’s free marketing for their listing. Underpriced or unique listings are ideal candidates for open houses, but look for listings that align with your market niche. Running an open house at a mansion might sound fun, but it won’t help your business if you focus on new or move-up buyers.

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Task 2: Research the listing on your MLS

Ok, so now you’re excited. You have secured your open house! Now what? Research, research and more research! Knowing everything about the listing is impossible, so your goal should be to minimize as many “I’m not sure/I don’t know” responses as possible. At a bare minimum, print off and study the MLS sheet to learn about property disclosures, surveys, septic permits, upgrades and any standout features (or drawbacks!) of the home and property. The goal of your open house might not be to sell the listing, but it’s crucial to know as much as possible about the home.

Here are some crucial details you should memorize:

• Square footage
• Bedroom and bathroom count
• Standout features
• The home’s unique selling proposition (USP)
• Price
• Property taxes
• Property age
• Amenities
• Roof and HVAC age
• Acreage
• Nearby points of interest
• Distance to airports, town centers and medical centers
• Recently sold and recently listed comps in the neighborhood

Task 3: Gather property info from the listing agent

Once you get the green light, call the listing agent to learn as much as possible about the home and property. This shows the listing agent that you are responsible as you are asking probing questions. Here are a few key questions to ask them:

• Are directional open house signs allowed by the HOA?
• What are the rules or guidelines for signs?
• Is the home vacant or staged?
• Are there any cosmetic issues to be aware of?
• When were the roof or HVAC systems installed or refurbished?
• How many properties are in the neighborhood?
• Why is the seller moving?

Task 4: Market your open house 

Now that you’re an expert on the home, it’s time to start marketing your open house. Use the information you gathered about the home to develop a hook for your open house marketing. For example, if the home is listed below market value or has rare or unique amenities or architectural style, highlight that in your marketing.

How you market your open house will vary depending on your market, but here are the tried and true methods I use:

• Social media posts, including a boosted Facebook post
• Email blast to your database
• Call buyers in your database to invite them personally
• Email blast to buyer’s agents in your office
• Request that the listing agent add the open house to Zillow and Realtor.com
• Circle prospect or door-knock around the home to invite the neighbors

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Task 5: Create a one-page open house flyer 

Create a one-page flyer (front and back) with the necessary details for the buyer. This flyer will be a critical marketing asset for your open house. When you make your introductions, hand them out to each guest. Business cards get lost, and guests are more likely to hold on to a full-page flyer.

Since buyers have access to most of the home’s data on Zillow, here are three key details about the home you can add to your flyer to add value:

• Property tax amount 
• Age of roof and HVAC systems (if the roof or HVAC systems are old or need repair, contact someone in your office to get a rough estimate for replacing them.
• Floor plans (if available)

Your flyer should also be printed on high-quality, full-color paper. This is the first marketing piece they will receive from you, so quality matters. First impressions are everything in real estate.

In addition to my one-page flyer, I print out a sheet with the neighborhood’s active, recently sold, and coming-soon properties. The local market almost always comes up in conversations with guests, so having something to hand them that summarizes the data is helpful.

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2 tasks to complete two days before your open house 

Task 1: Drive the neighborhood 

I always visit the neighborhood in person a day or two before your open house. This allows me to find good spots to place my signs and chat with neighbors, who can be a goldmine of insider information about the neighborhood. It’s also an excellent way to introduce myself and invite them to my open house.

Task 2: Install your directional signs

If my open house is on a Sunday, I try to get my signs up Friday evening to capture commuter and nighttime traffic. I generally start at major intersections nearby and add signs strategically along the route to the home.

Do not skimp on sign quality—spend a few extra dollars here! Include your headshot and contact information on each sign, even directional signs, to help build your name in the neighborhood.

13 tasks to complete on the day of the open house

Task 1: Dress for the occasion

In addition to market knowledge and motivation, dressing appropriately for your open house is one of the best ways to make a first impression that will get phone numbers. Being dressed well will also increase your confidence and chances of generating leads.

Your goal is to appear professional and competent but never too formal. I prefer smart casual, which means wearing a blazer with a dress shirt and slacks but no tie. I also add a clean shave and a spray of cologne for good measure!

Task 2: Check your directional signs

If you put the signs out days before or the morning of, check to see if they are still there. Signs can get knocked down by the wind or vandalized by teenagers. Kids once turned all my signs in the wrong direction!

Task 3: Arrive one hour early 

You should arrive at the property one hour before the start time. If it is occupied, ask the listing agent if you can have access for at least 30 minutes before conducting your preparation.

Task 4: Create the right ambience

When entering the property, turn the lights on in every room and make sure the temperature is appropriate. This might include opening windows or patio doors to let in a breeze in balmier climates. After you turn on the lights and ensure the temperature is appealing, walk the property and view it as if you were the buyer. Does it look and feel inviting?

You may also want to experiment with music and scented candles to create the right ambiance for your guests. Let the home guide you. A home with a gorgeous backyard is crying out to have the back door open to lure people outside to see the home’s best feature.

Task 5: Set up your marketing and refreshments table

Find a good location for your marketing materials, such as business cards, flyers and sign-in sheets. A console table near the entry is ideal. Offering refreshments on your marketing table is an excellent way to make your open house more inviting. Make sure to provide snacks and beverages to appeal to all tastes, and be mindful of allergies.

Task 6: Greet your guests with a smile and make eye contact 

As potential clients arrive, greet them with a smile and make eye contact. This is an easy way to build rapport quickly. People want to work with people they like. A warm, genuine smile is the first step to a lasting relationship.

Task 7: Ask easy questions to break the ice

Ask easy questions to break the ice and disarm your guests. Focus on them, not you. I always ask their names first and only give them my name after they ask. This puts people at ease and reassures them that you are there to help, not sell.

Ask them about the traffic, how easy it was to find the home, or what they know about the neighborhood. Let the conversation flow naturally.

Task 8: Hand them your flyer and let them explore the listing on their own 

After you’ve broken the ice, hand them your flyer and tell them they can explore the listing independently. Tell them to take their time exploring, be comfortable and ask as many questions as they’d like. I like to tell them there will be a test when they finish the tour. This one always gets a laugh!

Task 9: Follow up in 15 minutes to get feedback

When they have completed the walk-through, ask them for their honest opinion of the home. Could they see themselves living there? If the answer is no, ask them why not. If yes, engage them in casual conversation about what they want. This is a fact-finding mission, not a sales mission. You aim to learn how you can help them solve their real estate problem.

Task 10: Find out if they are working with a buyer’s agent

At this point, I will ask who is helping them with their home search – a softer way to ask if they already have an agent. If they are working with an agent, they still get the five star Tom treatment.

Task 11: Confirm their contact information and the spelling of their name  

When your follow-up conversation winds down, ask them to confirm their contact information, including the spelling of their name.

Task 12: Write down as many details about your leads as you can remember  

It’s essential to write down as many details about your leads as possible. As soon as your last guest leaves, write down as many details for each lead as you can remember while the information is still fresh in your mind.

This information will help you segment your leads in your CRM, craft better follow-up messages and form personal connections with them when you meet them. Who doesn’t like someone who remembers their name, their dog’s name or their favorite baseball team?

Task 13: When your open house is over, clean up — leave no trace!

When the open house is over, walk through the home and outdoor spaces to ensure they are clean and exactly as they were when you arrived. Close and lock all doors and windows, and turn off all the lights. Don’t forget to put the key back in the lockbox and ensure it’s closed securely!

3 tasks to complete on the day after your open house

Task 1: Add leads to your CRM & start segmenting them

Use your sign-in sheets with the data you wrote down about each lead to add each lead to your CRM. The system you use to segment your leads is essentially a personal preference, but make sure you are at least segmenting by:

• Buyer or seller
• Timeframe for moving
• Budget
• Personal information from your conversation (occupation, spouse’s name, biographical details, etc.)

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Task 2: Follow up with your leads

With open houses, the money is in the follow-up. The odds of your lead being interested in the home you held open are slim, so follow-up is critical. For leads I had a good conversation with, I generally call them and invite them to chat over coffee.

Task 3: Email the listing agent with feedback from visitors

After you follow up with your leads, gather all the input from your open house visitors and put it into a spreadsheet for the listing agent to share with the homeowner. Here are some data points you might consider giving them:

• How many people attended the open house
• Common critical comments about the home
• Common positive comments about the home

The full picture

This open house checklist will help you keep your open houses organized, stress-free and running smoothly.