What to Write for an Open House Announcement to Get More People to Show Up
You can host the best open house in your market and have nobody show up, or you can host a mediocre house and have 30 groups come through — the difference is almost entirely the announcement copy and how it's distributed.
Here's what actually drives foot traffic.
Why Most Open House Announcements Fail
The default open house announcement is:
"OPEN HOUSE this Sunday, 1–4pm! Come check out this gorgeous 3BD/2BA home at [address]. $450,000. Hope to see you there!"
This fails for three reasons:
- No reason to show up. What makes this open house worth rearranging Sunday afternoon for?
- No urgency. "Hope to see you there" communicates that it doesn't really matter if you come.
- Posted once, forgotten. One post the day before is not a campaign.
The Psychology of "Worth My Sunday Afternoon"
Buyers and curious neighbors have exactly one question when they see your open house announcement: is this worth my time?
Your announcement needs to answer that question within the first sentence. The answer isn't "because the house exists." The answer is:
- This house is in a price range where things are moving fast and you need to see it before it's gone
- This property has something genuinely unusual that's hard to find in this market
- It's in a neighborhood people have been asking me about for months
- There's a specific buyer problem this house solves better than anything else available right now
Lead with why this house, why this Sunday.
The Announcement Framework That Works
Subject / Opening line: Create FOMO or urgency in one sentence.
"Inventory in Riverside is down 40% from last year. This 4/3 on Oak Street is one of 3 homes in the neighborhood under $500K — open house Sunday, 1–4."
"Buyers have been asking me for a year to find them something in this school district with a big backyard. I found it. Open house this weekend."
"This kitchen will get you. I'm just warning you now. Open house Sunday 1–4 at [address]."
The house (brief): 2–3 sentences about what's genuinely compelling. The feature that will make someone walk in and immediately take a photo.
The logistics: Date, time, address. Clear. Easy to screenshot or save.
The CTA: One action. "RSVP in comments to get the address," "DM me to get on the early entry list," or simply "See you there."
Timing and Platform Strategy
Email to your sphere: Send Thursday or Friday for a weekend open house. Subject line is everything here — "Open house this weekend you shouldn't miss" outperforms "Open house at 123 Oak St" by 3x in open rates.
Social media (Instagram and Facebook): Post twice.
- First post: 3–4 days before, focus on the property's compelling feature, end with "more details coming"
- Second post: morning of the open house, focus on urgency and time
Stories: Post morning-of on Instagram Stories with the address and time. Poll your followers: "Coming to the open house today? 👋"
Nextdoor: Underused by most agents. Post in the neighborhood group with an honest, community-forward tone. "Just listed a beautiful home on Oak Street — open house this Sunday for neighbors and anyone interested in the area." Neighbors come, neighbors talk, neighbors refer.
Text blast to your buyer list: Short, personal. "Hey [name], I know you've been looking in Riverside — I have an open house there this Sunday at 1pm. Worth seeing before it's under contract."
The Early Entry / RSVP Trick
This is one of the most effective open house tactics most agents aren't using.
On your announcement posts, invite people to "RSVP for early entry" or "DM me for an exclusive preview before the public open house." You then do 30 minutes of private showings before the official open house begins.
Why it works:
- It creates a sense of exclusivity and insider access
- The people who RSVP are your most serious buyers — the ones most likely to make offers
- If a serious buyer shows up to an empty house, they have all the time and space to fall in love with it
- If they show up and there are already 10 groups there, that urgency sometimes closes the deal on the spot
Open House Copy by Property Type
First-time buyer range:
"First-timers — this is the move-in-ready starter home I've been waiting to find you. Under $350K, fully updated, 0.3 miles from the best elementary school in the district. Open house Sunday 1–4. Bring your pre-approval. 😊"
Move-up buyer range:
"Space is the thing you keep telling me you need. This 4/3 has it. Three living areas, primary suite on its own floor, and a backyard the kids will spend every afternoon in. $595,000 in [neighborhood]. Open house this Sunday — it's the kind of house that sells at the open house."
Luxury:
"Private open house Saturday, by appointment only. Four bedroom, 4.5 bath estate in [neighborhood]. Wine cellar, pool house, and a kitchen that rivals any restaurant you've been to. Text me for the address."
Following Up After the Open House
Your open house announcement is only half the equation. What you do with the contact information from visitors determines whether the open house was worth the candles and the snacks.
Same-day follow-up text: "Thanks for coming by today! If you have any questions or want a private showing, I'm here. — [Your name]"
That's it. Simple, immediate, not pushy.
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