Open house marketing: promotion, sign-in and follow-up
An open house has two audiences: buyers who might want this home, and neighbors who might want to sell theirs. Market to both, and capture both.
Updated October 2026
The promotion timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 7 days before | Announce with a post and an email to active buyers |
| 3–5 days before | Story with a countdown sticker; open house flyer around the neighborhood |
| Day before | Reminder Story; SMS to buyers who engaged |
| Morning of | Story from the home; directional signs per local rules |
| Day after | Follow-up email and messages |
What to say
Give one reason to come in person — something photos don't capture: the light at a particular time of day, the size of the yard, the view from a specific room. Avoid hype.
The open house flyer
Date and time in large type, one photo, three bullets and a QR code. Use the same flyer for neighbors' doors (where allowed) and the coffee shop board. See real estate flyers for layout.
Sign-in that visitors actually complete
Paper sign-in sheets produce illegible names and no context. A QR code at the entrance that leads to a short questionnaire works better when it offers something in return — a Match Score for the home, the full disclosure packet, or price updates. Ask only for what you need and get explicit consent to follow up. BuyerIQ does this with the listing attached to each visitor.
Neighbors are the second audience
Many visitors are neighbors. They are future sellers. Have a second QR code — "Curious what your home is ready for?" — that leads to a seller questionnaire.
Follow-up
- Same day: thank-you message to every visitor who consented.
- Next day: answers to questions asked, and the next showing slot.
- For visitors who weren't a match: offer to match them to similar homes.
Generate the whole kit
When you set a listing to Open House in AI Marketing Studio, the campaign includes the Story, post, email, flyer, SMS and reel script with the date filled in, plus the QR code to the property page.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should you advertise an open house?
About a week, with reminders at three to five days and the day before.
How do you get people to sign in at an open house?
Offer something useful in exchange — a Match Score, the disclosure packet or price updates — through a QR code, and ask for consent to follow up.
What should I do after an open house?
Thank visitors the same day, answer questions the next day, and offer similar homes to visitors who weren't a match.
Turn your next listing into a complete campaign.
Enter the listing once. Get the master brief, descriptions, social posts, emails and print copy — free for your first kit.