You can see from any national average from National Association of Realtors or even our more local California Association of Realtors that Open houses do not sell homes very often. In fact you could even say it is rare.
I can compare this with citation issuance when I was that hated motor cop. If we were to write X amount of citations per day per Motor officer, the impact was not from those independent citations. I guess there might have been a slight impact per person. But the majority of the impact came from the other people driving by while the officer was citing the other traffic violators. (I must explain that I always gave the benefit of the doubt to everyone I pulled over and if they "got it" they "got let go")
So I would say Open Houses do not sell houses, but to get to have your signs out there where people can see them on these Special Occasions, That makes it worth it - At least as long as you can afford to buy more signs - keep reading please.
I love setting out the Open House Signs - Especially when I return to find them missing, broken, vandalized, or kicked out in the street and ran over by about 1000 cars. I like to find flags missing as well. I don't go cheap with the signs - I go full bore with the 11 pounders that have the 8.5 X 11 space for a landscape flyer to tape on the sign so everyone can know where the address is. I also have those Flyers printed on card stock and inserted into plastic covers so I can re-use them at future Open Houses, keeping in mind, as long as I have a stock pile of Open House Signs.
Last week I had a sign layed down and a City of Los Angeles Ordnance, regarding proper open house sign placement, taped to the top. It explained where they are to be placed and when and how long they can remain. It even went into the dimensions and showed detailed drawings of straight streets and corners so there would not be any confusion. The open house was conducted on a Saturday that time, I am not entirely sure if it was a city employee that placed it or a resident. But who ever it was, I took no offence, I love to be armed with the "right" way so I can complain if I was right but told I was wrong from someone that does not know the truth.
Today, I was setting up one of the last three signs and placing an open house sign at a corner on a 14' sidewalk next to the street. This was Castaic not Los Angeles, a bit more relaxed, but in Los Angeles I have never had a sign vandalized - Castiac, well that is another story... The sign I was placing was in front of another for sale home in the same tract. The owner was coming out front and yelled to me asking what I was doing? I told him I had an open house up the street, he told me that I could not place my open house sign on the Public Property next to the street that was in front of his home. I asked why not, he told me that he did not want my open house to be confused with his house being for sale. I told him it might help get his house noticed even more and when they come to my open house they might ask and I would be able to inform the prospective buyers.
He then said, "you can't place that sign anywhere around my house!" I walked across the street and placed it on the edge of the side walk. It is not nearly as visible from people turning onto the street, but it will suffice I am sure. I blogged the open house and advertised it so I know if people are looking where to visit open houses in Castiac California - they will find mine.
Here is where I need your help. I know, legally the owner of the home that was for sale with an other agent, dosen't have a leg to stand on as long as I am placing my open house sign on public property. That much I understand. But why would that have to be a competition thing? Why do we have to have the exercises in seeing who's is bigger?
I still operate with the thought as I am in the business of putting sellers in touch with buyers, no matter who is representing who. Am I wrong for thinking that way. I mean as long as I have one or the other, that is my job right - to put them together???
Let me know and thanks for being! - CONNOR with HONOR
