open house etiquette

You can say you are just looking.

I used to feel guilty at open houses with no interest in buying until I spoke to a friend/broker. She said 50% of visitors to open houses NEVER have any intention of buying. She said brokers know this and just record all names/comments to show their client that they did their job. Go out to as many as you want and have a clear conscience. Actually you are smart to do all this prep work before engaging an actual broker in January-good for you!

Absolutely, tell them the truth. Nothing wrong with looking. I am a broker and don't mind at all when people are just looking.Actually what you are doing is very smart--good luck!

nah... i would say, i like the place... let me see a few more places. or just be honest and say, "YUCK! why in the world would i buy this junk!" and bye

I'd suggest tipping the broker 10-20 dollars since you are essentially wasting their time.

what! hell no! why should i tip the broker? he's already going to earn 3-6% commission for selling the place!

I am guessing #6 was a joke. Again, I am a broker and I don't see it as a waste of time since I am there at the open house anyway. And I value the feedback of anyone who comes through, whether or not they are serious buyers. Wasting time is when people actually make private appointments with me to show the properties when they have no intention of buyin anything. Open houses are perfect opportunity for people to just check things out.

I would be honest and tell them you are just trying to learn the market.
Why lie and give the broker the idea that you may be a buyer, they may think you could use their help and that would be a waste of their time. No harm in going to open houses this is a smart way to see what your money will buy.

i take dates to open houses, it gives them the idea i am the settling down type and have lots of money, we usually end where i want them..i'm broke btw and have no job, but i can look rich and usually pass lol, oh well
at least i have the internet

lol

I actually caught someone stealing medicine from a medicine cabinet at an open house!

was it aspirin for migraines just looking at the place or antidepressants cuz it was too expensive of a closet to own?

my gosh - the last few posts make me wary about having an open house at my place if I ever sell!! As for #13's experience, that may go over well if you're selling to a certain demographic (hee hee).

As to the OP's comment, be honest if you're just starting to look. But if you see a place your really like, try to keep a poker face because if you show how much you loooove the place a ton and then make a bid, it could work against you because the seller would try to bid you up further.

I was admiring a walk-in closet once & there was somebody's passport! I'm honest but not everyone is. A good lesson for the sellers & realtors!! I remember a fellow I worked with years ago in San Francisco & he put some locks on an inside closet & would put all his valuables in there when he went away for the weekend. etc. I always thought that was a great idea.

I remember going to an open house where I spotted a small and expensive-looking digital camera perched on the ledge of a walk in closet. When I warned the broker, he made me walk back to the closet and show him. He was horrified and immediately put the camera away in a drawer. He said that people are careless like that all the time. Unbelievable.

I sold a property a few years ago where I had to spend a good 30 minutes ahead of time carefully putting away all the jewelry, money, watches, etc that my clients would leave out. Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention the mirror with cocaine dusted gold spoon on the side of the master bath?

When I sold my place I SPECIFICALLY told my moron broker to watch every one of these son of a bitches like a hawk because I KNEW that some people go to open houses specifically to rob the place. Needless to say, the guy was a complete idiot and my words went through one ear and out the other. I know because I I videotaped the open house.

I love the bid low guy and his single-handed crusade to stabilize New York City real estate prices.

Guy probably found an apartment, loved it, submitted a bid and was heart broken to find out he was outbid. And now to right a wrong he is posting on every real estate board.

Ten years from now someone will be riding the subway and see a disheveled homeless person muttering semi-incoherently, "Bid low...bid low".

Priceless.

Brokers should appreciate honesty if you say you are "just looking" and should not mind your presences, since a good turnout, as one poster stated, demonstrates to the seller that the broker has done his/her job well, and also, will show enthusiasm for the place to others attending the open house that have interest, thus making the serious buyers more enthusiastic and eager to pursue an offer.

By the way, "bid low," go ahead and bid low, but you get what you pay for, so if your low bid is accepted, you should wonder why.

IMHO, just BID LOW and watch them cave in... BID LOW and you, the buyer, will be better off. if you don't BID LOW, you are just making someone else richer and yourself poorer. sellers must hate this truth. BID LOW!

Who the hell is bidding high anyway????? This poster is a complete moron!

#11, thank you for the revelation. until I read your post, I had been bidding 20% ABOVE asking. now I know to bid lower. Thanks, man. really appreciate the hot tip.

ooops, i meant #28.