Open House Sign-In Sheet | Free Templates

If you are an agent or a seller planning to sell a house, you have probably thought of ways to get feedback from potential buyers after you show it to them. An open house sign-in sheet is one of the documents you can use to get such feedback. It is a document that potential buyers sign when they visit an open house and leave their information and comments regarding the house. Sign-in sheets are commonly used in North America and other places with robust real-estate businesses.

An open house is a house on the market that is open for viewing by potential buyers. It allows the seller or real estate agent to show potential buyers what the property offers. An open house viewing is meant to quicken the sale of the house. Most sellers entice buyers through furnishing the house, and at times, interested buyers may purchase the house along with the furniture. To attract buyers, sellers often post “For Sale” signs at the front of the house or post pictures on online real estate websites. The objective of hosting an open house is to sell the house at its asking price.

This article discusses an open house sign-in sheet, its importance, and how to use it. It also discusses the different types of open house sign-in sheets and explains how they can be used to get feedback from your clients and how you can build your customer base using them. The article also provides tips for using the open house sign-in sheet effectively.

Open House Sign-in Sheet

An open house sign-in sheet collects potential buyers’ contact information.

Typically, the sign-in sheet requires a potential buyer to leave their phone number and email address through which they can be contacted. An open house sign-in sheet differs from a guestbook and sign-in list, which the buyer’s agent often uses. A sign-in sheet is usually a piece of paper in which the guests sign and leave their contact information. A guest book serves the same purpose; however, unlike an open house sign-in sheet, the guest book can be shown to other guests as proof that other buyers have also viewed the house.

In most cases, buyers hire agents to find houses to their liking. Because of this, most buyer’s agents use the guestbook to collect information about their clients. In addition, the buyer’s agent usually communicates any offers to the seller’s agent in most cases. In contrast, the seller’s agent rarely meets the open house visitors unless they are also a part of the buyer agent’s team.

Why is it significant to sign a sign-in sheet?

A sign-in sheet helps the agent hosting the open house collect buyer information, follow up on leads and create a potential client base. The sign-in sheet may have a section dedicated to the buyer’s comments regarding the house’s presentation. Some agents may furnish the homes to help the potential buyer see what the house could look like or for presentation purposes. The feedback given by buyers helps them improve the house’s presentation and to address any issues identified by buyers.

The sign-in sheet allows a real estate agent to create leads and form a client base. The information provided by potential buyers can also be used to add the buyers to mailing lists for marketing purposes. Sign-in sheets are helpful marketing tools for real estate agents because they help collect valuable information they can use to reach their clients.

Important: Common area of contact – during a showing, buyers may have questions about the house, but some may be afraid to ask or feel uncomfortable about them. To make it easier for buyers to ask questions and give comments, agents are advised to have a common area of contact with food and snacks for the clients to meet and discuss their concerns. Most agents use the kitchen as the common area of contact.

The open house sign-in sheet should be displayed where it can easily attract potential buyers’ attention. The sign-in sheet may be placed at the property’s entrance or in the common area. Set out the required details in a clear and professional format because the sign-in sheet will provide you with valuable information about the potential buyers.

You should include the following information in the open house sign-in sheet:

Address of the property

The property’s address should be included to help the agent keep track of the properties shown and the clients that have already viewed the house. In addition, it is essential to avoid scheduling mistakes on the agent’s part and to keep their tasks organized.

Date

The date on the sign-in sheet should be the day on which it is used. The sign-in sheet helps the agent keep track of the number of buyers that have viewed the house on a specific day. It can also help the agency assess and identify the best time or day to schedule viewings.

Potential buyer’s information

The potential buyer’s information is the main focus of the sign-in sheet because it helps the real estate agent or seller know how to contact the buyer in case a house preferred by them is listed. The buyer’s information requested should be limited to the basic information needed to contact the customer to avoid violating their privacy.

It would help if you asked for the potential buyers:

• Name – The buyer should provide their legal name or preferred name to help identify them in case you need to contact them.
• Phone number – The potential buyer should leave the most recent phone number that can be used to contact them for leads.
• Email address – In this age of technology, agents may use emails as marketing tools. Potential buyers may provide their email addresses which can be added to a mailing list for houses that are to their liking.

Real estate agents can create sign-in sheets personally or online. However, the process may be daunting. To ease the creation of your sign-in sheet, you can use a ready-made template to fit your needs. We provide free downloadable templates that are simple and easy to use. Different types of sign-in sheet templates cater to different needs.

They include:

The essential open house sign-in sheet

The essential sign-in sheet only requires the potential buyer’s name, phone number, and email address. In addition, it contains the agent’s logo and the property’s address. This sign-in sheet format requires little information, and because of this, it is often filled quickly by buyers. It is best used by agents that use customer relationship management technology to consolidate their potential client base because the information is basic and easy to input. Agents who receive many viewers to their open houses are encouraged to use this format.

Physical address open house sign-in sheet

The physical address sign-in sheet format requires a potential buyer to provide their physical address, name, phone number, and email address. This format is helpful for agents that target a specific geographical area. It can be used to track buyer trends in particular areas. In addition, the physical address can be added to a direct mailing list where buyers with specific preferences can be included when following up.

Detailed questionnaire open house sign-in sheet

The detailed questionnaire seeks targeted information from potential buyers. They help agents classify their buyers in categories according to their needs and preferences for marketing purposes. Potential buyers provide their names, phone numbers, and email addresses and answer targeted questions. For example, what are you looking for, and when are you looking to buy? These questions help the agent gauge the potential buyer’s needs and may even help the agent to select a perfect house for the potential buyer.

Digital open house sign-in sheet

The digital sign-in sheet is a sheet uploaded on a mobile device like an iPad. They are easy to customize and easy for customers to fill out. The information requested varies depending on the agent’s needs. Digital sign-in sheets are good because they help agents avoid deciphering bad handwriting and eliminate the need to use bulky papers. They also appeal more to the younger generation. In addition, digital sign-in sheets can be used to create buyer profiles for future use. An agent can use these profiles to contact the clients if they find a house that fits the buyer’s needs.

When showing an open house to potential buyers, it is advisable to make an excellent first impression. Buyers that are impressed may readily be converted to future clients.

The following tips can help create a good impression:

Keep the house clean

A clean house gives the buyer an excellent first impression and may increase their interest in buying the property. Cleaning the house also helps an agent avoid unnecessary negotiation factors, like the buyer having to clean up before moving in, which may lead to lowering the property price. On the other hand, dirty houses may also cause the buyer to think there are underlying issues and that the seller did not maintain the property properly.

Be courteous to the potential buyers

Courtesy goes a long way with everyone. People feel more encouraged to comment and may even leave their information if the agent is courteous and they need to purchase the property. It may also make buyers comfortable enough to give feedback on the house’s presentation, which may increase the agent’s skill in the future. In addition, do not bother the viewers; let them tour the property and tell them where to find you if they need clarification.

Be honest and ask for permission

Most people are hesitant about giving their contact information, as receiving emails or calls from unknown numbers can be annoying. Agents should be honest about why they seek the contact information and how they intend to use it. It makes the potential buyers more comfortable. Further, providing a business card may be beneficial as buyers can quickly identify who is contacting them.

Respect buyer’s privacy

In this digital age, privacy is a significant concern; the information provided should be used strictly for the intended purpose. To make potential buyers more comfortable about the privacy of their provided information, agents should let buyers know how they can communicate with them. Once the buyers express disinterest, the agent has to stop communication immediately.

Build rapport

The showing is one of the first forums where the agents can interact with the buyers. Beyond being courteous, agents need to pay attention to the buyer’s interests and address their concerns satisfactorily to encourage them to continue consulting the agent for their property needs. Building rapport is one of the ways of converting potential buyers into clients.

Leverage social media

Social media is a helpful marketing tool, and it can be used to attract potential buyers to an open house. Agents can use their online presence to advertise the open house and even share a digital questionnaire and description of the house to offer potential buyers a snippet of what to expect.

Offer an incentive

Getting potential buyers to a showing can be tasking. Agents may offer incentives like snacks or small gifts like branded shirts to encourage potential buyers to visit the open house. Agents may also have themed showings to generate interest in potential buyers; themes help buyers see how dynamic the property is and how it can be customized to their liking.

What Should be Known

To sellers

Seller’s agents rarely get to meet potential buyers because they do not participate in showing the houses. Because of this, they have limited information regarding potential buyers unless they express interest in the house. The seller’s agent often passes along relevant information to the buyer’s agent as common courtesy. As such, sellers often only know what the buyer’s agent tells them.

To buyers

The buyer decides whether or not to sign the sign-in sheet. Agents may convince reluctant buyers by addressing their specific concerns over privacy or follow-ups. On the other hand, buyers should be honest if they decide to sign, in case they need to follow up with the agent. For example, if the buyer forgot their personal property at the open house, they can go back, identify themselves and recover the property.

Open house sign-in sheets may not make your clients instant buyers, but they help to improve an agent’s skill in showing. To ensure they fulfil their purpose, agents should choose the correct template by assessing the property’s location, potential clients, and the needed information.

The sign-in sheet should focus on collecting information from potential buyers while respecting their privacy. Agents should remember that while it is a technical process, the human touch of courtesy and rapport-building contributes to getting buyers to give their information.