I have to start off by saying these blogs are when I was new in my real estate career. Looking back, I absolutely made mistakes, but who doesn’t at first! Open houses were introduced to me as a way of “showcasing” a home and the opportunity to meet potential buyers or sellers.
I was asked to do an open house for a friend who had a very expensive listing (over one million dollars) in a prestigious neighborhood. I jumped at the chance. I turned on all the lights (bright and airy ring a bell?) light my Yankee candle (Christmas Cookie, of course) and I was ready. I put up my open house signs around the neighborhood and on the street that lead up to the home. I really believed that as soon as I stuck that sign in the ground at one o’clock, they were going to come in like cattle! Um..no. I sat there for what seemed like hours near the window like a dog waiting to go out and pee. Finally someone pulled into the driveway! Here it is - my potential buyer for this million dollar house! Yippeee! I was so anxious that I bolted to the door and swung it open with a smile larger than the Grand Canyon when this man gets out of his car and strolls up to me and says, “you can’t have open house signs in neighborhood - and I took them.” “Please do not do that again.” He proceeded to unlock his trunk and dump my signs on the lawn and drove off. Ugh. My heart sank. All this work and for what - nothing. I waited until he drove off and stuck one right in front of the house - what were the chances he would drive by again? A good one. He started up the driveway again, but I ran out and just waved my hand and took the sign down.
That didn’t stop me. The following weekend I had a plan. I bought cookies for the man at the gate and told him that I was having an open house and could he give people my flyer so they could get to the listing without me putting the open house signs out! He loved the cookies, and it worked. I did have a few people that were looking around and was so excited. Then this handsome man name *Paul comes in and zooms through the house and says he wants to make an offer. Holy crap. He said he had to look at one more in the neighborhood but he would be back and he wanted ME to represent him!!! I proudly stood there and said “I would be honored!” He left and I started to do the “happy dance” in the kitchen when I realized, I didn’t get his name or cell phone number. And you guessed it. He didn’t come back. I called my friend/associate and she tried as nicely as possible to say - you didn’t have a sign-in sheet, ask for his number, nothing? Nope.
A few days later my cell phone rang and I answered it “this is Dina” and I heard a voice say - “oh good, I found you.” Yes, it was Paul from the open house! I would love to say there was contract and closing but, as the week went by - not only did Paul have me as his realtor but apparently he had three other agents as well doing work for him. And to this date - he never bought anything. Nada. Lessons learned, do your homework and don’t waste time with people that you have that “funny feeling” about! Next blog - more buyer stories - Oh no they didn't.... Ton o’ blessings to ya until next time.
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