What to bring to an open house as a realtor

I would keep the kit simple. If it takes three bags to run the open house, the setup is doing too much.

For most open houses, I want these pieces ready before I leave:

QR sign-in should be the main flow because it creates a clean lead record immediately. Paper is the fallback for visitors who do not want to scan, have a dead phone, or arrive while someone else is using the sign-in table.

The two forms should ask the same short set of questions: name, email, phone, buyer status, agent status, and one note field. One workflow after the event. Not two separate systems.

I would print the actual short URL under the QR code. The FTC warns that QR codes can hide spoofed or harmful links, so a visible URL makes the destination less mysterious.

This is also useful when the camera fails. The visitor can type the URL and still get to the same property-specific form.

NAR's open house guidance treats preparation and safety as part of the event, not as an extra task after marketing is done.

I would arrive early enough to walk the property, know the exits, keep my phone charged, check in with my office or another person, and avoid letting the sign-in workflow distract me from the room.

NAR says someone simply visiting an open house on their own does not need a written buyer agreement just to tour the home. The hosting agent also is not required to enter a written agreement with every visitor just because they attended the open house.

That matters for the sign-in table. The form should capture visitor information and next-step context. Representation paperwork belongs in the brokerage-approved workflow when the relationship moves there.

I would also bring a simple way to capture seller-facing notes after the event. Count visitors, note repeated objections, record pricing comments, and separate buyer interest from neighbor traffic.

Keep the notes about the property and the visit. HUD's Fair Housing Act overview lists protected categories, so feedback and follow-up questions should stay away from protected-trait assumptions.

The kit is not finished until follow-up is ready. Before the open house starts, I want the property address, agent contact details, and default follow-up fields already in the tool.

After the event, paper entries go into the same lead list as QR entries. Then the agent can send the right follow-up based on visitor type instead of writing the same generic thank-you message to everyone.

The product should prepare the kit in one place: printable sign-in sheet, QR sign-in form, property details, and lead export.

The paid version should save the property so the agent can reuse it for the next open house, see all visitors in one list, and turn the notes into a cleaner seller update.