• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Accessibility Statement

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on YouTubeRSS Feed

Kimberly Howell Properties

San Antonio Real Estate

office@kimberlyhowell.com
(210) 493-6888
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Agents
  • Buyers
    • Neighborhoods
    • Relocation Information
  • Sellers
  • Listings
    • Available Rentals
    • Homes for Sale
    • McNair Custom Homes
    • Open Houses
  • Contact
  • Rental SearchHomes for Rent
  • REALTORS®Find an Agent
  • McNair Custom HomesNew Construction
  • Property SearchHomes for Sale
You are here: Home / Buying a Home / 6 Questions You’ll Be Asked At an Open House and Why

6 Questions You’ll Be Asked At an Open House and Why

February 1, 2016 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Open House

If you’ve ever attended an open house, you’ll know that the Realtor hosting it will often ask you quite a few questions. While some people will prefer to not be bothered, there is a reason for these questions and even if you’re already represented by an agent or are just window shopping, you can assist the agent by answering those questions. They’re there to help you if you have questions as well – they can tell you about the house, the neighborhood, local inventory of homes, and prices. So come on in, say hello, and grab yourself a cookie or two – the open house is a great way for you to see the home and ask some questions, just remember, we might have a few for you as well.

What brought you in today? Other than a friendly greeting, this is a question that agents use to gauge the effectiveness of their marketing. If the home was advertised online or in a newspaper, this is a great way to see what results these sources are getting for the agents so they can fine tune their marketing. It also helps the host agent determine your level of interest – are you just window shopping or are you on an active house hunt? The agent wants to get a better understanding of their marketing and what’s effective, so let them know what your interest level is so that can better focus it in the future.

Will you sign in? The sign in sheet or registration card serves many purposes for an agent. First and foremost, it helps them to remember you and reach out to you for follow up after the fact. If you had questions about the property, they can follow up after the open house with more detailed answers. If you didn’t quite fall in love with that home, the agent can still reach out and offer to show you other homes that might be a better match. Second, the registry helps the seller to know how many people have come through their home. As you can imagine, it can be a bit intimidating to have strangers walking through your personal spaces, criticizing or fawning over your home and many sellers are granted a bit of peace of mind when they know there is a log or registry. And last, but certainly highly important, it’s about safety. There have been numerous stories in the news about agents who are attacked at open houses. Think about it – a lone person (often female) sitting alone in a property waiting for the strangers they’ve invited to arrive. If someone hesitates to sign in to the event, this can signal warning bells to the agent and heighten their alertness from the personal safety standpoint.

Are you working with an agent? Many times buyers begin their home search processes by perusing homes on their own, much like they’re doing right now at this open house. Not having an agent could be an indicator that you are early in the home search process. And, let’s face it, real estate is a business. If you don’t already have an agent, the host agent might look to find a way to help you and become your agent. If you do already have an agent, it is important to be up front and clear about this fact as there are special rules about what information can be shared or advice given to a client of another agent and agents look to respect those pre-existing relationships – it’s not just common courtesy, but it’s the law and part of the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics. Every consumer, no matter if they are a client of another broker or not, is to be treated honestly, fairly, and told material facts and details about a home, but advice, guidance, and confidentiality are all tenements of a more official relationship. If you fall in love with the home you see without your agent present, the hosting agent will likely reach out to your agent to better facilitate an offer.

Have you been prequalified for a loan? Financing is a huge component of a home sale and agents ask this question to gauge a visitors level of seriousness about the home buying process. Someone who has already taken the time to meet with a lender is likely someone who is ready to pull the trigger when they find the right home, whereas someone who hasn’t taken that step yet may be a bit farther out in their search or just starting and not familiar with the process. These clues help an agent provide the best level of service to you.

What stands out to you about this house? This question works in two ways. The first – selling the house. If there is a feature you absolutely love, agents will want to make sure to provide you with all of the details and make it shine. Something you don’t love so much? They are also great at pointing out ways to overcome or improve that feature to be more to your liking. The second purpose is that they are looking for feedback to present to the sellers. How is it priced? Is there something about the home that is really distracting to buyers? Is there a feature that buyers are in love with? They gather this feedback and work with the owner to come up with a plan to adjust their marketing strategy and hopefully generate an offer and sale sooner for the owner.

Where are you living now? You can tell a lot about a person by where they live. It is likely close to work or schools or family. The type of neighborhood a person lives in now can determine what they want for the future. For example, if it is in a gated community with tons of amenities, they may be looking for those same features in their next area. And often family dynamics impact the desire to move. If someone is living in a starter home but now has three kids, chances are they are looking to go bigger. According to lawyers in Long Beach, CA,  if an elderly family member needs to move in for better care, chances are they may be looking to get rid of the stairs. Or living with in-laws can create a sense of urgency like you wouldn’t believe. This question actually opens the door for a lot of other conversations that help an agent start to build a relationship with you and better understand your needs in the home buying process.

Related Posts

  • Confused About The Housing Market? Lean On Your RealtorConfused About The Housing Market? Lean On Your Realtor
  • Welcome to All of Our New Real Estate AgentsWelcome to All of Our New Real Estate Agents
  • Open House ListingsOpen House Listings
  • Dominion Luxury Tour Spring 2019Dominion Luxury Tour Spring 2019
  • Dream Home Open House in Canyons at Scenic LoopDream Home Open House in Canyons at Scenic Loop

Filed Under: Buying a Home Tagged With: open house, real estate agents, realtors

Quick Search

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Confused About The Housing Market?

Confused About The Housing Market? Lean On Your Realtor

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you probably want to know what’s really happening with home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply, and more. That’s not an easy task considering how … [Read More...] about Confused About The Housing Market? Lean On Your Realtor

Homeownership Is An Investment In Your Future

Homeownership: An Investment In Your Future

There are many people thinking about buying a home, but with everything affecting the economy, some are wondering if it’s a smart decision to buy now or if it makes more sense to wait it out. As Bob Broeksmit, … [Read More...] about Homeownership: An Investment In Your Future

Ready for Homeownership?

What You Need To Know If You’re Ready For Homeownership

If you’re a young adult, you may be thinking about your goals and priorities for the months and years ahead. And if homeownership ranks high on your goal sheet, you’re in good company. Many of your peers are … [Read More...] about What You Need To Know If You’re Ready For Homeownership

Prioritizing Your Wants and Needs

Prioritizing Your Wants And Needs As A Homebuyer

There’s no denying mortgage rates are higher now than they were last year. And if you’re thinking about buying a home, this may be top of mind for you. That’s because those higher rates impact how much it costs … [Read More...] about Prioritizing Your Wants And Needs As A Homebuyer

Winter Selling Checklist

Your Winter Home Selling Checklist

As you get ready to sell your house, add these items to your to-do list. A real estate professional will also provide other helpful tips based on your specific situation. Have questions, let us … [Read More...] about Your Winter Home Selling Checklist

Search Our Site

Real Estate Topics

  • Buying a Home
  • Homeowner Tips
  • KHP News
  • Local Events
  • Local Laws
  • Miscellaneous
  • Mortgages and Financing
  • Open Houses
  • Real Estate
  • Real Estate Market
  • Renters and Landlords
  • San Antonio Places
  • Sell Your Home
  • Technology
Our real estate agents can help you with properties anywhere in Texas. If you need assistance finding agents in other parts of the country, please contact us.

Search Homes

Explore Cities

  • Alamo Heights 36 Listings
  • Bandera 385 Listings
  • Blanco 187 Listings
  • Boerne 712 Listings
  • Bulverde 419 Listings
  • Canyon Lake 465 Listings
  • Castle Hills 22 Listings
  • Castroville 94 Listings
  • Cibolo 376 Listings
  • Comfort 59 Listings
  • Converse 671 Listings
  • Fair Oaks Ranch 54 Listings
  • Floresville 238 Listings
  • Garden Ridge 11 Listings
  • Helotes 147 Listings
  • Hill Country Village 4 Listings
  • La Vernia 172 Listings
  • Lakehills 141 Listings
  • Leon Valley 23 Listings
  • Live Oak 81 Listings
  • Mico 123 Listings
  • New Braunfels 1530 Listings
  • Olmos Park 9 Listings
  • San Antonio 10789 Listings
  • Schertz 295 Listings
  • Seguin 638 Listings
  • Selma 75 Listings
  • Shavano Park 12 Listings
  • Spring Branch 422 Listings
  • Terrell Hills 17 Listings
  • Universal City 93 Listings
  • Windcrest 32 Listings
  • Hollywood Pk 2 Listings

Stay up to date with the latest from Kimberly Howell Properties.

San Antonio real estate and property information provided by Kimberly Howell Properties. Kimberly Howell Properties does not assume any liability or responsibility for the operation or content of any of the linked resources, nor for any of the interpretations, comments, graphics, or opinions contained therein. All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

KJH Properties, Inc. is a licensed real estate brokerage in the State of Texas, Equal Opportunity Employer, and supporter of the Fair Housing Act.

TREC Information About Brokerage Services | TREC Consumer Protection Notice | Privacy Policy

All content © 2009-2023 Kimberly Howell Properties, unless otherwise noted.