When you hold an open house, do you REQUIRE attendees to fill out a Registration Sign In Sheet (or equivalent?)

Do you use a clip board, or some fancy book, or?

What do you do when they don't put down their phone number, address, or email?

How often do you find the data is phony?

Sometimes I think its almost better to skip that step and then when you do get rapport get the data before they leave...

Thoughts

Absolutely I use one. Gotta have a paper trail that starts someplace in case things "pop-up" along the way and one of the people that came to your open ends up buying that house.

Stuff I ask:
Name
Address
Phone Number
Email
Working w/an agent & who is it

Would they like a free CMA done
Would they like to be refered to a lender
How soon are they planning to buy
Do they need to sell & how soon

I've had a sign in book with me, but not really used it. Once i speak to people and they indicate they are looking for a place and are interested in me showing them around i get them to fill in their details so i can get in touch.

If you force people, they will only put false data if they don't want you to have their details.

I require complete sign-in information. I have a sign that I display at all my open houses. I give away a 4 day 3 night cruise to one lucky open house visitor each year. To be eligible for the giveaway the open house attendee must give their complete name, address, phone and e-mail address. They then get my e-Newsletter and added to my Open House mailing list. Those that are already under contract with another agent just get added to my e-Newsletter. I also make follow-up calls till they have either purchased or till the giveaway date. If any of the information they provide is not accurate they are disqualified from the drawing.

We have a yellow piece of paper that our agents fill out with Name and phone number/address and email if we can. This then gets entered into the data base. very few people give B#*@ S#@* details.

When asking for their details i like to give them a brochure on the property so that I am giving them some thing before they give me something.... it seems to work

I try to get people to sign in and one of the main reasons is to find out if they are working with another Realtor. I have a Villa/Condo project and it creates problems when someone visits the first time without their agent..the paper trail is very necessary in this situation.

Paul,
The trip giveaway is a great idea but in Missouri I believe that we are prohibited from giving away something of such value.

I do the give-away thing too, but on a much smaller scale. I give away a $20 gift certificate for each open house, either to a local restaurant or Wal-Mart. This is something ALL lookers are interested in, and I am sure to mention that they're eligible even if they admit that they were only killing time and curious. I then add them to my regular rotation of contacts. After all, even the "just curious" ones may know someone who needs my help.

I require everyone to sign in at my open houses. I can understand that some people don't want to give out their phone number or e-mail so at minimun I need their name and if they are working with an agent or not. People are usually pretty good and fill everything out though. I do get bogus information sometimes.

I actually kicked a guy out of one of my open houses a few years ago. He refused to sign in or give me even his name. If you can't be bothered to even give me your name I'm not going to waste my time showing you the house.

I am surprised that MO would prohibit a giveaway as there is no purchase necessary to win. Even clients of other agents have the opportunity to win. You should check with your state to make sure. Giving away a cruise sounds expensive but it is actually pretty inexpensive and gets accurate and complete sign-in information from attendees.

I require it. If they don't want to do it, I explain that it is a safety issue. It is required, bottom line.

I take with me: laptop (with internal wireless card - you'd be amazed at how many unsecured wireless internet access points are available in a neighborhood), appointment book and my portable speakers with my iPod to play some easy music. I also take a number of flyers with business cards attached.

I have had great success in making sure that I talk to each person coming in by letting them wander for about three minutes and then getting their name by introducing myself, asking if they currently live in the area. Are they renting? Do they own? Any kids? What's got them out looking today? If I figure out that the house isn't what they're looking for I'll let them know that I can look up some houses right now to help them narrow their driving time today for open houses and even print out some driving directions on my laptop.

Once I do, I'll add their information right on my website since it's my homepage (which e-mails it to me for follow up)and then I access my MLS...It's been really a good move for me because it doesn't feel pressured and more natural for them to give information.

Is it illegal in Missouri to have a drawing in MO or did you just mean one of such value?

In my area, we were having a problem with thefts during open houses. I became mandatory for agents to get information of visitors, or deny them entrance to the home if they refused to sign in. As an agent, you do not want to be responsible for replacing stolen items, and no agent can tail every single visitor to a home. The thieves wait and enter with a group of people.

When requiring "buyers" to sign in at open houses, do you think it is too invasive to ask for drivers license or ID for those general safety purposes? and if they ask why, maybe explain to them its for safety purposes, etc...and ask them, "if I was the agent selling your house, wouldnt you want me to do this with everyone who I was letting into your house?"

Joey, I think this puts the relationship off on a bad note as you are already basically saying "I don't believe you are telling the truth when you sign in". There would need to be a compelling reason that makes sense to visitors to do so and since other agents in the area aren't requiring it, I would think it would decrease the amount of traffic. The sign-in sheet creates a psychological sense of accountability. I ask each visitor to sign in before they look around and we give away a trip to the Bahamas once a year if they put down complete info.

I try to build rapport with visitors AFTER the sign-in and often end up handing them my card and getting more complete info from them (such as their e-mail address) so that I can send them info about new listings that might be of interest to them.

If the house is too large for me to keep track of everyone, I ask my husband to station himself in another part of the house and keep watch.