Real Estate Open House Checklist: 50 Items for Success

A successful open house requires preparation. Here's the complete 50-item checklist.\n\n## 1 Week Before (10 items)\n\n1. Announce on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor)\n2. Post on MLS with open house flag\n3. Print flyers + signage\n4. Order fresh cookies for baking day-of\n5. Schedule companion agent for safety\n6. Confirm with seller: home will be clean, staged, pets removed\n7. Check weather forecast\n8. Prepare sign-in sheet (digital QR code)\n9. Charge iPad/phone for lead capture\n10. Prepare property info sheets (10 copies)\n\n## 1 Day Before (10 items)\n\n11. Place directional signs (6-8 signs at intersections)\n12. Verify all lights work\n13. Check thermostat (set to 68-72°F)\n22. Confirm open house ad on Zillow/Realtor.com\n15. Prepare refreshments (water, cookies, mints)\n16. Set up mortgage calculator on iPad\n17. Prepare neighborhood info packet\n18. Print comparable sales report\n19. Test WiFi (for digital sign-in)\n20. Text sphere of influence: 'Open house tomorrow 1-3pm!'\n\n## Morning Of (10 items)\n\n21. Arrive 1 hour early\n22. Bake cookies (smell = welcoming)\n23. Open all blinds/curtains\n24. Turn on all lights\n25. Play soft background music (jazz/classical)\n26. Set up refreshment station\n27. Place sign-in sheet at entrance\n28. Position business cards + info sheets\n29. Set up directional signs (if allowed)\n30. Take professional photos for social media\n\n## During Open House (10 items)\n\n31. Greet every visitor within 5 seconds\n32. Have everyone sign in (digital preferred)\n33. Give space — don't hover\n34. Answer questions confidently\n35. Highlight 3 best features of the home\n36. Offer to schedule private showing\n37. Ask: 'Are you looking for yourself or helping someone?'\n38. Ask: 'What's your timeline?'\n39. Ask: 'Have you been pre-approved?'\n40. Note hot leads (immediate follow-up needed)\n\n## After Open House (10 items)\n\n41. Text hot leads within 1 hour: 'Great meeting you! Here's similar listings...'\n42. Email all attendees within 24 hours\n43. Post recap on social media (photos + turnout)\n44. Update seller with attendance count + feedback\n45. Add all leads to CRM\n46. Set up drip campaign for warm leads\n47. Remove directional signs\n48. Clean up + secure property\n49. Track results: visitors, leads, hot leads\n50. Plan next open house based on feedback\n\n## Lead Conversion Stats\n\n- Average open house: 8-15 visitors\n- Lead capture rate: 30-50%\n- Hot leads (ready to buy): 1-3 per open house\n- Close rate from open house leads: 5-15%\n- ROI per open house: $5,000-$15,000 GCI\n\n## Tools for Better Open Houses\n\n- LeadHunting AI — Digital sign-in + AI lead scoring + instant SMS follow-up\n- Calendly — Let visitors book private showings\n- Canva — Design flyers + social media posts\n- BombBomb — Video follow-up emails\n\n## Conclusion\n\nPreparation is everything. Follow this 50-item checklist and every open house will generate 5-10 qualified leads.