My wife bakes toll house cookies before the open house and I give them out. I haven't been offering drinks. Based on how many are eaten, this has been the best that I've tried so far. But my goal is further the sales and prospecting process - not just have food disappear.

I've also used deli trays, bakery cookies, donuts. Nothing seems to be gobbled down with so many smiles as the toll house cookies. - No I don't own stock or have a relationship with food vendors.

What do you think is the best refreshment (food and/or drink) to offer and why? Any effect on sales or conversations with one food over the other?

One thing I like to bring to my open houses is Starbucks coffee. It beats the year-old cheap stuff my Broker provides and I also use the vanilla caramel coffeemate. I think it really compliments the coffee and smells better than candles. A good cup-a-jo is always a conversation starter, especially when it's cold outside.

I was showing a house this weekend and the seller had just baked brownies and left them to cool on the stove. It smelled great when we walked in but my buyers and I were disappointed they didn't leave some little plates and a note for us to help ourselves (we didn't by the way)