Open Home Follow-Up: How to Turn Sign-Ins Into Buyers and Vendors

A Saturday open home in Australia is a 30-minute sprint. Twelve groups walk through, three ask about strata levies, one couple measures the second bedroom, and a neighbour wanders in to see what the kitchen renovation cost. By 11:45 you're locking up and driving to the next open. The sign-in sheet goes on the passenger seat, and by Tuesday half of those names are cold. Better opens won't fix that. A tighter 48 hours of open home follow up will. This is a playbook for those 48 hours: what to send on Saturday, who to call first on Monday, and how to spot the attendee who is quietly your next vendor.

What you actually walk away with on Saturday

At the end of an open you have two sets of data. The first is the sign-in: names, mobiles and emails, either on a paper sheet or through a QR code or digital check-in on a tablet at the door. The second is in your head: who lingered, who asked about the building and pest report, who mentioned they'd "have to sell ours first".

The second set is worth more and disappears faster. Before you leave the property, spend three minutes tagging every name on the list. A digital check-in makes this easier because you can add notes against each record while you still remember faces. With a paper sheet, photograph it and voice-note your impressions in the car before the next open.

If you skip this step, Monday's follow-up becomes a generic "thanks for coming" to everyone, which is exactly what every other agent sends.

Getting the sign-in wording right

Before you collect a single mobile number, the sign-in should tell people what you'll do with it. Australian Privacy Principle 5 sets out what an organisation should tell people when it collects their personal information, including who is collecting it, why, and who it might be shared with. A short, plain statement covers most of that.

Separately, marketing SMS and email need consent under the Spam Act 2003, and an attendee asking about this property hasn't necessarily agreed to your weekly listings alerts, so ask.

Example wording for a sign-in sheet or digital check-in:

"Harbour Realty collects your details so we can follow up with you about this property. We won't sell your information. Tick the box if you'd also like to receive updates on similar properties and market news from us. You can opt out at any time."

[ ] Yes, send me similar listings and market updates

Keep the consent tick separate from the sign-in itself so it's a genuine choice. Then tag consent in your CRM, because it decides which follow-up each person can receive later. For the full rules, see SMS marketing laws for real estate in 2026.

Sort every attendee into one of three groups

Most open home attendees fit one of three types. Sorting them on the day is the single biggest improvement you can make to your follow-up.

Serious buyers. They asked about price guide, contract, building and pest, or settlement terms. They may have come back for a second look. They want information quickly, and they're also looking at three other properties this weekend.

Neighbours. They live in the street or nearby, and they came to see what the property looks like inside and what it might sell for. They're rarely buyers. They are often future vendors, and the result of this campaign is the most interesting thing you can tell them.

"Need to sell first" buyers. They like the property but own somewhere already, and they can't commit until they know what theirs is worth or have it under contract. Many agents treat this as an objection. It's actually a listing conversation that has walked through your front door.

Anyone who doesn't fit gets a light, polite follow-up and joins the general buyer list if they consented.

Open home follow up SMS templates for each group

Send these on Saturday afternoon, ideally within two or three hours of the open. Speed matters because serious buyers are comparing properties over the weekend, and the first agent to send useful information sets the tone. The same logic is behind the four-hour follow-up window.

Serious buyer

Hi Sam, Lisa from Harbour Realty. Thanks for coming through 22 Banksia St today. As promised, here's the contract and the building and pest report: [link]. Happy to answer any questions or arrange a second inspection this week. Reply STOP to opt out.

Neighbour

Hi Helen, Lisa from Harbour Realty. Lovely to meet you at number 22 today. Plenty of interest so far, and I'll let you know how it goes. If you're ever curious what your place would be worth in this market, I'm happy to give you an idea. Reply STOP to opt out.

Need to sell first

Hi Raj, Lisa from Harbour Realty. Thanks for coming through 22 Banksia St. You mentioned you'd need to sell your place in Carlingford first. If it helps, I can give you a realistic price range for yours this week so you know where you stand. No obligation. Reply STOP to opt out.

Every message names the agent and agency, references something specific, offers one clear next step and includes an opt-out. The neighbour and "need to sell first" messages promote your own services, so send them only to people who ticked the consent box.

Monday call priorities

Sunday marketing calls aren't permitted under the telemarketing calling hours, so Monday morning is when the calls happen. Work the list in this order:

1. Serious buyers who replied to Saturday's SMS. They're engaged and expecting to hear from you. Confirm interest, answer questions, gauge their price expectations and book a second inspection.
2. "Need to sell first" attendees. Book an appraisal of their property this week. This is the highest-value call on the list, even though it's not about the property you're selling.
3. Serious buyers who didn't reply. One call, one voicemail, then a short follow-up SMS.
4. Neighbours. A brief, friendly call later in the week, or simply save them for the campaign result.
5. Everyone else. A consented listings alert, or nothing.

Your vendor will also want a Monday report: attendance numbers, the feedback themes and who's likely to make an offer. Tagging on Saturday makes that report take ten minutes instead of an hour.

Working the hidden vendor

The "need to sell first" buyer deserves special attention because they bring two transactions with them. Here's an illustrative example. Raj and his partner like 22 Banksia St, which has a price guide of $1,350,000. They own a townhouse in Carlingford they think is worth about $950,000 and have a loan of $500,000 on it. They don't know if the numbers work, so they wait, and while they wait, someone else buys Banksia St.

If you appraise the townhouse on Wednesday and it comes back at $900,000 to $950,000, Raj now knows he has roughly $400,000 to $450,000 in equity before selling costs, a real number to take to their broker. Whatever they decide, you've given them the information they needed to act, and if they list, they're likely to list with you. That's how open homes become a source of vendor leads, not just buyer leads. We go deeper into this in real estate vendor lead generation.

A Monday call script:

"Hi Raj, Lisa from Harbour Realty. You mentioned on Saturday you'd need to sell the townhouse before buying. I've got a gap on Wednesday afternoon. If I come and have a look, I can give you a realistic range, and you'll know whether Banksia Street is within reach. Would that help?"

After the first 48 hours

The two days after an open home do most of the work, but the list stays valuable. Serious buyers who miss out on this property are your best prospects for the next listing in the same price range. Neighbours should hear the result when the property sells, because it's the most relevant update you'll ever send them. And "need to sell first" attendees who weren't ready yet belong on a 30 to 60 day check-in, since their circumstances change quickly once they start looking. For the broader buyer workflow, see real estate buyer enquiry management.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly should I follow up after an open home?

Send an SMS the same day, ideally within a few hours, and make your calls on Monday morning. Serious buyers are comparing properties all weekend, so the agent who sends the contract and answers questions first usually gets the conversation.

Can I add open home attendees to my marketing list?

Only if they've agreed to it. Enquiring about one property doesn't amount to signing up for your listings alerts. A separate opt-in tick box on the sign-in sheet or digital check-in is the cleanest way to get that consent, and it gives you a record if anyone asks later.

Are QR code check-ins better than paper sign-in sheets?

Usually, yes. Digital check-ins give you legible details, timestamps and a place to add notes while you remember each attendee. Keep a paper backup for people who prefer it, and make sure the privacy wording appears on both.

What should I say to a neighbour who comes to an open home?

Be friendly and don't pitch. Thank them, tell them you'll let them know how the campaign goes, and follow through when it sells. The result is the most useful update you can give a nearby owner, and it often starts an appraisal conversation.

A 30-minute open home produces one of the best lists an agency will see all week, but only if someone works it before Monday afternoon. Tools like Voqo can send the same-day SMS, answer the first round of buyer questions and book second inspections, so the calls you make on Monday are the ones that lead to offers and appraisals.