According to the 2020 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report, 51% of buyers used open houses as an information source, but only 6% found their homes through an open house:
Why do realtors conduct open houses then? Aren’t these figures proof that they’re a useless endeavor?
They probably are—if your goal is to just sell the house.
But if your goal is to build and maintain a network, then an open house is a great starting point. If 20 people come to your open house, that’s 20 potential referral networks. In fact, 39% of sellers who used a real estate agent in 2018 found their agents through referrals by friends or family, and 24% used the agent they previously worked with to buy or sell a home1.
Want to tap into that? Master the art of the open house follow-up email.
In this article, we’ll show you:
- Why it’s important to follow up after an open house
- 5 tips for writing an open house follow-up email
- 11 open house follow-up email templates you can swipe
- 3 keys to convert open house leads
Download your free real estate prospecting playbook, featuring 9 prospecting letter/message templates! 🚀
Why it’s important to follow up after an open house (a look at the research)
There are millions of real estate agents in the country, and they’re all competing with the internet to help buyers find homes.
Referrals and existing contacts remain the best ways for agents to find clients. A distant (but still significant) third is personal contact through telephone, email, and more:
If you don’t follow up with prospects after an open house, you’re leaving money on the table. If the goal of your open house is to start developing a network, the goal of your follow-up email—whether you have a fully fledged plan using specialized real estate software or just good old email—is to secure a conversation as quickly as possible.
68% of all buyers interview no more than one real estate agent before proceeding with a purchase. You want to make sure your persistence doesn’t scare them off.
Most buyers interview at most one real estate agent before making a purchase. (Source: National Mortgage Professional)
5 tips for writing an open house follow-up email
When you go through recommendations for real estate agents, a few qualities tend to keep popping up: promptness, helpfulness, friendliness, and in some cases, a familiarity with the neighborhood.
So, use every opportunity you have to communicate these qualities to your leads. Most attendees would have met you once, maybe twice. This follow-up is most likely to be your third contact.
Send a prompt and helpful follow-up in a personable tone to subliminally communicate your knowledge and familiarity with the neighborhood. Here are five tips for that:
1. Keep it short
Email brevity is directly proportional to the extent of your familiarity with your acquaintance. A good practice is to keep it to fewer than five lines, especially if you don’t know the prospect very well.
2. Keep it personal
Five customized, high-quality follow-up letters are far more effective than a hundred canned, impersonal follow-ups. You might know enough from the conversations you had at the open house to personalize your follow-ups, or you may need to go on Facebook to dig a little.
Making a ton of calls? See how Fidelity Resales, one of the biggest resale timeshare brokers in the world (and Disney’s preferred broker), saved an incredible 50% on its phone bill—by doing one thing.
3. Keep it catchy
The job of your open house follow-up email subject line is to get your prospects to open the email. So, it’s totally normal to spend a bulk of your time coming up with just this.
4. Keep it actionable
If you don’t provide a call to action (CTA), or an easy way for your prospects to contact you, you might as well not have sent the email at all. Secure that first conversation—whether it’s on the phone or in real life—and let your charming salesmanship take care of the rest.
See how real estate company ERA Grizzard provides virtual tours to its clients and uses RingCentral’s reports to optimize its staffing. Or, get a quick walkthrough of how it works by booking a demo!
5. Keep it going
It’s always a good idea to keep up a cadence of follow-ups through phone calls and video calls wherever possible, instead of relying only on email. If you want to build a relationship, one of the worst things you can do is to let it die in someone’s overflowing inbox.
Video calling is the next best thing to face-to-face meetings if you have video conferencing software. Other times, a phone call is best. Why not have the option of using both? The RingCentral mobile app (there’s one for computers too) lets you take a phone call and switch it seamlessly to video—without interrupting the call:
Plus, if you’re on a call while you’re at work, but need to head out to grab something, the RingCentral app lets you flip your call from one device to another—with one easy click:
🕹️ Get a hands-on look at how top-performing real estate brokerages and agents are using RingCentral by booking a product tour:
11 open house follow-up email templates for you to swipe
The greatest part about an open house is that there’s a ready-made excuse to pick up the conversation with people you’ve already spoken to, or start one with new leads. There are as many ways to follow up with your open house attendees as there are ways that you as an agent can add value to them. Here are 11 such ways:
1. “Thank you for attending our open house” follow-up email
Subject line: (Name), thanks for coming to the open house at (address)!
Hi (Name)!
It was great seeing you at the (area name) open house on (date). Purchasing a home is an exciting milestone, and I love being a part of that experience. I’ve helped over 1,000 families move into their dream homes, and I’m committed to helping you find yours, even if it isn’t through me.
Here’s my real estate Facebook page, where I share regular listings in the area, as well as useful articles. Stay in touch!
Regards,
(Name)
(Contact details)
2. Warm lead open house follow-up email
Subject line: (Name), I found another house I think you’ll like
Hi (Name)!
How are you doing?
It was great seeing you at the open house, and I really enjoyed learning about your needs.
There’s another condo in (neighborhood) that you might like. It has a yard and an island kitchen, which you mentioned you really wanted. I’ve attached a few pictures. I’m hosting an open house there next weekend.
May I send you an email invite for it?
Warm regards,
(Name)
(Contact details)
3. Feedback gathering open house follow-up email
Subject line: (Name), what did you think of the open house?
Hi (Name)!
Thank you for popping by the open house at (listing address) last weekend.
I’m reaching out because I’d love to hear your feedback, the good and the bad.
(insert options)
What was the experience like, for you? If there’s something you didn’t like, please tell me all about it. Here’s my calendar link to book a slot for a feedback chat.
Your feedback will help me create a better experience in future.
Warm regards,
(Name)
(Contact details)
P.S. There’s a stunning (#)-bedroom on the market in (area name) for a sensational asking price. I’ll be happy to set up a visit, if you like.
4. Hot lead follow-up email
Subject line: (Name), I’ve got another property you might want to look at
Hi (Name)!
Thank you for attending my open house at (listing address). It was lovely meeting you. Once again, congratulations on the new addition to the family.
You mentioned that you are looking for a (#)-bedroom with a large yard. I know you liked the one you saw, but I have more listings that fit your criteria (and at a better price). Photos attached.
Here’s my calendar link in the signature if you’d prefer to pick a time for a chat.
Warm regards,
(Name)
(Contact details)
5. The personal connection open-house follow-up email
Subject: Hi (Name)! Fancy a barbecue this weekend?
Hi (Name)!
It was great chatting with you at my open house at (listing address) on (listing date).
If you liked the house, you’d want to get a sense of the social life in the (area name), especially for your children. Our company will be hosting a family fun day on (date) at (venue). It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and for the kids to make friends (we even have a bouncy castle!).
Here’s the link to schedule it on your calendar.
Kind regards,
(Name)
(Contact information)
6. Expired lead open house follow-up email
Subject: (Name), it’s been a while, but take a lookHi (Name)!
It’s been a while since we chatted at the open house at (listing address). Last week, I couldn’t help but notice that you are still on (forum of prospective buyers).
Are you still in the market to buy? If so, I’d love to help. I’ll be in your neighborhood Saturday and will make time if you’d like to meet up and discuss this.
Kind regards,
(Name)
(Contact Information)
7. The coffee proposal email
Subject: Let’s grab a coffee!
Hi (Name)!
It was great meeting you at the open house at (address) on (date).
There were so many people at the open house that we didn’t have the opportunity to discuss your needs in detail. I really want to help you identify the right home. At your budget, there are plenty of options, and I’ll be happy to take you through them.
Could we grab a coffee, on me, to discuss your home requirements thoroughly? I have (day) entirely free. If not, here’s my calendar link. Please book a slot that’s convenient to you.
Kind regards,
(Name)
(Contact information)
8. Referral open house follow-up email
Subject: (Name), can I ask you for a quick favor?
Hi (Name)!
It was great chatting with you at my open house at (address) on (date).
You said that it wasn’t quite what you were looking for. I can understand that. You should never settle for a home you don’t feel 100% convinced about. However, would you happen to know anyone who might like that place?
We offer a great referral program, where you can get 20% off on our services for every buyer you refer to us. Here’s the link for more details.
Should you need any clarification, feel free to let me know.
Kind regards,
(Name)
(Contact information)
9. Off-market listing open house follow-up email
Subject: (Name), you’re the first to know about this!
Hi (Name)!
It was great chatting with you at the open house at (address) on (date)
You mentioned that you’re interested in homes in (area name). I have a short mailing list in which I send out listings at least a week before announcing it to anyone else. Would you like to be on it?
Reply “Yes” or “No” to this email, based on your preference. If you’d like to have a chat or need more help, I’m always available at (contact)
Kind regards,
(Name)
(Contact information)
10. Open house follow-up email for when the prospect didn’t like the open house
Subject: (Name), if you didn’t like the open house you came to, I have something else you might like
Hi (Name)!
Thank you for attending my open house at (address) on (date).
I’m sorry it wasn’t a perfect fit for you and your family.
I do have other incredible properties that I’d love to show you. I think they may be better-suited to your needs. I’d love to have a chat with you to understand your needs better, and discuss this in depth.
I’ll be in your neighborhood Saturday. Would you like to get some coffee —on me—to talk about it? Choose a convenient time on my calendar link here.
Kind regards,
(Name)
(Contact information)
11. Value-added open house follow-up email
Subject line: It was great seeing you, (Name)!
Hello (Name)!
It was great seeing you at the open house held at (listing address). Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
Selecting a home is a really special but often overwhelming process for most people. So, I hand out a little guide to help my open house attendees. Please find it attached to this email.
I’ve been representing the (area name) for almost a decade, and I know the neighborhood like the back of my hand. If there’s something very special you’re looking for, chances are, I can help you find it. Please feel free to give me a call at (contact) if you need any help.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm regards,
(Name)
(Contact details)
3 keys to converting open house leads
If you want to succeed in the real estate business, you probably already know that relationships are everything.
Let’s backtrack a little to before you send out the sales pitch emails, where your relationship-building with clients begins. When people usually come to an open house, they just want to get in, check out the place, get the price, and get out.
They’re definitely not interested—maybe even a bit afraid of being faced with a pushy sales pitch from an agent.
How then can you communicate your trustworthiness, helpfulness, and knowledge as an agent? Well, for starters, you have to actually be those things. For the next steps, we’ve got you covered:
1. Capture them then and there
Make sure you get the attendees’ email addresses, phone numbers, and whatever other details you need at the open house itself. Make sure you can read their handwriting, or even better, add their details into a tablet!
2. Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere
Roll your shoulders back, take a deep breath, and relax. If you’re relaxed, you’ll have a higher chance of keeping your prospects at ease. Make sure you talk to everyone who comes in and that you remember their names. Greet them warmly and welcome them, and have refreshments ready, if needed.
3. Talk about something other than real estate (and the weather!)
Don’t unload a barrage of rehearsed scripts onto your prospects. Instead, focus on talking about stuff other than real estate. Search for common ground. If your prospect pulls up in a remodeled Mustang and you love Mustangs, talk about that! If your prospect’s child is starting school soon, engage with their concerns about that.
How do you follow up with potential clients after an open house?
Tips and templates aside, the work of converting your leads begins long before the open house follow-up email goes out.
It begins before the open house itself, while you’re pacing around nervously, wondering if anyone is going to show up. It begins with the reason you decided to be part of one of the happiest professions in the country. The desire to help people.
The most important thing to have when following up is an open mind—and the right sales apps that let you contact your potential clients using the channels they prefer, whether that’s a phone call, video call, or meeting in person. Do you have the right communications tool for that?
1store.realtor.org/product/report/2018-profile-home-buyers-and-sellers-download?sku=E186-45-17
Originally published Oct 02, 2020, updated Mar 03, 2022
