Has the increased use of mobile technology and the readily available property information on the web changed the way you approach conducting open houses? Are open houses still beneficial, why or why not?
I put as much effort into an open house as I would regardless of so much available information online. It's one way for me to showcase my seller's home. For some people, seeing a property on the computer is enough. But, there are still those that enjoy going to open houses because it is more personal than just looking at pictures on a screen. While I don't think a majority of houses are sold at an open house, it's something I can do for my sellers to get traffic (in a good way) through the house.
I think open houses are much more productive now that potential buyers can actually search for the price range and type of property they are looking for. Prior to consumers being able to access information, It was very rare that a real potential buyer would happen to drive by and see a sign during the open house and that would be the type of home and price range they were searching for. We actually sell houses now by holding open houses now!