The New Agent's Open House Checklist
By Jimi (James) Allyn · Founder, Verity NHD · a 37-year real estate professional
An open house is one of the few places a brand-new agent gets equal footing with a 20-year veteran — anyone can walk in. Showing up prepared is what turns foot traffic into actual leads.
The day before
- Confirm signage and directional arrows — order or pick up any you're missing.
- Print a sign-in sheet or confirm your digital sign-in tool works on your phone/tablet.
- Print property flyers with your contact info and QR code to the listing.
- Walk the property in advance if you haven't been inside — know the square footage, lot size, school district, and any recent upgrades cold.
30 minutes before doors open
- Turn on all lights, open blinds, adjust the thermostat.
- Set out flyers, sign-in sheet, and business cards at the entry.
- Remove any lockbox and secure valuables per the seller's instructions.
- Place directional signs at the nearest major cross streets, not just the driveway.
During the open house
Greet every visitor and get them to sign in before they tour — "I'll just grab your name and number so I can follow up if you have any questions" works better than a bare sign-in sheet on a table. Ask open-ended questions: what brings you to this neighborhood, what's your timeline. Most of what you learn about a genuine buyer comes from the conversation, not the sign-in sheet.
Within 24 hours after
- Follow up with every visitor — a short text or email, not a sales pitch, just a thank-you and an offer to answer questions.
- Add every contact to your CRM, even ones who seemed uninterested.
- Send the seller a short recap: how many visitors, general feedback, any next steps.
Bottom line
The open house itself is only half the job — the follow-up is where leads actually convert. Treat every visitor's name as a contact worth a genuine follow-up, not just foot-traffic for the seller's report.