Who really benefits from an open house?
This is what your Realtor isn't telling you about open houses. The open house can either be a client attractor or a buyer attractor. The only thing that matters to the seller is attracting active buyers. Of course we'd love to attract potential clients, but that is not what you are paying your Realtor for. Now, how can you tell whether the open house is marketed toward active buyers or potential clients? If the open house is advertised lightly, only in the neighborhood for example, or only towards the general public, then it will probably attract more curious neighbors than active buyers. But if the open house is heavily marketed, not just to the public in general but specifically to other agents and specifically to active buyers—people in the market, they've got an agent, they're coming to the house—then your agent is doing his job. He's attracting those buyers into your home. You're going to get it sold then.
