Open Houses

An "open house" is neither "open" nor a "house". Discuss.

Many buildings require all prespective buyers to be met in the lobby and personally taken to the apartment that is for sale. This prevents those with evil intentions into a building to roam free. Better building have operated service elevators so that your delivery man can not roam the building.
To boot, remember the two women that were attending open houses and stealing from the apartments?

It is an open house BY APPOINTMENT for the reasons above.
Imagine how ez that is to administrate. Another example of the ez life of the broker...damn they have it good.

I sort of agree with falco, but break it down differently.
(1) there is the classic open house where you waltz into a building and continue on your own to see the apartment.
(2) there is the escorted type open house that falco describes where the doorman notifies the agent that someone is in the lobby waiting and the agent then comes to get you to show you the apartment; if there is no doorman you have to call the agent or ring up to the apartment upon arrival so the escort can come get you.
(3) some buildings simply do not permit open houses of this type. they don't let you advertise an open house and technically bar them. These are "by appointment" buildings. I believe 2 Fifth Avenue, or 11 Fifth Avenue and/or the Brevoort East at 20 East 9th Street are such buildings--I don't recall exactly, but some of the "gold coast" coops are like this. To deal with this restriction, viewings are "by appointment". The broker will generally schedule all the appointments on Sunday from 2-4pm so it is like an open house, and an assistant will escort buyers to and from the unit in order to comply with house rules. These are the "open house by appointment" listings that I believe you are asking about. You can always ask for a viewing on a different day and time, but that is the case with any listing.

Good point falcogold1. In the past I have skipped open houses by appointment only because I didn't want to call to set an appointment, I will keep what you said in mind next time I see a open house by appointment only.

Brokers are so hard up these days they will schedule an open house even if the building does not allow it. They just stand in the front .. wait .. hope... if someone shows up, they tell the doorman they have an appointment

@kylewest thanks for breaking it down. I had always thought that broker were lazy when they did open houses by appointment