When it comes to writing great open house follow-up emails, most new agents don’t have a clue. They either try way too hard, or worse, dump them into a drip campaign. The secret to writing open house follow-up emails that convert is to give leads something they want and make it easy for them to get it from you. Simple!
To show you how simple it can be, we put together this checklist of what to do with your open house leads and compiled a list of the best follow-up emails to send after open house in 2024. After the emails, we’ll give you 10 expert tips for writing better emails to boost your open and response rates.
Each visitor to your open house is a potential client. Using these four rules, you’ll be able to categorize them, put them into your customer relationship manager (CRM) and start your lead nurturing process.
1. The Coffee Meet Email
Subject line: Coffee This Week? (on Me)
Hi {name},
Thanks for stopping by my open house this weekend at {open house address}.
As you know, these things can be kind of crazy for agents, so apologies if I didn’t get a chance to chat with you in more detail about your hunt.
To make it up to you, I’d like to invite you over to the Starbucks near my office in {office location} for a cup of coffee (on me) to talk about how your search is going.
I’ve been in the industry for {#} years, so I’m happy to just talk about the market, your expectations, or anything else you’d like to learn more about.
My schedule fills up quickly these days, so click below to reserve a time on my calendar below.
{link to scheduling app}
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
2. The Honest Feedback Email
Subject line: Did You Hate It…?
Hi {name},
So nice meeting you this weekend at my open house at {open house address}.
The reason I’m reaching out is to get some honest feedback for the listing. Did you hate it? Love it? A little bit of both?
As an agent, my duty is to help homeowners (and potential owners) understand their asset. The reason I want to hear your thoughts, no punches pulled, is because I didn’t get to this position without acting on honest feedback!
If you have a few minutes, I’d love to chat with you about your thoughts on {open house address} and your experience home-hunting in {neighborhood} in general.
Click below to schedule a call later this week.
{link to scheduling app}
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
3. The Recent Sales Report Email
Subject line: Just Sold in {Neighborhood}! Curious About Others?
Hi {name},
After your visit to {open house address}, I thought you might be interested in the recent sales in the neighborhood. In the past month, {#} homes were sold for an average closing price of ${#}, including a {description of similar listing} just a few blocks away.
My aim is to provide you with insight into the local market—and at the same time, arm you with valuable information! With that in mind, I’ve attached a detailed neighborhood report with recent listings for your reference.
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
Pro Tip
Set an alert for yourself in the MLS for recently sold and active listings in the same neighborhood as your open house. That way, you’ll have your finger on the pulse.
4. The Comparable Listings Email
Subject line: If You Liked {your open house address}, You’ll LOVE These!
Hi {name},
Thanks for stopping by my open house at {open house address} this Sunday. As you can imagine, these things can get hectic, so apologies if we didn’t have the opportunity to talk longer.
I just wanted to drop you a quick line to offer no-strings-attached showings for these {#}-bedroom homes that I think would be perfect for you. Which works better for a showing, Saturday or Sunday?
Click below to schedule an appointment.
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
P.S.: If you’re not interested in these listings, I’d love to take you out for a cup of coffee sometime this week to try to narrow down what you’re looking for.
5. The Open House Opinion Email
Subject line: I Need Your Opinion…
Hi {Contact name},
Thanks for stopping by my open house this weekend at {open house address}.
Really quick, what did you think of the open house? I try to make my open houses fun and informative experiences for all my guests, but because we get so busy, I don’t always have enough time to hear from every guest.
I would love to get your feedback, warts and all. If something went wrong, that would help me get it right next time.
We can also chat about the market if you’d like. I have {#} years of experience in {your farm area}, so I can talk about this market for days. I’m an open book!
What’s a good day to chat?
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
6. The Off-market Listings Invitation Email
Subject line: Your Private Invite: Get the Best Listings BEFORE They Hit the Market!
Hi {name},
Thanks for stopping by my open house at {open house address} this Sunday. As you can imagine, these things can get hectic, so apologies if we didn’t have the opportunity to talk longer.
If you’re still interested in homes in {neighborhood} like {open house address}, I’d love to invite you to my private off-market listings alert emails.
Here’s how it works: Once a week, I send you the latest and greatest listings the minute they hit the market (or before). If you want to see one, you can schedule an appointment right from the email. Simple!
The only catch is that these emails would be more helpful if I know what you’re looking for. When would be a good time to set up a quick call so I can tailor this list to your needs?
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
7. The Market Analysis Report Email
Subject line: Exclusive Insight: The Latest Market Trends in {Neighborhood}!
Hi {name},
It was a pleasure to have you at the open house {day of week}. Since you seem to be someone who’s interested in {neighborhood}, I wanted to share a market analysis report with you. This covers the current trends, recent sales data, and predictions for the upcoming weeks and months in {neighborhood}.
Understanding these trends is important to making an informed decision, especially in our current market! The analysis is attached—please let me know if you have any specific questions. I’m just a phone call or quick email away.
All the best,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
Pro Tip
Make sure you have a CRM that can track email opens and set up automated nurturing—that will make your follow-up process as easy as possible. Wise Agent has these capabilities and offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
8. The Personal Connection Follow-up Email
Subject line: I Have to Ask You…
Hi {name},
So nice chatting with you about dogs at my open house at {open house address} this Sunday.
If you or any of your dog-loving friends are looking for some no-nonsense real estate advice, would you be willing to come to my weekly Real Estate Q&A Session at {name of the local establishment}?
The place actually allows dogs, so feel free to bring {dog’s name} along.
Even if you’re busy on Sunday, let’s keep in touch on LinkedIn. I don’t share any listings there, but I occasionally write articles about real estate that might come in handy someday.
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
9. The Hot Lead Email
Subject line: This Weekend
Hi {name},
This is {your name} from the open house at {open house address} this {day of week}. I didn’t get your phone number, so I thought I would reach out here instead.
Just a quick heads-up, we have several pending offers on {the open house address} and wanted to give you the inside track since you loved the {feature} so much.
Call me to talk. I can also set up some showings for other places: {your cell phone number}
Talk soon,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
10. The Buyer’s Seminar Email
Subject line: Save the Date!
Hi {name},
This is {your name} from the open house at {open house address} this {day of week}.
I just wanted to reach out to invite you to my new buyer’s seminar I am hosting at {local bar} next {day of week} at {time}. I will be covering the many ways that buying in {your farm area} has changed this year. I also invited a mortgage broker for the Q&A session.
Feel free to call me on my cell if you have any questions before the seminar: {your cell phone number}. If not, I hope to see you on Wednesday!
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
11. The Community Update Email
Subject line: What’s New in {Open House Neighborhood}? Check Out the Latest!
Hi {name},
I hope you’re doing well—it was a pleasure to meet you at the open house {day of week}. As we all know, a house isn’t a home without a community! And this neighborhood isn’t just about beautiful homes like the one you visited at {open house address}. It’s about a sense of community and belonging.
With this in mind, I wanted to provide you with a quick update on the developments in {neighborhood}. Recently, we’ve seen several new businesses open, including {list businesses}, and there are upcoming events like {list events} that are bringing a great vibe to the community!
If you’re considering making {neighborhood} your new home and want to know more about life here, reach out to me.
If not, let’s still keep in touch! Reply “yes” and I’ll share market updates and fun events directly to your email.
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
12. The Buyer’s Seminar Email
Subject line: Save the Date!
Hi {contact name},
This is {your name} from the open house at {listing address} this {day of week}.
I just wanted to reach out to invite you to my new buyer’s seminar I am hosting at {local bar} next {day of week} at {time}. I will be covering the many ways that buying in {your farm area} has changed this year. I also invited a mortgage broker for the Q&A session.
Feel free to call me on my cell if you have any questions before the seminar: {your cell phone number}. If not, I hope to see you on Wednesday!
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
13. The Price Drop Email
Subject: Price Change for {Open House Address}
Hi {name},
I just wanted to quickly follow up with you about {open house address}. The seller needs to move to {state} quickly and to help her sell her home faster, which is why we’ve decided to lower the price from {previous asking} to {new asking}.
As you may know if you’ve been looking for a few months, this moves this gorgeous {#}-bedroom, {#}-bathroom home with {unique selling feature} from a good deal to an AMAZING deal. This home in this condition will not last at this price.
If you’d like to come take another look or submit an offer, you can text me anytime: {your phone number}.
Best regards,
{Your name and title}
{Your contact info}
10 Tips for Boosting Open & Response Rates for Open House Follow-up Emails
Now that you have some templates to work with for your open house emails, here are 10 tips for customizing them and improving your engagement.
1. Keep Your Follow-up Emails Short & Sweet
One common mistake I see agents make with open house follow-up emails is writing long, detailed messages chock-full of information. When I point this out, they always say the same thing: “But I want to give them as much information as possible!”
While this may be a noble gesture, it’s the kiss of death in the email marketing world for a straightforward reason. People are busy. Very few will have the time to open, let alone read, your 800-word email. Instead, try to stick to 100 to 200 words. This length is ideal because it only takes your lead a minute or two to read and act upon your message.
2. Personalize Your Follow-up
It may take more time than sending a mass thank-you email, but if you had a great conversation with an open house visitor or know that you had a hot lead come by who expressed a lot of interest, drop them a personal email that references your conversation. Try to reference something they may have mentioned about an event coming up, or what their plans were that weekend.
Personalized follow-up helps your leads feel valued and heard. They won’t feel like they’re talking to a salesy real estate agent, but forging a relationship beyond the commission. Showing you care is much more powerful in relationship building than a simple mass email.
3. Avoid Asking Questions That Can Be Answered With a Simple ‘No’
This is an old negotiating trick. All you need to do is replace any yes-or-no questions with more open-ended ones.
Here’s a quick example: Instead of asking your lead if they have time to meet this weekend, ask them which day works better to meet, Saturday or Sunday.
The only caveat here is that you need to be careful not to come across as aggressive or forceful. Both can turn off prospective clients, buyers especially.
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4. Always Include a Call to Action
When it comes to real estate marketing, one of the biggest mistakes I see Realtors make time and time again is forgetting to include a call to action (CTA). Open house follow-up emails are no different. If you don’t include a short, snappy, and actionable line asking your leads to take action, you’re leaving money on the table.
Even something small like “Visit my website” provides your leads a place to go after reading your email. This underlines why personal branding and a robust online presence is important.
5. Avoid Spammy Words in Your Subject Line
Although Google doesn’t release the exact criteria that can land your emails into someone’s “promotional” folder—or heaven forbid, their spam folder—there are a few best practices you can follow to make sure.
The first and most crucial step is to avoid using spammy words in the subject line or even the body of your emails. Words and phrases like “free,” “limited time offer,” and “call now” can trip Google’s spam filters and ensure your message never gets read.
6. Follow Up Your Email With a Phone Call
If you’re not already doing it, you should make an effort to always reinforce your open house thank-you emails with a quick, personal phone call. Trevor James, coach and staff writer with Real Tactics Pro, explains how to pull this off:
“Even if they don’t answer, it’s a chance to connect with your potential client. A personal touch goes a long way. But be armed with the info on the open house listing and make sure you’re prepared to answer any questions they might have. This is another way to showcase your knowledge and preparation skills.”
7 Proven Real Estate Cold Calling Scripts for Fearless Lead Gen
7. Try to Move the Conversation Past the Open House
This one is a bit trickier but worthwhile trying to master. While the open house gives you the excuse to email them in the first place, it’s often not a very interesting topic of conversation.
Instead, try to steer the conversation toward something else in your first email. If you’re looking for a hint, during your open house make a point to learn something about each guest: their favorite season, their name, and a favorite topic of conversation—this will empower you to personalize your outreach, leading to a much better chance at converting your leads.
Learning some basic objection handlers will help once you transition your conversation to the phone.
[Video] 6 Buyer Objection Handlers + Examples From Real Cold Calls
8. Use a Scheduling App Like Calendly
A scheduling app like Calendly can help improve the response rate on your emails dramatically because it makes it easy to set an appointment with you. Instead of going back and forth with their calendar app open, all they need to do is click on a button and choose a time. You can also integrate Calendly times to meet right into your email.
9. Think Outside the Box by Using Video
I’ve already made the point that you should be adding value to your follow-up emails—not just saying, “Thanks for coming by!” With that value-add in mind, why not deliver your message to your clients in a special way? You can use YouTube to record your message or utilize software like BombBomb to embed your video right in your email. Some agents even use video texts for those hot leads. In real estate, it’s about relationships and branding. This is a great opportunity for you to showcase these skills for potential clients.
Your video can provide info on recent listings, list out two or three important market stats, or invite your open house visitors to an upcoming event. Make an impact with your clients and they’ll remember you when they’re ready to buy or sell a home.
10. Maintain Your Motivation
Open houses are great for generating leads, but you’re bound to have several visitors who are “just looking” and have no interest in engaging in a real estate transaction anytime soon. That’s all right—it’s part of sales, and we just brush it off! The name of the game is follow-up. After all, 71% of buyers interviewed only one real estate agent during their home search. If you’ve connected with them, that should be you!
And open house leads are much better than leads just browsing homes online. Certain agents and brokerages report open house conversion rates of 5 to 7%. If you’re hosting two open houses per month, you can expect to see at least one client walk through those doors. It’s hard work, but stick with it!
What To Do When You Lose Your Motivation as a Realtor
Over to You
Have a great open house follow-up email template you think deserves to be in this article? Let us know in the comment section.
If you’re looking for more open house advice, check out our 29 Open House Ideas That Will Actually Get You Leads and our free open house sign-in sheets. Or take a peek at our top picks for open house apps to make your open house more effective and get more leads!
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