Do Open Houses Work in Utah County?
Utah County Open Houses Don't Sell Your Home!
I was asked yesterday if I would consider doing an open house on a home in Utah County. This is a very good questions and one that should be examined. Open houses are very popular across the United States but are not very popular or effective in Utah County for a variety of reasons. I will explain some of these reasons in this blog.
About 15 years ago when I first started Real Estate I worked for a company called Gump and Ayers Realty. I had a trainer that was teaching me the ropes in Real Estate. He was a very smart and energetic Realtor. He taught us to do Open Houses to help us generate new buyers to sell them other homes. This kind of bugged me at the time. I thought this didn't seem right to use my clients home to generate new leads and sell other homes. However, this was the game plan for most Realtors.
Recent Survey About Open Houses
Demographics About Utah County
Have you ever noticed the walmarts are packed on Saturday and almost empty on Sunday. I have spoken to many non-LDS living in Utah and they tell me their shopping day is Sunday because everywhere is almost empty. This is relevant to the cultural and religious behavior and habits of the Mormon people in Utah County.
With 88.12 percent of its residents claiming membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Utah County is as its reputation goes -- the most LDS county among the state's 29. The county that's second-place for the percentage of its population belonging to the LDS Church is unexpected. The runner-up isn't an isolated county in southern Utah but Morgan County on the back side of the Wasatch range.
LDS Church members make up 87.47 percent of Morgan County. Rich County is third at 84.90, Sevier fourth at 82.25 and Sanpete fifth at 82.11 percent. As a whole, Utah is 66.44 percent LDS. Second-place Roman Catholic membership is 4.3 percent.
Here is my point. People in Utah County are usually busy on Saturday preparing for the sabbath. Sunday is the official open house day for Realtors in the USA. This means people are too busy to attend an open house on Saturday and would not attend an open house on Sunday because it would be considered shopping on the Sabbath. And yes Mormon people do believe in the Bible. Remember that verse in Exodus. I think it was Exodus 20:8: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. The Mormon people would consider it breaking the sabbath to shop (open houses) on Sunday.
For example on Saturday our team will get hundreds of Real Estate calls. On Sunday we get none. It is extremely rare for a buyer, seller or Realtor to call our offices on Sunday. Remember Sunday is the big open house day across America.
Conclusion about Open Houses
Around 95% of people start shopping for homes on the internet. Let's face it open houses originated before the internet was even invented. And yes, my teenagers still don't believe me that the internet wasn't around when I was a kid. The internet has really change the home buyer's shopping habits. Buyers can now walk thru an entire home vai a virtual tour sitting on their couch with a bag of chips and a laptop. Is the open house of the future a complete virtual reality tour of a home? This means no driving around looking for open houses and meeting a pesky salesman bugging you asking for your phone number.
In my 15 year career in selling homes here in Utah County I have met very few Realtors or sellers that have had a sale or success from an open house. I have done a few open houses in my life with little to no results. If my clients ask for an open house I will consider doing one for them as a token of customer service. However, I will explain why they don't work. In 2009 I sold 52 homes in Utah County and had a few people ask about them. I didn't ever have the few that asked really want one after a short explanation. I didn't do a single open house and managed to sell 52 homes in Utah County. This is because the new open house is right in front of you. It is the internet.
If you agree or disagree tell me your thought and write your comments below.
Welcome to my Utah County Real Estate blog! We are located in Mapleton, Utah. Our team combines proven traditional real estate practices and represents the leading edge in the future of real estate marketing by merging internet technologies, service, communication, information and analysis with those traditional practices to provide our clients with an exceptional real estate experience and superior marketing.
Paul Teasdale, Principal Broker
ABR, CRS, e-PRO, QSC, Finance BYU
15 Years Experience, 775+ Homes Sold
Team Teasdale Realty, Utah County Real Estate
Phone: 801-491-7653
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Categories: Utah Demographics, Utah Realtors
Tags: utah real estate real estate open house realtor
Open House’s Vs. Pricing?
Open House’s are the desperate act of a Realtor that has over priced a listing, and is now trying to justify their soon to come price reduction, “Well Mr. Seller I have done “X” Open House’s with no activity… We must be over priced”
Price it right from the start, make it easy to show (lockbox) and the Realtors (with their clients) will come.
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