Soon after you list your home you should schedule an open house. Your open house will attract “warm leads”—people who have some attraction to your property but not enough immediate interest to schedule a private viewing.

Your open house dates and times should be listed in the MLS database at least four days before the event and advertised in a yard sign on the day of open house.

To get ready for your open house, you should prepare your home the way you would for a private showing.

Keep in mind that there are a few important differences:

An open house isn't secure. Open houses are, by definition, open to the public. Be sure to lock away all your valuables. Also, ask a friend to be your open house assistant. That way they can help make sure you and your belongings stay safe.

An open house attracts "lookers." Expect some of your open house guests to be casually curious lookers, rather than potential buyers. Even so, you should give your contact information to every guest and encourage them to schedule a private viewing if they're interested.

Open house attendees forget about their agents. Sometimes buyers who have agents will attend open houses alone. If an open house attendee wants to talk about making an offer, ask them if they have an agent.  If they do, it's likely that the buyer is legally required to include their agent in the offer process.  Thwart future problems by immediately telephoning the agent.

Ask attendees to sign in, and then call them for feedback. Ask everyone attending your open house to sign in with a name and phone number.  At the end of the day, call all the attendees and make a "soft sell" by asking if they have any questions and soliciting their feedback on the home and how it is listed, including the pricing.