It is perfectly okay to go to open houses when you are not in the market. Many times people who "aren't in the market" go to an open house and fall in love with it. Or, you may find a house that is perfect for a friend or relative. It is also good to keep up on neighborhood prices, so you know a good deal when the time comes. It's also a good way to get to know agents for when you are ready to buy or sell.

I love to go to Open Houses....and in fact, I had a friend of mine who casually mentioned to me that if I ever saw a nice duplex in our area, she would like to live there. I happened to go to one and immediately called her and told her she needed to see this one....she bought it the next day...the realtor was thrilled and so was the new buyer!

Now our house is on the market and I go to see my competition...helped in the pricing of ours.

Alright. Thanks!

Should I expect refreshments? :)

It isn't poor manners to go to an open house. It is "open" after all.

It is poor manners to lie. You don't need a cover story or an excuse. If you are in the early, feeling-out stages of deciding if you want to buy a place, it is completely reasonable that you would want to go check out some homes without committing to an agent.

"It is perfectly okay to go to open houses when you are not in the market. Many times people who "aren't in the market" go to an open house and fall in love with it. Or, you may find a house that is perfect for a friend or relative. It is also good to keep up on neighborhood prices, so you know a good deal when the time comes. It's also a good way to get to know agents for when you are ready to buy or sell."

Agree completely. The only time I can think of when it wouldn't be appropriate, is if you take up the agent's time when they might be talking to a serious buyer.

Thank y'all.

I don't think I'd feel any need to lie. It sounds like it's expected to have unserious lookers so we will fit right in.

Besides, as I mentioned on another thread, the owners are opening their house to the public. The realtor may or may not, be able and willing, to walk around with everyone. As much as we'd like to trust everybody, things happen. I will put as much of value, as I can, away, or take out of the house. It would be nice to know who came through though. But I know people would not always be truthful on those lists.

Besides, as I mentioned on another thread, the owners are opening their house to the public. The realtor may or may not, be able and willing, to walk around with everyone. As much as we'd like to trust everybody, things happen. I will put as much of value, as I can, away, or take out of the house. It would be nice to know who came through though. But I know people would not always be truthful on those lists.

I am sorry to suggest you lie. My experience has been that the agents I would meet were quite aggressive and I did not want to get involved in phone calls, emails and sales pitches. I wanted to see the house and leave.

As it turned out, I wound up using an agent I met at an open house to sell my house. She was not aggressive and we hit it off. I did tell her the truth at the Open House.

If you tell an agent you are planning to sell and haven't signed with anyone, be prepared. Despite what has been said, the agents are looking for clients. If they know you are available, they will try to get your listing.

I had an unfortunate situation with my sale. I had met an agent at an open house 6 months before I listed. I gave her my name and email. She sent me emails daily which I ignored. She would call weekly asking if she could come over to see my house. I had no interest in her and no intention of ever using her.

Six months later, I signed with another agent from the same agency. At the day of closing, I discovered, my agent had to give this other agent a percentage of the commission. I was outraged as I never worked with this agent, never called her or had any contact with her except at the Open House. I would have never used her.

I was told, because I met her first, she was due a referral fee. She never referred my Agent to me. I didn't even remember what agency she was with. I met my Agent months later at a different Open House.

I tried to fight it but she brought a complaint against my agent and it was finally settled by the Agency. She got a percentage of the commission.

I am giving a brief scenario of what occurred, it was actually nastier and involved a lot more. She continued to attempt to collect from our new house, which our Agent found for us. We also gave our Agent (we loved) a 'thank-you gift' after our sale and she tried to get some of that. I could go on and on. The bottom line is be careful!

As a result, I still recommend keeping your distance from the any agents involved with the Open House. Maybe my situation is unique, I hope so but it was very disturbing to me.

Jane

No need to apologize, Jane! I understand. I would not be comfortable giving my personal information. My spouse keeps a special email address for things like this and I will encourage him to use it.

I appreciate the warning. The RE business is a very strange one!

I've been to some open houses to find an agent to sell our house, and I always make this clear as soon as I walk in. Most agents are happy to talk and some even seem bored and glad for the company. I did have an embarrassing situation once though when I walked in and explained that I wasn't looking for a house and it turned out that I was talking to the owner who was sitting on the living room couch while the agent was in the kitchen.

No need for fake emails either. When you are asked to give your name just say the first. When asked for your last name or to sign a guest book or whatever just say, "No thank you." Then simply explain that you still in the "idea" stage.

Choosing not to give out your personal information is never rude.

"Six months later, I signed with another agent from the same agency. At the day of closing, I discovered, my agent had to give this other agent a percentage of the commission."

The other agent was not entitled to a referral fee.
I suspect that a fee was paid out of good will, to keep peace in the office.

Here is a link that might be useful: Procuring Cause

I tried to read the 'legalise' but don't understand it. What I was told, the initial meeting with the first broker constituted a meeting. She did give me her card (which I never looked at.) Because I hired an agent from the same agency, it constituted a referral.

This was not a referral as I never had contact with the original agent from the Open House. I did give her my name and email and she did sent information to me (unwanted).

I met my agent at a different Open House 6 months later and I asked her to come to my house. We signed a contract.

The agency is a big one with international exposure. I don't want to name it but I'm sure you can figure it out. Begins with 'S.'

I still get furious when I think of it. BTW, I still get emails from this first agent. I toss them in spam.

She got the money!

Jane

"I met my agent at a different Open House 6 months later and I asked her to come to my house. We signed a contract."

The other agent did not have a written referral agreement with your agent. A fee should never have been paid. However, office politics can be a game changer, regardless of what's right or wrong.

I'd be furious too, Jane. Heck, I still get mad when my (selling) Realtor volunteered to a potential buyer that we'd fix a spot on our floor. It wasn't expensive but it sure made me mad.

(And I'm not talking about a fake email address, just one reserved for things like this where we can look for messages should we be interested but won't be bothered by them otherwise.)

I try not to have to give a name. I just smile politely and tell them, "I'm just looking." If they are pushy I scribble an unreadable name and put my junk email address.

Sunnyflies, put yourself in the home owner's shoes. Having someone who refuses to give their name go around their home is not a good idea.
I personally would not allow someone who refused to give contact information into an open house. Of course that doesn't stop someone lying, but with luck most people don't feel the need to lie about who they are and what their intentions are.

My tip to lookers is that if you have your own buyer's agent, get a bunch of your agent's business cards and give them to the agent running the open house. If you don't have cards, write your agent's name along with your on on the sign in sheet and give their number.

It is perfectly ok to go as a lookey loo - who knows where 'just looking' could lead! : )

"My tip to lookers is that if you have your own buyer's agent, get a bunch of your agent's business cards and give them to the agent running the open house. If you don't have cards, write your agent's name along with your on on the sign in sheet and give their number."
Excellent advice. That's the way it's supposed to work, it eliminates a host of possible problems.

Im sorry to hear all this. looks like many of you had bad experiences with agents are the open house. however, anyone who comes to my open house needs to sign in. Not because I want their info but to protect the sellers property. When you come to an open house for me your are a stranger you can be a good person or a criminal I don’t know. so having your information in important before you see the house. Unfortunately I have people who did not wanted to sign in and I didn’t allow them to see the house. some of you might say that it is not fair but we sell over 100 homes a year in northern Virginia and many of our leads come from open houses. so at the end of the day we do want to have your info to follow up with you and see if we can earn your business but I’m totally against being pushy though if I feel you are not interested to talk and don’t want my genuine help then I will delete or archive you from my data base. our time is super important in this business and we want to use it to serve and help the peole who chose to work with us.

being aggressive is a good thing when it comes to selling homes however there is a limit to it. those agents that are too aggressive are dying for your business and will do anything to get in front of you which a automatically a tun off. I follow up, follow though, and follow back and if I don’t see any interest I don’t waste my time. again, I’m sorry for the bad experience you guys had I wish I could change it but remember average and low class agents are everywhere.

I don't remember this post. But I can guess based on the timing and all the open houses I have looked at (one) what triggered it.

There was a house in my area with a slightly better location and much larger yard. I went to the open house but the agent had given me the wrong day for it. The homeowner showed me around and said all sorts of things that homeowners aren't supposed to say. Six neighbors accosted my family in the street afterward and told us what a great street it was.

Bet they regret that now... :P

We went to an open house when we were in the market, but not at all interested buying that particular home. I wanted to see it because my parents were the original owners and I lived in it from ages 11 to 16. But no way did just my husband and me need a home big enough for a family if 6 (as when my parents bought it from the builder). And I told the realtor when we walked in;: “Not buyers—I came because I used to live here.“