Do open houses work?

Realtor Robby Young used to think open houses weren't worth the trouble, but he changed his mind when his agents sold several homes after tours.

"You get a lot of buyers from an open house," said the managing broker at Coldwell Banker United Realtors in Mobile. "It gets a lot of traffic, and we're for anything to shake the bushes and generate some business."

Every Sunday afternoon, agents around the country will post Open House signs and invite folks to tour for-sale homes. Most agents agree that they may not sell the house, but they meet and greet plenty of prospective clients.

Typically, open houses that bring the most traffic are newer listings, reasonably priced and easy to access from main roads, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The association reports that 48 percent of all buyers used open houses as a source in their home search last year.

Local agents have held twilight open houses on weekdays so potential buyers who happen to work weekends can tour properties.

Sheree Dees had eight couples come through a $600,000 house on Rabbit Creek a week ago.

"My open houses have been strong," said Dees, an agent at Prudential Cooper & Co. in Mobile. "I truly believe open houses work. Eight people saw that house that Sunday. While some had viewed it on the Internet, we also need someone to let them see the house, feel it and touch it."

Julie Martin, owner of Port City Realty in Theodore, said one of her agents had her first sale of the year at an open house.

"I think it's a good way to get a house shown, especially when the house is first listed." Martin said.

New construction brings a better turnout at an open house, according to Paige Thatcher, the broker at REMAX By The Bay in Daphne, whose agents don't do open houses regularly. "Our houses are open 24-7 on the Internet, and with a telephone call, they can be open whenever you want them to be," said Thatcher. "We don't want to put the purchaser in the position to wait for 2 to 4 on a Sunday. Buyers first shop on the Internet, then they call us. It's an instant world."

For new agents, open houses are an especially good way to meet clients, according to Chris King of Roberts Brothers, who holds open houses most weekends and has success in selling, too. "People looking at open houses in this market are serious buyers," he said.