Best Practices and Techniques for Writing a Follow-Up Email After an Open House

Why it’s important to follow up after an open house

Following up after an open house is one of the most important things a real estate agent can do to build relationships and increase their chances of landing a sale. Whether you’re talking to potential buyers or just trying to spread the word about your listing, following up is essential if you want to maximize your success. Remember that 68% of buyers tend to interview only one real estate agent prior to committing. It means that more than half of your clients are ready to make a decision, you just need to maintain the connection and guide them along the way. Moreover, in 2020 open houses were the fourth most popular source when searching for a place to live.

By following up with potential buyers after an open house, agents keep the listing fresh in their clients’ minds and make sure that they have all the information needed to make an informed decision. Furthermore, it’s a great way to show that the agent cares about clients and is willing to go the extra mile for them. It also helps to build trust and loyalty, both of which are essential to establish successful relationships through real estate email marketing. 

Following up after an open house is more than just a courtesy. It’s an important way to stay on top of the competition and increase your chances of landing a sale. 

Open house follow-up scripts for any type of email

An open house follow-up email offers many advantages, such as a foolproof pretext to reignite communication with existing connections or spark new conversations with potential leads. As a real estate agent, there are countless ways you can add value to your attendees’ experience and create meaningful relationships that culminate in sales. Crafting thought-out follow-up emails in addition to a compelling real estate newsletter is a strategy for success. 

To help you get started, here are 10 effective templates. Use them along with our other real estate email templates to successfully convert leads.

Initial follow-up email

Send a personalized email after the open house expressing your appreciation for the client’s attendance. Let them know that you are available to answer any questions, provide additional information about the property, or help with the buying process. Follow up promptly with your leads after the open house and send them an email within 24 hours.

The off-market listings invitation

Let your attendees know that you are aware of several potential listings off the market and invite them for a private tour.

The honest feedback request

Reach out to attendees and thank them for their time. Ask them if they found the house interesting, what they liked about it, and whether there are any necessary improvements for the property.

The coffee proposal email

If you want to foster a closer relationship with potential clients, invite them out for coffee. You could use this time to pick their brains and find out what they’re looking for in a home.

Email when the prospect didn’t like the open house

If a prospect gave negative feedback or didn’t find the property suitable, offer to provide them with other listings that are relevant to their needs.

The open house thank-you card

If you enjoyed the company of your open house guests and are looking for a way to show appreciation, sending a charming handwritten thank-you card can be an effective option. If you don’t have their residence address — no problem! Send it to wherever they work. Here’s an example of what yours could say:

Hot lead open house follow-up email template

Thank the recipient for attending the open house and ask if they have any questions about the property or neighborhood. Highlight some of the positive features of the property, and if possible, offer additional information or resources that may be useful.

The personal connection follow-up email

Real estate agents can send a personalized follow-up email that reflects on the conversation they had with attendees. Mention something memorable from the open house and ask if they’d like to stay in touch.

Expired lead open house follow-up email

Even if a lead was inactive for a while, you can use open house follow-up emails to keep your brand in the back of their minds. Send out an email that informs them about any improvements made to the property.

Value-added follow-up email

Send emails to attendees with additional relevant information and resources they may find useful such as home improvement tips, local amenities, and facilities, or even market trends. Offer to arrange a meeting with a trusted contractor and suggest potential service providers.

4 tips for writing an open house follow-up email

A timely email is a great way to thank guests for attending and remind them of your services or the listing. Here are some tips for writing an effective real estate email template to follow up after an open house:

Be short

To begin with, keep the goal of your email front and center in its subject line, while also making it succinct. For the email itself, If whatever you have to say expands beyond a few words, it’s best to remove any extraneous information. Or consider using an alternate form of communication such as calling instead.

Make sure it’s personal

Crafting a post-open-house follow-up email requires an individual approach. Addressing a customer by name or referencing a specific moment they shared with you can make them feel special, and help personalize your message. Invoke specific details from your conversations, such as prospects’ kids’ names or the features of houses you explored together. This approach allows you to form stronger relationships based on your attentiveness and sincere regard for clients rather than showing you focus solely on closing deals.

Use catchy phrases but avoid spammy words

When writing an open house follow-up email, keep the tone light and friendly. Captivate your audience with a compelling opening line such as “Hope you had a great time!” or “It was good seeing you there!” Such phrases will make your message stand out from all of the other emails that potential buyers may receive. Using phrases such as “Welcome home!” can create a sense of warmth and familiarity. However, these should be balanced with more professional language to avoid giving off a spammy vibe.

At the same time, avoid using “spammy” words such as “amazing” or “fantastic.” These types of words can easily turn off those who read your message as they’re overused and lack  substance. Instead, focus on expressing genuine appreciation and gratitude for having the opportunity to meet and contact potential clients.

Keep it actionable and always include a CTA

Strive to keep the communication going. In your follow-up email, make sure you include what needs to be done and the details of it. This could include information about scheduling a second visit, links to documents, and other materials that can help with the decision process. Make sure you are clear and concise in your instructions so that it is easy for the recipient to understand what needs to be done.

Conclusion

Following up after an open house is a critical part of success for real estate agents. An email is a great way to thank prospects for visiting and remind them of your services or listings. With follow-up emails you can:

1. Develop relationships with potential buyers.
2. Get your listing back on their minds.
3. Demonstrate that you care to help them make the right decision.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing effective open house follow-up email templates: 

• Keep it brief.
• Make sure it is personalized by invoking specifics from conversations.
• Use inviting phrases but avoid sounding spammy.
• Make it actionable by providing clear instructions, always include a call-to-action and your complete contact information at the bottom of each email. 

By doing so, real estate agents can build stronger relationships and encourage potential buyers or sellers to move forward.