This has always been a controversial subject. When it comes to marketing a home, holding an open house is usually not on top of the list of marketing techniques for generating buyers for that house. Some Realtors have argued that open houses are very non productive and some buyers do not want the nosy neighbors in their home.

This attitude was somewhat justified when we had a sellers market. After all statistically only about 4% of the buyers come from open houses. When the market is buoyant and lots of buyers are in the market you can ignore the 4% of the potential buyers that are going through open houses. In today's market where there are not many buyers looking, that 4% cannot be ignored.

Since June of 2008 when the market has slowed down at The Vatandoust Team we have stepped up our efforts in conducting open houses. We believe in this market you cannot afford to leave any stones unturned.

-- Masood Vatandoust