Although it’s been popular for some time in the US, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, open house property marketing, where all viewings by potential purchasers are conducted on the same day within a limited timeframe, has only been around in the UK for a few years.

The reason behind this difference in approach lies in the fact that in these other countries, people often sell their houses themselves, whereas in Britain, it is much more usual to use an agent, who will conduct tailored viewings until a suitable purchaser is found.

But that need not be an obstacle to throwing your doors open to all interested parties, because agents are increasingly making use of this more relaxed way of property selling.

In particular, it has the advantages of speed and efficiency.

Although, having said that, it is not a method suitable for all properties or all vendors and, therefore, is unlikely to become the norm in the UK.

Open house selling is a bit like a halfway house between private treaty — the usual way of selling a property — and an auction, and has features of both.

It starts in the usual way with the agent taking the details of the property, measuring up, acquiring the Home Information Pack and so on.

But instead of placing the house on the market immediately and inviting individual viewings, a specific date is set approximately three weeks later, when anyone who wishes to can go along to have a look round within a set period of time.

Each agent has their own preferred way of holding an open house.

Some open the house for an hour or so, while others might conduct a session over a whole morning or afternoon.

Some agents like viewers to make an appointment, while others expect people to simply turn up.

At the end of the open house, anyone viewing the property is given 48 hours to think things over after which they are invited to put in bids or offers.

Unlike an auction, any ‘winning bid’ is not legally binding, as no contracts are exchanged, and the successful bidder may not always be the one offering the highest price

Rather, bidders will be selected on the grounds of their ability to proceed — for example, whether or not they have already sold their own home.

Ian White of Romans said that each of his company’s offices holds one or two open houses a week, and they are proving to be successful and popular.

“They’re good for vendors who don’t want lots of people coming round over a long period of time, for example if they’re busy professionals or have small children,” he said.

“At the moment, we are seeing a 70% success rate, which is higher than that for private treaty.”

Paul Phelan of McCarthy Holden believes that the level of success comes in choosing the correct type of property for an open house.

“It tends to work well on houses that are individual, so it might not be so suitable for a house on an estate full of identical houses,” he said.

“It also works well for vacant properties such as those forming part of a probate estate, and those which need some modernisation.

“As long as you select the right kind of properties, open house is very successful. It sells houses quickly, at a good price.

"It is something that is becoming more popular and we sometimes find that people who have bought using this system go on to use it again when they come to sell.”

Mr White agrees that it is not a method for all houses coming to market.

“Open house works best for properties which are either run-down or immaculate, or for those unique houses which people are likely to fall in love with,” he said.

“Once we’ve identified a suitable property, the vendors can then leave it all to us. On the day, it’s best if they go out and allow us to do the job, as we’re the experts.

“We will have several agents on hand at the open house to answer questions, and we might show people round in groups or individually, depending on numbers. We also give each viewer an information sheet and all the usual house details.”

But it’s one thing having a suitable property and entirely another achieving those all-important viewings and this is where an agent will be invaluable.

First and foremost, the guide price must be set correctly to entice potential purchasers through the door, which is a matter best left to those with experience.

Mr Phelan continued: “We start by setting a realistic guide price, but offers are usually above this. The highest we have achieved was 15% over the guide price.

“It’s worth pointing out, though, that there is no obligation on the vendor’s part to accept any of them.

“However, an open house often results in good offers because purchasers physically see there is some competition for the property which, of course, you don’t get with private treaty. It makes them appreciate the property’s saleability.”

Next, targeting the right viewing audience with appro-priate marketing is vital if serious potential purchasers are going to be found.

Mr White said: “Before the open house, we will contact any suitable purchasers registered with us, while the remaining viewings come from our marketing efforts before the day.

“Numbers attending an open house do vary. We can get anything from half a dozen to 100 people or more.

“Viewers are asked to put in an expression of interest a couple of days after the open house and then we sit down with the vendor and go through them, after which the successful would-be purchaser is notified.

“For the right house and the right vendor, open house is a quick and efficient way to sell and it is also a transparent method, because it removes doubt about what a house is worth.
"In addition, you often get more than one suitable purchaser so you get a fallback if the first purchaser fails for some reason.”

Although responsibility for the selection of the right kind of property, the setting of an enticing guide price and the most effective method of marketing lies largely with the agent, the vendor also has a part to play in preparing for a successful open day because the house itself must be presented correctly.

This means having a really good tidy up inside and out and getting rid of clutter as far as possible — not forgetting clearing out those fit-to-burst cupboards — first, to give a feeling of space and, second, to make the house safe for people to walk in without tripping over items left lying around.

And of course, with open house, the benefit is that this only has to be done once.

If the house is furnished, then anything of value should be hidden away and personal possessions, such as photos, removed, as these can be distracting.

The property should also be spotlessly clean, particularly in the bathrooms and kitchen.

Finally, if parking is likely to be an issue, neighbours should be informed of the open house to avoid any ill feeling or, in some cases, actually facilitate parking arrangements.

Mr White said: “We always inform neighbours of an open house because there is likely to be increased traffic and extra demand for parking. In fact, we often find the neighbours like to take a look at the house too.”

Although agents might sing the praises of holding an open house, what is the verdict of vendors?

One Fleet couple who recently sold their house through Romans using the open house method found it to be time-saving and convenient.

“With teenagers to tidy up after, and a husband who works shift patterns, having the definite day and time of an open house was so much easier to plan for,” they said.

“If we had had the 15 viewings on different days, it would have been very difficult, as well as hard work and inconvenient.

"It also allowed us to present our home at its very best, which is not always possible with separate viewings.

“In the event, we had multiple offers, achieved in excess of the asking price and sold quickly.”

So that would be a thumbs up, then.