Tue. Feb 11th, 2025

By Craig Heppell Principal Ulverstone Real Estate

Since Mid to Late 2022, Central Coast has seen the release Recently, as I was setting our schedule for upcoming open homes or as some call them, open for inspections, I wondered, “How many have I actually conducted over the last 22 years?”

Holy moly – bloody heaps, was the immediate answer to my own question. 

Then I did some calculations – blimey! Somewhere around 4,500! And if you throw in, one off inspections, we could double that number!

And trust me, I have met them all – potential buyers that is.

Tyre kickers and ice cream lickers, the odd nosey neighbour, dreamers, pretenders and hot to trot buyers.

One of the urban myths that are promoted by people like Neil Jenman, and unqualified experts is that open homes don’t work and they are attended by borderline criminals or nose parkers.

WRONG! 

Based on my experiences, there is only about one tyre kicker to every seven OR EIGHT potential buyers who attend an open home.

And I know exactly ‘who is who in the zoo’ before any open home attendee walks through a front door. My fool proof 4 question greeting works EVERYTIME!

Another great way I can tell if someone is kicking tyres or killing time is when they rock up to a property we are hosting, and they make a beeline down the driveway, or head straight into the yard – then maybe trying to slide in a back door to avoid scrutiny and providing name, rank and serial number.

I make a mental note, and after about 60 seconds, there I am at the back door, or in the kitchen if they have made their way inside, with an almost bellowing, “Hi, I’m Craig, I see you prefer the tradesmen’s entrance – what’s your name…” and so on. Love it! A little cat and mouse makes for fun inspections.

So, dear buyers (and tyre kickers), when it comes to attending an open home, do these few things and it will help you and I enjoy the experience.

1. Be there on time. By that I mean no more than 15 minutes into the scheduled showing. Larry Come Lately’s are a pain in the a*se. Rocking up to an open home with 3 minutes to go or at the death is not cool. Get organized.

2. Always head to where the agent is greeting people. Don’t be a Wally and sneak around looking for another way in. 

3. Answer the quick questions and provide your details to the agent because we have a duty of care to ensure we know who has been in and out of the property.

4. If you have a question, ask the agent/agents discreetly rather than yelling across the room “Are the windows double glazed mate?” or making ‘turn off’ statements like, “Oi, I heard it floods here?”

5. If you want to look in a cupboard or open a door – look. I always say, “don’t be afraid to look under the bonnet.”

6. Be prepared to provide feedback if the agent has the opportunity to ask you for it on the day, or if they contact you shortly after. This feedback is vital to help the agent inform their clients, the vendors, what the market thinks of their property. Your feedback can also help the agent point you in the right direction if this particular home is not for you.

7. If you like the property, and can see it as your next home, make the offer that day. In this market those who hesitate are lost!

Open homes are a part of any property’s marketing arsenal.

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