We all know that our world has been changed—in some ways forever. Meeting virtually and working virtually will likely become viable options for many of us moving forward. Some of the leaders of the largest brokerages in the country have said they believe virtual is here to stay. Leading the charge, HAR launched the HAR.com Virtual Open House (VOH) platform less than two months ago. It has been a great success, with 1,122 Virtual Open Houses held and 7,282 people in “attendance.”

  • According to member surveys and HAR.com data, the average number of people attending a Virtual Open House is higher than in-person open houses. The HAR member survey showed that 50% of in-person open houses have five or fewer people in attendance, while virtual open houses have averaged 6.5 people per open house and as many as 158 in “attendance.”
  • The Virtual Open House is recorded so interested consumers can watch it at any time and not be limited to the time you would hold an in-person open house.
  • “Attendees” at the Virtual Open House must provide contact information to receive advance notification of the Virtual Open House, ask questions during the live Virtual Open House, or to request a recording of the event. This is a powerful lead generation tool for your business.
  • As the state continues to open back up, a significant part of the population might still be uncomfortable attending an in-person open house. The VOH gives them an option to still see a home in which they are interested.
  • It protects the homeowner and potential attendees by not having people walking through the house and potentially exposing them to the coronavirus. According to the HAR member survey, 36% of HAR agents said they don’t provide safety materials at in-person open houses and nearly 50% don’t require a mask to be worn.
  • Even if you are hosting an in-person open house, you should consider also holding a Virtual Open House to supplement the physical one. It allows you to reach both groups of people: those who are ready to attend an in-person open house and those who are not. Of those members who responded to our survey, 48% said they plan to do both in-person and virtual open houses going forward.
  • We received a report from a member who held an in-person open house and had three men come in near the end of the open house and steal all of the food and dishes. Luckily, she wasn’t harmed in any way, but you can worry less about unknown people coming in the house during a virtual open house.
  • Look like a rockstar to your client, as you use the latest technology to help sell their home.

To learn more, you may visit www.har.com/virtual.

To schedule your Virtual Open House, visit https://www.har.com/moa_voh/events today!