Stay Paid Podcast: Open Houses—The EXACT Plan That Closed 18 Deals

Release Date: March 3, 2025

In this insightful episode of the Stay Paid Podcast, hosts Luke Acree and Joshua Stike delve deep into the effectiveness of open houses in the real estate market. Joined by Stephen Acree and Cody Smith from the Acre Brothers Realty Team—the top real estate team in Lynchburg, Virginia—they share a proven strategy that led to the closure of 18 deals through open houses in the past year. This comprehensive summary captures the essence of their discussion, providing valuable takeaways for real estate agents and entrepreneurs aiming to enhance their business strategies.

1. Introduction to the Episode

The episode kicks off with the hosts highlighting their recent achievement: being listed as a top 10 real estate marketing company for 2025 by Close.com. Despite ranking third with a 4.3-star rating, the team expresses motivation to improve, underscoring the competitive nature of real estate marketing.

Joshua Stike [00:20]: "We have. Joining us as always, Stephen Acree and Cody Smith from the Acre Brothers Realty Team, the number one real estate team in Lynchburg, Virginia."

2. Listener Engagement and Episode Genesis

Engaging with their audience is a cornerstone of the podcast. The idea for this episode originated from a listener survey, with a question posed by Lane Blandford from Alabama:

Joshua Stike [02:22]: "This episode's idea came from a question from one of our listeners, Lane Blandford, I believe, out of Alabama. She asked, do you believe public open houses and realtor open houses are still effective?"

This prompted Stephen and Cody to share their successful open house strategies, setting the stage for a detailed exploration of effective practices.

3. The Success Story: 18 Deals from Open Houses

Stephen Acree reveals the impressive outcome of their open house efforts:

Stephen Acree [02:08]: "We did 18. And we had one agent, Tim, that did at a super high level. He had about 10 of those."

This success was not accidental but the result of a meticulously formulated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that was adopted team-wide.

4. Providing Valuable Resources

To empower listeners, the Acre Brothers Realty Team offers two essential resources:

1. Open House Kit: Available for download at remindermedia.com/openhouse, this kit includes customizable Canva templates for signage, sign-in sheets, and other collateral needed for a successful open house.

2. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) PDF: A detailed guide on how the Acre Brothers run their open houses, ensuring consistency and effectiveness across the team.

Luke Acree [02:31]: "If you go to remindermedia.com/openhouse, there's actually a kit there that you can download and I think it has a Canva template that you can actually use to customize."

5. Marketing Strategies for Effective Open Houses

The team emphasizes the importance of strategic planning in hosting open houses. Key strategies include:

• Frequency: Each agent typically conducts two open houses per week. This consistent presence ensures a steady flow of potential leads.

  Cody Smith [04:34]: "I'd say on average we're doing about two a week per agent."

• Signage Placement: Utilizing high-traffic areas to place multiple open house signs, directing potential buyers effectively to the property.

  Cody Smith [08:05]: "We set signs on every single corner... intersection, and lead them back to the property."

• Online Presence: Listing open houses on MLS, Zillow, and leveraging social media to maximize visibility.

  Stephen Acree [08:49]: "We have our segmented groups in our CRM that will also send out open house listings to."

• Door Knocking: Engaging with neighbors to inform them about the open house, gather feedback, and build relationships with other realtors.

  Stephen Acree [09:38]: "Creating those relationships and... being the only one that's ever followed up in a heavy, heavy way."

6. Door Knocking: Best Practices and Scripting

Door knocking serves as a pivotal part of their strategy. The team shares effective scripts and approaches to ensure meaningful interactions:

• Approach: Initiate conversations by mentioning the open house and asking neighbors about their favorite features of the neighborhood.

  Stephen Acree [09:51]: "I want you to know I'm holding an open house right down the street... What is one feature about the neighborhood that you love?"

• Building Rapport: Asking for value by seeking opinions fosters trust and opens avenues for future collaboration.

  Cody Smith [10:34]: "It's so much more relational to me. I'm like, so much more transactional when I approach it."

• Providing Value: Offering free resources, such as a bimonthly magazine with tips and recipes, reinforces their commitment to the community.

  Stephen Acree [11:32]: "I actually do a free magazine. I send it bimonthly... it's really cool. I would love to send you that completely free."

7. Conducting the Open House: On-the-Day Strategies

A successful open house hinges on preparation and intentional engagement:

• Preparation: Conduct a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to be well-versed with the property details, even if it's not their listing.

  Stephen Acree [14:48]: "Being prepared... running a CMA, getting the house numbers."

• Data Collection: Ensuring every visitor signs in with their contact information to facilitate follow-up.

  Stephen Acree [21:48]: "One of the main reasons we do this is... the seller wants to know everyone that's walked through."

• Engagement: Asking insightful questions about the visitors' home-buying journey to gauge their position in the sales funnel.

  Cody Smith [17:09]: "All of our questions are related to capturing data. So we know how to follow up afterwards."

8. Lead Follow-Up: Building Relationships and Closing Deals

Timely and personalized follow-up is crucial for converting leads into clients:

• Speed to Lead: Reaching out immediately after the open house ensures the memory of the interaction is fresh.

  Cody Smith [29:56]: "Speed to lead still is the same here. Reach out right after the open house because that's when they're going to remember you."

• Personalization: Sending off-market properties based on the leads' specific preferences demonstrates attentiveness and expertise.

  Cody Smith [26:03]: "We send them off-market properties... based on what they're interested in."

• Consistent Follow-Up: Maintaining contact through a CRM system ensures no lead falls through the cracks, fostering long-term relationships.

  Cody Smith [30:00]: "You have some sort of program, some sort of CRM for your follow-up so that you can remember these people and keep following up."

9. Mindset and Preparation for Open Houses

Success in open houses is as much about mindset as it is about strategy:

• Intentionality: Approaching each open house with a clear purpose and determination to engage meaningfully with visitors.

  Stephen Acree [35:24]: "You have to be extremely intentional... If you are just going to check off a box, you'll never win."

• Overcoming Reluctance: Preparing mentally to handle the challenges of door knocking and engaging with strangers ensures resilience and effectiveness.

  Cody Smith [36:10]: "It does, it does, it's... getting in the right mindset... I'm just driving."

10. Key Takeaways and Conclusions

The Acre Brothers Realty Team's success with open houses is a testament to their disciplined approach and strategic execution. Key takeaways include:

• Consistency: Regularly hosting open houses establishes a strong market presence.
• Relationship Building: Engaging with both potential buyers and fellow realtors fosters a robust network.
• Data-Driven Follow-Up: Utilizing collected data to personalize follow-up efforts increases conversion rates.
• Mindset Matters: Approaching open houses with the right mindset is crucial for sustained success.

Luke Acree [35:07]: "That's really good. I think that is such a good master class in holding an open house."

Listeners are encouraged to implement these strategies by downloading the provided resources and adopting the Acre Brothers' proven methods to elevate their real estate businesses.

Resources Mentioned:

• Open House Kit: remindermedia.com/openhouse
• Podcast Show Notes: staypaidpodcast.com

Connect with the Stay Paid Podcast:

• Email: us@podcastremindermedia.com
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