Anyone can walk into an open house showing, but not all agents make it mandatory for their guests to sign in. A real estate agent has been entrusted by the seller to show their home because it is a critical part of the selling process. When a guest arrives at the home, the first thing that agents should require is that the buyer sign in. Open house sign in sheets exist to follow up with buyers and get their feedback, but the reasons for their existance doesn't end there. Here are the top reasons to enforce that a buyer sign in at the door when showing a home.
A record of the guest visit
Having an anonymous individual in the home who does not want to identify themself is a red flag. A guest who is serious about buying a home should identify themselves as they enter the seller's home for record keeping. Most individuals are willing to put their name down on a sign-in sheet in exchange for allowing them to look around the home. A scenario where the guest record can be useful is if a guest accidently leaves their belongings in the home while viewing it. In this case, the agent can go through these records to find and return those belongings to its owner. It's not always predictable as to why you may need to keep visitor records, but you will be covered when something does come up where contacting them will be necessary after the showing takes place.
Buyer Feedback
When the seller decides to allow their agent and broker to show their home, they are doing it with two primary reasons: To get an offer and gather feedback from guests. Feedback can provide further insight into the what the buyers are attracted to about the area and the home. The agent can retrieve various types of feedback from the buyer's visit. For example, how many guests showed up to this showing compared to another time the same home was shown? This is important in a hot market when there is a surge of visitors. And how do they perceive the price of the home after viewing it? Are there things that stuck out to them about the house that could be emphasized in the sale of the home? Is there a pattern among the buyers' feedback? Are there gems around the area that attract the guests that isn't easily apparent? A lot of insight can be gathered by asking for feedback.
Guests are leads that convert to long term clients
A guest who doesn't put in a offer is a potential client for the seller's agent. Buyers who are attending open houses may or may not be represented by an agent already. Why did the Buyer come to an open house if they had their own agent? It could be because either their current agent doesn't have the time or the buyer doesn't want to bother the agent if an open house is available. Regardless of the reasons, the buyer's visit is an opportunity to build a relationship with them for the long term, even if they are already being represented. A buyer becomes a seller in just a few short years when they are ready to move again. It is always important to reach out to ALL guests, even if they noted that they are being represented by a buyer's agent.
If you are an agent showing a home, make it mandatory for your guests to sign in at the open house showing. If you don't have one already, you can download open house sign in sheets from BuyerWindow.