Tucker has dramatically increased the number of homes he sells each month and is now selling homes faster than his clients thought possible. He didn’t do it with a killer website, novel contests or gimmicks. He used a strategic trick that we all know attracts people, and more importantly, the right people to open houses. What is his open house secret weapon?
Tucker’s secret weapon is upscale catering. He uses the best catering Stamford Connecticut has to offer. Then he offers sandwiches and snacks to visitors to his open houses. This has a number of benefits, and we’ll explain each of them in detail.
First, it doesn’t attract locals hoping to get a free bottled water and cookie. It attracts serious buyers like luxury home buyers and real estate investors who know they’re getting a gourmet sampler when they tour the home. You’ll also continue to draw people in the late afternoon, while most open houses see a drop off in the late afternoon.
Second, it causes people to stay longer at the property. Home buyers who may be hitting five or ten properties in a day will stay longer because you’re offering high quality food. The more time they spend in the house, the more likely they are to buy it.
Third, it taps into a well-known aspect of psychology – positive association. When someone is hungry or tired, they’re going to be in a bad mood. Any property they see while in that mental state will go down a few notches on their list. Offer delicious, high-quality food, and you’ll put them in a good mood. They’ll now see the home for sale in a new light.
Fourth, you’re going to get more real estate agents bringing their home-shopping clients to your open house instead of others because they want to enjoy the food. This results in more people coming
through the property. Because the real estate agent is more excited to come to the open house if only for the food and they stay longer, their clients are more likely to “convert” into buyers for your property. Furthermore, the presence of additional serious home shoppers will increase the interest in it by more casual home shoppers.
Fifth, high quality catering increases the odds you’ll get HOA presidents and reporters to appear at the showing, even when they’re simply interested in meeting potential home buyers and their neighbors. That becomes a seal of approval in the minds of home buyers, while reporters talking to home sellers about Stamford’s real estate market can generate free publicity for the listing.