Creative Open Houses

I enjoy generating and organizing big events that make a difference. I usually do at least one Open House each weekend in an effort to create exposure for a house I have listed and attract buyers. Frequently, though, these are poorly attended and I am disappointed. Could I combine my goal to market a home with my enjoyment for event planning? I thought of the community open houses, where different real estate brokerages collaborate to hold open the various listings in a neighborhood which can add to the traffic.

The community I wanted to hold open is SeaGrove on Anastasia Island in St. Augustine, FL. It is a unique and beautiful coastal community built by McGarvey Communities initiated in 2004. It has condominiums, single family residences and a Town Center complete with library, post office, specialty stores, and eatery. Built in the primie of the market and because of its unique concept, it was very attractive to investors. For the first couple years, many of the homes sat vacant or were rented out, often to college kids. The 2 builders of "production homes" continued to sell and build on their lots. As they have been nearing their project completion, the prices have become very competitive along with the marketc condiitons. Some of the investors/owners have gone into the foreclosure process. The neighborhood was in need of a "makeover".

My thinking was to showcase the neighborhood by collaborating with all the businesses and other real estate agencies to hold a giant community event on a Saturday, Valentines Day 2009. SeaGrove - A Community with a Heart showcased activities that related to pamper, health, and passion. Several months of planning and preparation created a day of demonstrations - yoga, painting, belly dance, skin analysis. The library held a book store, wine tastings at the wine store, fun run and blood pressure readings tied into the Valentine Day theme. There were also pet adoptions and various other venues. We had a d.j. highlighting the various hourly activities and raffles to donate money to the Boys & Girls Club and a pet rescue outfit, Goliath & Bebe's.

My goal was five hundred people coming into the neighborhood. Altho the day started off with a pouring rain, in the end, the weather turned out well. We raised several hundred dollars for our charities, we had 13 open houses with attendance of more than 40 people signing in at any one of them, and all in all, more than three hundred people attended. Although I did not sell a home that day, I don't know that one of the other brokerages didn't. The result I achieved, was the ability to list a home because of the marketing of the event and that one has already sold!

Now, I am looking for the next idea.....

An Marshall, REALTOR

Prudential Network Realty

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Ranked #1 for Seller Satisfaction, by JD Power & Associates

www.AnMarshallOnTheMove.com
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email:an.marshall@prudentialnetworkrealty.com

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