Why Open House Leads Are Gold
Open house visitors convert at 5-9%. Paid leads from Zillow or Realtor.com? 0.4-2.4%.
The difference is face-to-face rapport. These people chose to show up. They walked through the home. They talked to you.
But here's the thing: 81% of buyers work with the first agent who follows up effectively.
Not All Visitors Are Equal
Type 1: Hot Buyers
Pre-approved, active timeline, asked detailed questions. Need: Immediate, high-touch follow-up with similar listings.
Type 2: Warm Prospects
Exploring options, 3-6 months timeline. Need: Same-day response, no pressure, nurture sequence.
Type 3: Neighbors
Came to see what homes are selling for. Need: Market expert positioning, comparable data.
Type 4: Looky-Loos
No clear timeline, "just looking." Need: Long-term nurture, helpful resources.
Same-Day Follow-Up (Non-Negotiable)
If your email arrives two or three days later, it gets ignored. First responder wins 64% of the time.
The Two-Touch System
Touch 1: Text (within 1 hour)
"Hi Sarah! This is Mike from the open house at 123 Oak St. Great meeting you today. I just sent you an email with some listings that match what you're looking for. Let me know if any catch your eye! —Mike"
Touch 2: Email (within 4 hours) - Longer, more detailed, personalized to what they told you.
Email Template: Hot Buyer
Subject: Great meeting you at [Address] today
Hi [Name], Thanks for coming by [Address] today—it was great chatting about your search. Based on what you mentioned about [specific need], I think this could be a strong fit. I pulled 3 other homes that match your criteria: - [Link 1] - Similar layout, $X - [Link 2] - Better yard, $Y - [Link 3] - Closer to [area they mentioned], $Z Want to tour any of these this week? I have availability Thursday afternoon or Saturday morning. [Your Name]
The 30-Day Follow-Up Sequence
- Day 0: Text + Email (thank you + personalized details)
- Day 1: Curated listings email
- Day 3: Market insight email
- Day 7: New listings alert
- Day 14: Check-in email
- Day 21: Value-add content
- Day 30: Phone call
- Day 30+: Monthly nurture
Using AI for Personalization at Scale
Generic follow-up gets ignored. Personalized follow-up converts. AI makes personalization fast.
AI Prompt Template
Write a same-day open house follow-up email for: Visitor type: [Hot Buyer / Warm Prospect / Neighbor / Looky-Loo] Property: [Address] What they said they liked: [specific details] Their timeline: [immediate / 3-6 months / exploring] Key question they asked: [question] Their situation: [first-time buyer / relocating / downsizing / etc.] Tone: Friendly, professional, not pushy Length: Under 150 words Include: Specific reference to our conversation, clear next step Avoid: "Hope this email finds you well," "Don't hesitate to reach out"
The ROI Math
20 visitors x 75% sign-in rate = 15 contacts
x 33% appointment rate = 5 appointments
x 40% close rate = 2 clients
x $15,000 commission = $30,000
WITHOUT follow-up system: Lose ~75% of conversions = $7,500
The follow-up system is worth 4x more than the open house itself.
Quick Reference
- 80% of sales need 5+ follow-ups
- 44% of agents quit after 1
- 81% of buyers work with first responder
- 5-9% open house conversion rate
- 100% same-day follow-up target
Get More Templates
Our workshops include complete follow-up sequences for every visitor type.
Sources
- National Association of Realtors (NAR)
- Lead nurturing research
- Email marketing studies