Since the Super Bowl is behind us (Congrats Saints!) I found myself with little to do today. Sure, I did the obligatory lovey-dovey stuff and spent some time with my favorite 3 year-old valentine, but after that it was all business.
So I got in the car and went to visit a few open houses. Not because I wanted to check up on anyone, rather, because I wanted to see the preparations agents are making, the way they are received by the public and the way the market is reacting to the weather, the tax advantages and everything else.
Let me tell you how pleased I am with what I saw. The first place I went was just listed this week. Even with a blizzard and a bevy of other issues this house was ready to rock! Check out how the agent even made sure the sign got dug out of the snow and the open house rider was there for all to see! I was so impressed. When I went inside, the agent (who was covering for the listing agent) told me how great things were going and showed me a list a page-and-a-half long of people who had stopped by in the first hour. Just then a new couple walked in; they had already been there once but wanted to look around again. Right in front of us they looked out the window, talked to each other, and then asked a question about the property line. This agent, who had probably never even stepped in the house before today, rattled off the lot dimensions, looked out the window with them and in his best "With all that snow it's not the perfect guess, but...." sounded like he had lived there forever.
The second house I went to was equally well prepared - the signs were out, the balloons were flying and the driveway was nice and clear. Unfortunately, the results were not quite as spectacular (I was the second guest) even though the price of the house was almost $100K less than the one I had just come from.
Just because the traffic was slower doesn't mean I was disappointed. When I was there the agent was talking with the other visitor, explaining in great details the nuances of the tax credit and making sure this prospect felt comfortable with the buying process. She also had her laptop set up (with the cellular wireless card plugged in) and was ready to ride out the time even if the buyers weren't coming.
All-in-all, I am thrilled with my afternoon but also saw areas where we can improve. I hope to continue making these visits during the spring and summer, so don't be surprised if I wander in some Sunday!
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