Episode 831: Open House Games vs Traditional Showings - Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada

Summary4 min read

Episode Overview

Title: Open House Games vs Traditional Showings
Host: Tristan Ahumada
Podcast: Your Daily Real Estate Podcast
Date: March 10, 2026
Length: ~6 Minutes

In this concise episode, Tristan Ahumada explores the concept of gamifying open houses—injecting interactive, creative elements to make house tours more memorable and engaging for buyers. Through sharing his own experiences pre-COVID and brainstorming with his team, Tristan weighs the benefits and logistics of using games versus sticking with traditional showing methods, ultimately making a case for gamification as a business-growing strategy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background: Revisiting Open House Gamification

[00:00 - 00:46]
- Tristan reflects on past experiences running open house games before the pandemic, noting the idea’s resurgence after interviewing an author on gamification.
- He revisited his original notes and collaborated with technology (ChatGPT) to further develop the concept.
- Sets the tone for the episode: how can gamification elevate the open house experience for agents and buyers alike?

2. Structure of the Open House Game

[00:46 - 01:55]
- Classic Format (Tested):
  - Guests receive a card upon entering the house.
  - As they tour, they answer questions about each room (without touching or moving anything).
  - At the end, they submit the card for a chance to win a prize (e.g., a $100 gift card).
  - Purpose: Encourages guests to pay closer attention, recall details, and keeps the experience memorable.
  - Quote:
    
    "It helps them remember the different parts of the rooms. And that’s how we ran it."
    — Tristan [01:30]

3. Agent Suggestions & New Variations

[01:55 - 03:10]
- Agent-Driven Ideas (Untested):
  - Distributing a game card or a QR code at entry.
  - Each room features a hidden or visible clue/question.
  - Guests complete the card/QR form to enter the prize drawing.
  - Digital submissions via QR code can link to a Google Form, possibly with a leaderboard.
  - Concerns: Hidden clues might disturb the home or upset sellers—Tristan favors visible prompts.
  - Quote:
    
    "I wasn't too comfortable with [hidden clues] because my clients may not be happy with people moving stuff around. I definitely don't want that."
    — Tristan [02:40]

4. Example Game Questions

[03:10 - 04:10]
- Thoughtfully crafted questions to maximize engagement and observation:
  - Kitchen: “What color were the countertops?”
  - Living room: “Find the item that makes this space the most cozy.”
  - Primary Bedroom: “What’s your favorite feature here?” or “What color were the curtains?”
  - Bonus: “Could you fit a flat screen TV here?” (Yes/No)
  - Backyard: “Were there any fruit trees?”
- Emphasis: Tailor questions for observation, engagement, and memory retention.

5. Impact & Takeaways from Gamification

[04:10 - 05:20]
- Guests found the process enjoyable, leading to better recall and more in-depth questions.
- Interactive Benefits:
  - Creates memorable experiences and deeper connections to both the home and the agent.
  - Opens opportunity for future interactions and repeat visits.
- Quote:
  
  "The interaction is the thing that connects people to the home. Connects people to you."
  — Tristan [04:35]

6. Technology and Modernization

[05:20 - 05:50]
- Alternative to physical cards: QR codes direct attendees to Google Forms for digital participation.
- Adds features like leaderboards or kid-friendly variations.
- Encourages agents to modernize and customize the game to their audience.

7. Call to Action

[05:50 - End]
- Tristan encourages listeners to try out gamification and reach out if they want the template/notes.
- Gentle teaser: Local listeners might see this in action at his upcoming open houses.
- Quote:
  
  "The point is you got to gamify your open house. I thought it was something we should bring back."
  — Tristan [05:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"Go through the house...answer questions based on what you see...you're going to fill it out, we're going to put it into this box and then...I'll tell you at the end of the week...whether or not you won the $100 gift card."
— Tristan [01:10]
"My agents are saying—Tristan, what if...you give them a game card or a QR code. I'm like, that's a good idea, guys, explain."
— Tristan [01:56]
"People go through the process, they remember the home more, which is important, right? And they ask more questions."
— Tristan [04:25]

Episode Takeaways

Gamifying open houses—whether via game cards, questions, or digital methods—not only enhances guest engagement but also builds stronger connections and recall for both property and agent.
Agents are encouraged to adapt and innovate, using tech (QR codes/Google Forms) or simple physical prompts.
Even minor game tweaks (visible instead of hidden clues) can address seller and guest concerns.
The approach remains flexible—customize for families, add leaderboards, or adjust based on property type.

For more templates or to connect:
Message Tristan on Instagram and mention Episode 706 for gamification notes.

This summary captures the essence, energy, and signature practicality of Tristan Ahumada’s approach to real estate innovation—helpful for busy agents seeking fresh, actionable ideas.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:01]
A
So a long time ago, maybe not that long ago. Pre Covid. Pre Covid. We ran a few open houses and we gamified them. And I don't know that we've tried very many after that. I was trying to remember as I was building this out, I had to go look at my notes to just get this down. It'd been that long. And now we're thinking we might bring it back because I just interviewed somebody who wrote the book Press Play, talked about gamification and I thought, man, we should bring that whole open house game back. And here's the gist. So I had the notes, I actually wrote them out and I took a picture of them uploaded to ChatGPT and said, hey, can you expand this so that it becomes a game? So if you need this, this is episode 700-6706. Gaming. Gaming for your open house is what I called it. Call it whatever you want. I'm Tristan. This is your daily real estate. It's a podcast, it's a show. Six, seven, sometimes even five minutes, who knows? All has to do with real estate and your business. Today we're going to go over gamifying your open house or the gamification of open houses. Now you want to welcome people in like you normally do, but you want to either do one of two things. Now here's a separation because I only tested one of these, I didn't test the other one. The other one was our agents ideas as we're going through and saying, hey, should we bring this back? We have a card that we show them and say, hey, look, go through the. Go through the house. And at the end, as you're paying attention to the rooms, this card I'm going to give to you and your significant other or to both of you. And you're going to go through and you're going to answer questions based on what you can see at the house, in these rooms, in these different, in the backyard, in the different locations. Now there's something I'm going to ask about the room. You don't have to touch anything, you don't have to move anything. And when you come back, you're going to get this card from me. You're going to fill it out, we're going to put it into this box and then I'm going to tell you at the end of the week, at the end of the month, whether or not you won the $100 gift card or whatever we're giving away, it's gamifying them and helps remember, helps Them remember the different parts of the rooms. And that's how we ran it. Now my agents are saying, well, Tristan, what if this is what they wrote down? So this I haven't tried. When a guest arrives, you give them a game card or a QR code. I'm like, that's a good idea, guys, explain. Each room has a hidden clue or question. Find them all completed. Find them all. Complete the card and enter to win a prize. So it's a little different with the hidden clue. I wasn't too comfortable with it because my clients may not be happy with people moving stuff around. I definitely don't want that. So maybe having the clues not hidden just in the room could be another option. But you want to pick the rooms, you want to pick the questions. It could be, let's say six questions they need to ask. I have examples here. If it's in the kitchen, what color were the countertops? If it's in the living room, find the item that makes this space the most cozy. Primary room or the big bedroom. What's your favorite feature here? Could be open ended. I would rather say, hey, what color were the curtains? Or could you fit a flat screen TV here? Yes or no. Right. And then bonus room or backyard. Backyard. Were there any fruit trees? Right. Things that make them think like, hey, did I pay attention to this or not? Anyway, what we found is that it's enjoyable. People, people go through the process, they remember the home more, which is important, right. And they ask more questions. And I love that because it made it interactive. And I think the interaction is the thing that connects people to the home. Connects people to you. Because right after you could say, hey, I'm going to be having another open house. Look for my open house, I'm Tristan. And we're going to make it interactive again. Now you can also, instead of doing the card at the end, you can have them scan the QR code. And I put here, this is my agents telling me, they said, why don't we just do that? The QR code would take them to a Google form version and they can fill it out there as well. You can add a leaderboard. You could even make it kid friendly. The point is you got to gamify your open house. I thought it was a something we should bring back. And if you're in the area, you may see us do this. If you're not, then this is episode 706. Just message me on Instagram and I'll send this over. Have an awesome day.