80% of homes are sold over the internet. Sellers need good photos, and a narrated video tour. Buyers choose the homes they want to see. When the buyer sees the house, is the realtor going to say, “I won’t show you that one, it’s already in pending?” I wouldn’t put it past some of them.
And that’s why Open Houses are a waste of time for realtors. Serious buyers no longer need to drive around to Open Houses. They preview on the internet. Of course, you still get all the looky-loos at the Open Houses. But I think most realtors have found that Open Houses are the old way of doing business. The new way is internet-driven. Effective realtors have a web portal, which has MLS listings and market data. That’s how you get your customers, your prospective buyers. JJGittes, you’re absolutely right – people ARE looking on the internet for their homes. Gone are the days when you called the realtor and gave him your criteria, he pulled up the list of eligible homes, and you both drove around to preview, or you found Open Houses on your own. That’s the old way of doing stuff. But many realtors have not adjusted yet.
