Open House Checklist

Enter the open house date, time window, and host agent in the MLS open house section so it syndicates to Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin. Block out ShowingTime (or BrokerBay/CSS) to prevent private showings during the same window.

Confirm in writing that the seller approves the open house date and will be off-site. Sellers present at their own open house chill buyer conversation and create fair-housing risk.

Map sign placements from the nearest two arterials to the property. Confirm HOA and municipal sign rules — some jurisdictions ban A-frames in the public right-of-way and will impound them.

Brochure should include MLS photos, room dimensions with square-footage source noted, and the listing agent's name plus license number per state advertising rules. Print 25 copies of the brochure plus the seller's property disclosure, lead-based paint disclosure (pre-1978 homes), and HOA summary if applicable.

Post to Instagram, Facebook, and the brokerage site with neutral, fair-housing-compliant language — no "perfect for families" or protected-class framing. Send a sphere email blast and a neighborhood farm postcard or door-knock invite.

Walk the property: lawn mowed, entry swept, lightbulbs replaced, staging in place. If the home has been on market more than 14 days, refresh photos before the open house if anything looks different from the MLS images.

Configure Spacio, Curb Hero, or Open Home Pro on the iPad with this listing's branding. Auto-sync to the team CRM (Follow Up Boss, kvCORE, BoomTown) so leads enter the drip campaign before the host packs up.

Walk with the seller before they leave: jewelry, prescription meds, mail with personal information, firearms, laptops, and keys go into a locked closet or off-site. Note any rooms the seller wants kept closed.

Drive the route from the nearest arterial. Signs go on corners with arrows pointing toward the home, no closer than 6 feet from the curb. Photograph each placement so removal is easy.

Lights on in every room, blinds up, soft music, neutral scent (no strong candles — allergens). Set out water, individually wrapped cookies, and napkins on the kitchen island.

Place brochures, the seller's property disclosure, and HOA summary on the kitchen counter or entry table. Visitors take a brochure; disclosures stay for review on-site.

Sign-in is the first interaction. Plug in the iPad so battery doesn't die mid-event, and confirm CRM sync is live with a test entry you delete after.

Frame sign-in as a security measure the seller has requested — visitors comply more readily than with "for my marketing." Capture name, phone, email, agent representation status, and timeline to buy.

Critical post-NAR-settlement question. If they have a buyer's agent, do not solicit; offer to send the brochure to their agent. If unrepresented, you may discuss representation only after providing the required agency disclosure for your state.

Discuss home features, recent updates, and HOA basics. For neighborhood questions, point to school district websites and crime data sources rather than offering opinions — unsolicited "good area / bad area" commentary is steering under the Fair Housing Act.

Never leave the front door unattended. If traffic is heavy, ask a co-host to stay near the entry while you walk visitors. Note any visitor who lingers in private rooms or asks pointed questions about security.

Tag any visitor who asks about offer process, financing, or moves through the home twice. These are the seller-report names. Collect agent business cards in a separate stack for the cooperating-broker follow-up.

Use the placement photos to find every sign. Signs left overnight invite municipal fines and brokerage complaints from neighbors.

Trash refreshment leftovers, wipe counters, return chairs and rugs to staged positions, lower blinds the seller had down, and confirm previously locked rooms are still locked. Run garbage to the bin so the home isn't left smelling of food.

Check every exterior door, the garage interior door, and any sliders. Reset the alarm using the seller's code, and return the lockbox to its assigned spot on the door or gas meter.

Trigger the open-house follow-up sequence in Follow Up Boss or kvCORE. Personal notes to the top 3-5 prospects tagged during hosting; automated drip handles the rest.

Email the seller a summary: visitor count, agent count, top three pieces of feedback (price, condition, layout), any serious-buyer indicators, and any objections heard repeatedly. This is the artifact the seller remembers when the price-reduction conversation comes up.

For unrepresented buyers who showed serious interest, book a buyer consultation. Bring the state-required agency disclosure and a written buyer representation agreement — required in most states post-NAR settlement before showing additional homes.

Mark the open house complete in MLS so it stops showing as upcoming on syndication sites. If a price change or status update came out of the seller debrief, push it through within the MLS-required correction window.