Hosting an Open House for Another Agent: A Complete Checklist

Hosting an open house for another agent is one of the best deals in real estate. The listing agent gets their open house covered, and you get paid time in a home full of buyers. It only works if a few things are settled up front, though. Here's the checklist.

Before you agree to host

Confirm the permissions.

• The sellers know someone other than the listing agent will be hosting, and are good with it.
• Your managing broker has a heads-up that you're hosting.
• You know how you'll be paid. See Can you pay another agent to show a property?

Agree on leads in writing. This causes more friction than anything else. Decide before the weekend:

• Can you keep buyers who don't have an agent?
• What happens to buyers who want to make an offer on this house?
• Do you hand over the sign-in sheet, keep it, or share it?

A two-line text confirming the answers is far better than a handshake.

Agree on money and timing. The amount, when it's paid, and what happens if the open house is cancelled at the last minute.

What to get from the listing agent

• Address, open house hours, and whether you can set up early
• Access: lockbox code or key handoff, alarm code, gate code
• Seller instructions: lights, thermostat, pets, rooms that are off-limits, shoes off or not
• Signage: where the signs are and who places and picks them up
• The listing sheet, disclosures, HOA documents and any recent updates (new roof, price change)
• Price history and how flexible the sellers are, only if the listing agent wants you to know. If they don't tell you, don't guess in front of buyers.
• How they want inquiries about offers handled
• Their phone number, and whether they're reachable during the open house

Bring with you

• Sign-in sheet or digital sign-in (and a plan for how you'll share it)
• Printed listing sheets and your business cards
• Water, phone charger, and a small notebook for buyer questions
• Booties or a shoe tray if the sellers want them
• A safety plan: someone who knows where you are and when you'll check in

During the open house

• Walk the whole house before the first visitor arrives. Know where the electrical panel, water heater and laundry are, and note anything broken.
• Greet everyone and get them signed in. Ask whether they're working with an agent.
• Answer what you know, write down what you don't, and promise a follow-up from the listing agent.
• Don't discuss the sellers' motivation, timeline or bottom line.
• Don't leave visitors alone in the house, and lock up anything valuable you notice left out.
• Stay in your role. If a buyer wants to write an offer, follow the plan you agreed on with the listing agent.

After the open house

• Lock up, restore lights and thermostat, and check every door.
• Send the listing agent a summary the same day: how many groups came, notable feedback, likely buyers, and the questions you couldn't answer.
• Share the sign-in information as agreed.
• Follow up with your own leads, within whatever you agreed on.

A fast, specific recap is what turns one open house into a standing relationship with that listing agent.

Finding open houses to host

Ask the busy listing agents in your office first. You can also use a coverage marketplace. On Shō, listing agents post open houses with the time, details and compensation, and licensed local agents accept them. Payment is held until the open house is confirmed complete.

Frequently asked questions

Can I hold an open house for an agent from another brokerage?

Yes, this is common. Make sure the listing agent and the sellers are on board, and give your managing broker a heads-up.

Who gets the leads from an open house I host for someone else?

Whoever you agreed would get them. There's no universal rule, which is why the arrangement should be in writing before the open house. A common approach is that the host keeps buyers without agents, while anything related to the listing goes to the listing agent.

How much do agents get paid to host an open house?

It varies by market, length and how much notice is given. Some agents host for free in exchange for the leads, and others charge a flat fee. On Shō, the listing agent sets the amount and you see it before accepting.