Brankovsky, who’s with Royal LePage, believes that open houses are still worthwhile (“all you need is one buyer”). But she’s finding that there’s often less traffic through them in her area than in previous years. After all, when sales are down, open house activity tends to fall off as well, although it can depend on the neighbourhood.

“There’s nothing worse than sitting there for four hours with no one coming through. I think at the moment it’s less about the market and more about the economy. The cost of living is holding people back.” 

Different stories across the country

Post-pandemic-related changes must be considered as well. With homebuyers now having increased access to tools such as virtual tours, a lot of legwork can be done online, making a decline in open house activity seemingly inevitable.

But while this seems to be the case in certain pricy major centres, particularly Toronto and Vancouver, it’s a different story elsewhere, with some higher-performing markets seeing activity galore.

The latest data shows that “stark regional variations” have characterized the fall housing market, observes Ryan McLaughlin, an economist with Wahi, a Canadian digital real estate platform. According to RPS-Wahi’s latest house price index report, home prices continue to slide in the country’s most expensive cities. 

“But in select locales with better affordability conditions, gains are beginning to accelerate,” says McLaughlin. You could probably conclude that in these latter areas, it would make sense that there’s more open house action, he notes. 

Although the national numbers overall are suggestive of a market on pause, “that’s certainly not the case in cities in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, as well as certain parts of the Prairies, which may be heating up more,” McLaughlin explains.

While this latest fall data show Toronto and Vancouver housing prices dropping by at least four per cent from last year, quite a few cities with greater affordability have been experiencing stable performance and significant price growth. McLaughlin lists Winnipeg, Quebec City, Montreal and Regina among these, and to a lesser extent Calgary, Edmonton and Halifax.  

Canada’s easternmost city is ‘on fire’

 RPS-Wahi also has data not publicly included in its price index showing that year-over-year, home prices in St. John’s, N.L., have grown a whopping 12 per cent. 

Says Jim Burton, owner of ReMax Infinity in St. John’s: “Things are on fire here. It’s crazy busy. I’ve never seen a market like this. In a market currently not experiencing the best in some Canadian centres, be aware that other parts of the country are robust. And Newfoundland is one of them.”

This is a welcome change for the local real estate community. “We’re a hardened crew, used to going out and nesting in the gale, surviving hard times,” says Burton. 

Today, inventory in St. John’s is down, and sales are up. Multiple offers and homes selling over-asking have become common, which is unusual for the province. 

“We’re seeing a lot of capital coming in,” observes Burton. “There’s an abundance of buyers and few sellers. A lot of people are attending open houses. They’re pumped.” 

Making a case for open houses

Far from feeling that open houses are an outdated tool, Burton continues to find them a cost-efficient way of marketing, promotion and lead generation – not to mention an industry standard which tends to be expected by clients.

But not to worry, in a competitive sellers’ market like St. John’s, there’s no need for agents to knock themselves out getting overly creative with their open houses, in his opinion.

“Do your homework and be prepared,” he advises. Advertise well in advance. Take care of any necessary painting and repairs. “Put some buns in the oven and create a warm atmosphere.”

Setting the mood

Then again, kicking it up a notch can’t hurt. 

At the open houses hosted by Calgary agent Renata Reid, senior vice-president of sales at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, there may be live music, catered refreshments and games. Once, an Aston Martin was on display in all its glory. Buyers can’t get that experience – the aromas, the ambiance – online, she observes.

“It creates an atmosphere that makes people feel welcomed and want to linger. I take open houses to the next level.”

It’s hard to say what, if anything, would bring open house activity fully back to pre-pandemic levels Canada-wide. With Christmas less than two months away, it won’t be long before the seasonal slowdown hits. Many agents don’t do open houses on holiday weekends, focusing instead on family. But there are plenty of people visiting from out of town during holidays with time on their hands, who may be looking to move closer to relatives, Reid points out.

“Take a break if you need it. But it can be a great time for an open house.”

 Vancouver-based eXp Realty agent Tom Ikonomou agrees. 

“If people are trudging through the snow to an open house during a holiday, then you know they’re serious about buying.”

Susan Doran

Susan Doran is a Toronto-based freelance writer who has been contributing to REM since its very first issue.

The post Open house trends defining Canada’s uneven real estate market appeared first on REM.

Talk about one-stop shopping. Eleven Realtors from different brokerages recently came together to hold an agent open house that featured all seven of the suites for sale in a luxury boutique condominium in Toronto’s South Rosedale neighbourhood.

No. 7 Dale, designed by architect Hariri Pontarini and with interiors by Alessandro Munge, is a collection of multi-million-dollar suites. Each is more like a custom home, with its own mechanical room that allows owners to customize features such as heating, water filtration and security systems for their own suites. Other highlights include Dada kitchens and custom closets by Molteni & C, says broker Alison Fiorini of Harvey Kalles Real Estate. 

The building is divided into east and west wings. The brick front “reads like a Rosedale home, but the back is glass with ravine views,” she says.

Fiorini considers the open house event a success with about 50 agents and a few potential buyers attending. 

“It’s rare to be able to walk through something that’s built,” she says, as condos are usually sold pre-construction. 

Condos are a different beast in Rosedale, which is made up mostly of single-family residential. 

How it came together

The living space and marble fireplace of suit 207 of 7 Dale Avenue, listed for $8,495,000.

Fiorini and the other agents co-ordinated the event by email, excitedly sharing what each was planning for their individual suite and coming up with an organized plan for the day.

A greeter in the lobby gave out pamphlets and directed visiting agents to the suites listed for sale. The tour also gave agents a chance to view the amenities, which include a gym, a spa, a private trainer room and a lobby with designer furniture and a grand fireplace.

Broker Cailey Heaps of Royal LePage Heaps Estrin Real Estate says, “We’re always open to collaborating with colleagues from different firms to achieve the best results for our clients.”

She says the event was a perfect example of the impact that can come from working together. 

“The outcome was exactly what we hoped for, bringing a large group of prominent Toronto agents together to experience the project firsthand,” she says.

Heaps is co-listing the property with Megan Till-Landry.

Banding together to spark interest

The event was all about creating buzz and making it easy for other agents to tour all of the suites in one day.

Broker Janice Fox of Hazelton Real Estate says the response from a collaborative open house with multiple properties is easily 10-fold that of an independent single open house.

“Agents who wouldn’t have come otherwise were quite excited to make an entire building tour and could suddenly understand the features and benefits of the property as a whole and the diversity of options,” Fox says. “Part of the challenge in the current market is getting attention focused on your listing, and this went a long way in helping all of the listing agents.”

Fox says the developer of the property engaged Hazelton Real Estate to oversee sales of the entire project. “To date, we are almost two-thirds sold.”

Having a joint agent open house in a building isn’t easy, says broker Paul Maranger of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, who is co-listing with Christian Vermast and Fran Bennett.

“For security reasons, most buildings don’t permit open houses (whether public or agent), so the ability to ‘multi-task’ and visit the current supply was a luxury beyond belief for Realtors.”

‘A real success’

Realtor Gillian Oxley of Royal LePage Real Estate Services says the open house was a “fantastic opportunity” to showcase the suite’s craftsmanship and livability to Toronto’s top agents.

“It created meaningful conversations, collaboration and cross-promotion opportunities between agents representing similar luxury buyers,” she says. “These events strengthen professional relationships and ultimately benefit clients by increasing exposure and generating qualified interest in exceptional properties like this one.”

“The event was a real success,” says Realtor Jimmy Molloy of Chestnut Park Real Estate. “The idea of a group open house adds weight and momentum to encourage agents to see the product in person. 

He says real estate cannot be truly experienced on a screen. 

“You have to be in the space to understand the nuances of light, the volume and how you interact with it. The group open house is a creative way to encourage more agents to actually feel and experience the product,” says Molloy, who is co-listing with Lindsay Van Wert.

Realtor James Warren of Chestnut Park Real Estate says, “The agents were quite thrilled and happy with the fine bespoke finishings, high ceilings, the floor-to-ceiling windows and the views of the private terraces and gardens. The agents were happy we opened seven apartments at once so they could view the different floor plans.” 

Warren’s unit is co-listed with Alex Obradovich.

Early results

Fiorini had a second showing the day after the open house.

One agent told her during the open house that after seeing it in person, they had a client who might be interested.

Connie Adair

Connie Adair is a contributing writer for REM.

The post Different brokerages, same goal: Inside a collaborative open house appeared first on REM.

Susan Doran

Susan Doran is a Toronto-based freelance writer who has been contributing to REM since its very first issue.

The post Revolutionizing open houses: How immersive real estate experiences can help sell homes and gain exposure appeared first on REM.

Susan Doran

Susan Doran is a Toronto-based freelance writer who has been contributing to REM since its very first issue.

The post Huge comeback in the GTA: Open houses as a marketing tool appeared first on REM.

The post Open houses remain an effective strategy for attracting buyers appeared first on REM.

Alberta realtor Michael Montgomery recalls one toddler scrawling all over a freshly-painted wall with coloured markers. This resulted in “a difficult conversation with the homeowner,” laughs Montgomery, a broker/owner and coach/podcaster based in Calgary, where he teaches courses at the local board.

In another instance, Montgomery was showing a property to a family when their little boy decided to relieve himself over the balcony.

Multiple challenges

Whether or not to bring their children to showings and open houses can be a tough decision for your clients. Naturally, they want their children to feel part of the home-buying process. But there can be multiple challenges to bringing them along. Behavioural considerations aside, there may be restrictions on the number of people allowed at a showing, particularly in these times when we’re still technically in a global pandemic. If a sitter isn’t available, though, parents may have limited options.

When allowed, bringing kids along is easier with babes in arms, older children, and teenagers, Montgomery notes (adding the caveat that babies’ diapers should never be changed in the sellers’ home).

Don’t expect sellers to childproof their homes

By most accounts, issues arise mainly with toddlers, along with children up to about the age of seven. There are liability and safety concerns, including a higher risk of the sellers’ personal items being handled, inadvertent property damage or loss, or a child potentially taking a tumble down the stairs or into the pool. Sellers can’t be expected to childproof their homes for the sake of potential buyers’ children.

“It can be stressful for the buyers as they have to swivel, to watch the children while going through the home,” says Montgomery. “They’re so focused on the child that they can lose focus on the house. They’re distracted.” Open houses are likely to present even more challenges in this regard than showings. “There are more things competing for attention,” states Montgomery, who recommends booking a private viewing instead.

Kids can impact negotiations

Bear in mind that “kids have no filter,” he continues. In a worst-case scenario, this could adversely impact your negotiating stance, he cautions, with a child “disclosing facts that you don’t want the other party to know” in the admittedly-rare situations where your buyers cross paths with sellers. Montgomery recalls a colleague once telling him about a child proudly trumpeting to the homeowner, “My parents are going to buy this house!”

They did. But forever after, they wondered if – without that announcement preemptively spilling the beans – they could have gotten it for less.

So should you, the realtor, gently suggest that, where possible, parents leave toddlers at home with a sitter? “I definitely would,” says Montgomery. To make it as easy as possible for clients and avoid any backfire, though, he also offers alternatives.

“I’ve had one parent stay with the child in a vehicle, while the other goes through the house, then they switch,” he says. Another option, if everyone’s comfortable with it, is having the realtor or a sitter that’s been brought along occupy the children while the parents go through the house.

Entertainment is key

Keeping the children contained and occupied with electronics or a favourite toy or movie is key. A sitter or family friend, whether back at home or brought along to the showing, could help foster the children’s involvement in the process by viewing a virtual tour of the home with them at the same time that the parents are touring it in actuality.

To this end, Rafia Shetye, a fledging realtor and developmental support worker for her local school board in Markham, Ontario, suggests offering puzzles or colouring books to children at showings, letting them know that these are rewards for behaving and being good ‘assistants.’

Sheyte explains that “involving children in these ways can help them feel a sense of control and ownership.”

Royal LePage agent Sam Cuda stresses that it’s crucial that the listing agents’ instructions are followed. Restrictions on showings due to the pandemic vary across the country and are relaxing in many areas. However, according to Cuda, they’re still in place across much of the Greater Toronto Area, where he works.

Strict showing instructions often allow for no more than two to four people at an appointment and sometimes prohibit children altogether, he’s found. “Covid has changed things so much,” he says. “I used to go to showings where kids were bouncing around everywhere. I don’t see that now.”

It’s about respect

When families do have kids in tow, Cuda, a former teacher, often performs a simple magic trick and promises that he’ll do another later if they’re on their best behaviour. “It really works!” he claims.

He also makes certain that the kids are closely supervised and are clear on the rules beforehand. “It’s about respecting people’s properties,” says Cuda.

Susan Doran

Susan Doran is a Toronto-based freelance writer who has been contributing to REM since its very first issue.

The post Should your clients bring their kids house-hunting? appeared first on REM.

This level of effort shows potential buyers and potential clients the care and effort you put into your listings. It won’t go unnoticed.

Here are a few ways that you can bring a little “wow” to your next open house:

1. The holiday season is just around the corner. Have some warm apple cider brewing. The smell will be enough to invite them to linger and chat.
2. Order a tray of holiday pastries from a local bakery, served on a beautiful platter. Don’t get them from a fast-food outlet.
3. Have some alcohol-free bubbly served in disposable champaign flutes.
4. Have something for the kids like a colouring book with a small packet of crayons.

Do you have other ideas and recommendations for a memorable open house that you’re willing to share?

Nina Doiron

Award-winning Certified UltimateStager, redesigner and owner Nina Doiron is the principal at iSO Design. She provides an objective and experienced eye to attract more buyers and help sell for top dollar. She will also help you declutter and get organized. She says she will “inspire redesign ideas so that you’ll fall in love with your home again.” Call 416-993-0131.

isodesign.ca/

The post Time to spice up your open house appeared first on REM.

Prospects walk into the house.

Welcome them at the door with a warm smile, introduce yourself and pause…Most people will reciprocate and tell you their names. Their level of enthusiasm will be your first clue towards determining their communication style.

Mentally note their names and likely communication style. After they’ve gone into the home, write their names, styles and brief description in your notebook. For example, “Big Nose Dan – Driver” and “Smiley Sue – Amiable.”

No matter which communication style you are working with, always balance the four key relationship-sales-attributes: professionalism, confidence, friendliness and authenticity.

It’s not about merely possessing these attributes. It’s about finding the right level for each one and balancing them against each other. For example, a person can be overly friendly and totally unprofessional.

Hand the prospects one of your stunning marketing brochures and give them a brief overview of the property – price, key features, listing date. The brochure is important. It shows off your marketing prowess and acts as a positive reminder about you after they leave.

Note: Only do this if you’re proud of your marketing brochure. If it’s just “average,” then “average” will be the impression you leave.

Send them through the house or continue the conversation, whichever is most appropriate, depending on their communication styles. Drivers and analyticals will want to proceed into the house immediately. Expressives will want to enthusiastically tell you all about their day, while amiables will be much quieter (but also the most open to making a sincere personal connection).

Find the correct balance between their personal space (leave them alone) and your availability (I’m here to answer any questions you have!). If it’s a couple, they might have two different styles. That’s okay. You know how to juggle styles, right?

When they’re done, address them by name and try to strike up a conversation without appearing too salesy. Make the conversation as natural as possible. Actively listen to them, but also slide in a few key questions.

So, Dan and Sue, how did you like the house?

Their answer should lead to other questions, such as:

What are some important “wants and needs” you have for your new home?

What are your preferred areas?

How long have you been looking?

If you struggle to ask these questions and you sound fake and salesy, you’re doing it wrong.

The answers, and more importantly, how they answer, will give you a huge amount of information to help you decide how to make your prospect pick-up pitch.

Never ask if they are working with an agent! That gives them an easy out. If they’re serious about the relationship they have with another agent, they’ll let you know.

Maintain eye contact with them, and do not try to juggle three different groups at once. (You’ll lose all three. Once you have the right skills, you will know which prospects you need to focus on.)

Here’s the the Easy-Cool Prospect Pick-up Pitch:

“Hey, I’m just thinking that I’ve got something that might be very helpful for you.”

(gets their attention).

“It’s free and there’s absolutely no obligation whatsoever.”

(reduces resistance).

“Based on what you’ve told me, I can set you up on a system that will automatically send an email every time there’s a new listing that matches your exact search criteria.”

(sounds great).

“But here’s the really cool part. It will also automatically notify you whenever there is a price reduction or a sale, including the sale price.”

(even better).

“It only takes me a few minutes to set this up, and as I said, there is no obligation whatsoever.”

(further reduces any sense of commitment).

“Is this something that would be helpful for you?”

(of course, it is).

“Okay. All I need is both your email addresses, and I can set that up for you later today!

After the open house, set up the search and add them into your follow-up system (another topic). Remember, you said there was no obligation, and there isn’t. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow up appropriately and systematically.

Of course, making this pitch doesn’t actually turn a prospect into a client. This is only the first step in that process. But maybe that’s my point: When you try too hard, you turn people off. When you do it the easy-cool way (one step at a time), people are drawn to you naturally.

You’re going to get all kinds of different responses to the pitch outlined above, but the main thing is to keep it easy-cool and come around to your prospect pick-up pitch as naturally as possible. The better you get at it, the more successful you will become at converting prospects to clients.

Are you reading this and saying to yourself, “I’ve tried this, and it doesn’t work”?

That’s because you’re doing it wrong. The two biggest mistakes I see Realtors make are:

Trying too hard and coming across as annoying salesy types, or

Not trying at all! If this is you, honestly, you would be better off relaxing and recharging at home rather than wasting your time at an open house where you’re not fully committed to putting in your best effort.

Agents tell me all the time they never have any luck picking up clients at open houses. And yet, other agents (including myself back when I did open houses regularly) have no problems getting all the clients we want, practically at will – the easy-cool way.

It’s got nothing to do with luck. Just know this: All skills can be learned. You don’t need a coach. You need skills. Once you have them, they stay with you forever.

Ted Greenhough

After Ted Greenhough’s first year as a Realtor, he earned between $590,000-$865,000 every year for 12 consecutive years, all as an individual agent, without ever once making a cold call, reciting a canned script or doing any other “salesy” stuff. Now he runs Agent Skills, an online learning program for agents across North America.

The post How to become a prospect pick-up artist at open houses appeared first on REM.

1. Build your database:

Set a new goal for your database this fall, starting at 200 people. If you don’t know 200 people, that’s a problem! Real estate is all about relationships, so start looking around to see who you could connect with. Think about your hairdresser, neighbours, dog groomer, dentist and anyone else you might interact with. Reach out to them consistently and ask for referrals.

2. Market exclusive listings:

Now’s the time to get involved with exclusive listings. Buyers are out there and if you’re willing to hustle, you’ll find them. Learn about the exclusive listings in your office and ask the agents if you can market their listings. This is how you will build a name and reputation for yourself in the industry and with your colleagues. You will also gain invaluable experience learning how to get these listings sold.

3. Prepare for open houses:

Expect to do both virtual and in-person open houses this fall. That means you must be up to date on the new health and safety protocols for facilitating open houses. Don’t wait until your first open house date to become familiar with these new protocols. Understand the new rules now so you can answer any questions clients or leads may have. Secure any supplies you might need, such as disinfectant, and be sure to market that you are following health and safety measures to ensure trust and confidence in your prospects.

4. Offer your assistance:

There are many Realtors out there who need your help. Some are planning to retire soon and some are grinding on their own. How can you be of service to them? Collaboration and helping each other will not only bring you more business, but it gets your name out there. See how you can help with database contacting, open house facilitating and showings.

5. Keep networking:

Your networking efforts shouldn’t have stopped during the pandemic; they should just have pivoted. This fall, keep the momentum going and increase your networking reach. You can meet with contacts in person now, as long as you abide by the health and safety rules, so get out there (safely)! Say “yes” to social engagements that will introduce you to new people. Not comfortable with in-person engagements? Get on the phone. Reach out to people, have discussions, network!

Now is the time to put in the time. Here’s a rule of thumb to keep in mind: you need to work 60 hours for 60 days to gain real momentum. Are you putting in that time? Summer vacation is coming to an end, so it’s time to start setting goals and hit the ground running in the fall. If you need goal inspiration, start with booking two to three qualified appointments per week.

Mary-Anne Gillespie

Mary-Anne is the CEO of Red Apple Coaching and Consulting (http://www.redapplecoaching.ca), the #1 Customized Business Coaching Company. Known as a trailblazer she created numerous coaching systems and programs and the first Hybrid Coaching Program in the Real Estate Industry, GameChanger.

With over 19000 Billable coaching hours she leads the industry in knowledge, skills, and experience and is often consulted for her ability to predict market trends. She has been published in Forbes, Inman, REM and is an author of the “Resilient Real Estate Women” book.

Known for her ability to bring businesses #1 in their fields and has been behind the most #1 Teams in Real-estate. With over 800 business owners experiencing average profits of $3 million and 50% annual growth rates she has shared the stages with Grant Cardone, Ryan Serhant, Arlene Dickenson and many more. In her free time when she’s not studying Neurosciences, she surfs the world, spears fishes and rescues puppy mill dogs. In May 2021, she accomplished one of her biggest goals and became a full Ironman after transforming her life from 300lbs to Fit as Fu!K!

Having come from being homeless after losing her family, Mary-Anne is the true definition of a “Bad A$$ Business Woman” by truly living the mantra “Anything is Possible”!!

The post Get ready for the fall market appeared first on REM.

His first open house gave Kim Louie, a real estate consultant and broker with Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty in Kitchener, Ont., a horrifying-at-the-time but now hilarious story.

Kim Louie

“It was a pretty busy open house, considering it was November. It was snowing and I tried hard to impress people with my knowledge and professionalism. (It was another agent’s bank power of sale listing of an old dilapidated home.) I was determined to make the best of it so I was dressed up in my best suit and tie. It wasn’t until I was leaving and I squatted down outside to pick up a sign I had dropped that I felt a cold breeze in my crotch area. Horrified, I looked down to find my zipper was open and realized I had hosted the entire open house, my very first one, with my fly down.” Yikes!

Bodily functions make for (unfortunately) popular fodder for open house stories. An Alberta-based real estate agent shared the story of an open house she held at a townhouse. It was a presale home so no plumbing was hooked up yet. The toilets were all sealed since there was no flushing ability. After days of the unit stinking badly, the agent discovered that someone had gone #2 in the toilet and then wrapped it back up tightly.

No matter how well you prepare for open houses, the neighbours can be a tricky, uncontrollable factor. Take the open house that was next door to a couple who were exhibitionists. For about 30 minutes, the potential buyers at the open house got a view of the neighbours thoroughly enjoying one another’s company. Another home for sale had a neighbour who liked to sunbathe in the nude. Despite the real estate agent asking nicely, the neighbour wouldn’t keep his clothes on when an open house was underway.

One unwritten rule of open house etiquette is to not snoop through the private belongings of the home’s owners. Sure, open a kitchen cupboard to check the storage ability but don’t open a dresser drawer. Someone should have told this to the boy who rooted through the owner’s nightstand and then ran around the house pretending to fly the rocket ship he found (a personal pleasure device.)

Angela Langtry

Angela Langtry, a real estate broker with Century 21 Immo-Plus in Montreal, held an open house at a home she had for sale in Montreal. “I had asked the owners to depersonalize prior to the open house and remove the family photos from view. They did not. Potential buyers were treated to a first impression of walking into the living room and seeing the ‘honour wall’ of about two dozen pictures of the family’s deceased dog. Then, I watched jaws drop when people saw the semi-nude pregnancy photos of the wife in the master bedroom! Needless to say, buyers were a little distracted when visiting the house.”

An agent who asked to remain nameless so his past clients won’t send him hate mail was hosting an open house in the suburbs. Things were going great until the sellers showed up at the open house when over a half dozen potential buyers were touring the home. The sellers proceeded to harass the other people, pestering them with questions about themselves. This continued for over an hour before the agent could convince them to leave.

Another agent who asked that she not be named shared a story about an open house she was hosting for an owner that had a renter in the property. The agent showed up to start the open house and found the renter was hanging around. He refused to leave when people started showing up to tour the home. He followed potential buyers around claiming that the house was haunted, that it had been a drug house, that it leaked every spring, and anything else he could think up to reduce the chances of a sale happening.

Shirley Powell

After 36 years in real estate in the Greater Moncton area in New Brunswick, Shirley Powell, a sales representative with Royal LePage Atlantic, has an impressive collection of funny open house stories. My favourite involves an open house held in a large, beautifully furnished older home in the country.

“A man and woman came to the open house with five kids, all of a young age. Of course, there was no parental control there. As the agent, I was super busy greeting people and doing my best to answer questions. Somehow this sweet little girl around three-years-old slipped away from her parents to jump on beds. Later, when the open house was finished and I was turning off the lights, I glanced at a bed and thought, “Wow, that doll is so real looking.” The doll pops up and asks, ‘Where is my mother?’

“I did my best to stay calm and not laugh. But my stress level rose as it was just the two of us in the house and I had no idea how to contact her parents. We ended up staying in the house chatting for another hour before her parents returned once they remembered where they’d left her. I am still shocked at that experience!”

Some agents predict that open house will become obsolete as digital marketing becomes more prevalent. Until that happens, let’s embrace the laughable moments that open houses can deliver.

Do you have an open house story to share? Send it to REM! Email jim@remonline.com

Correction: This story was corrected from the original version, which spelled Kim Louie’s name incorrectly.

Toby Welch

Toby Welch is a contributing writer for REM.

The post Hilarious open house fails appeared first on REM.