An open house is more than just a few hours of showcasing a property—it’s a powerful opportunity to generate leads, build your pipeline, and connect with future buyers and sellers.

But here’s the secret weapon that many agents overlook: the open house sign-in sheet.

Simple? Yes.
Essential? Absolutely.

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about open house sign-in sheets—why they matter, what to include, digital vs. paper options, and how to convert guests into clients.

Why Use an Open House Sign-In Sheet?

If you’re hosting an open house without collecting visitor information, you’re leaving money on the table.

Here’s why a sign-in sheet matters:

1. Lead Capture

Every open house attendee is a potential client. Whether they’re serious buyers, nosy neighbors, or curious lookers—they all have one thing in common: real estate interest.

A sign-in sheet helps you:

• Build your buyer database
• Collect phone numbers and emails
• Track who visited for follow-up
• Identify cash-ready or pre-approved buyers

2. Security & Record Keeping

Knowing who entered the property helps protect your client’s home and belongings. If anything goes wrong, you have a log of attendees.

3. Seller Reporting

After the open house, you can show your seller how many people attended—and follow up with real feedback from those who signed in.

4. Future Listing Opportunities

Neighbors attending open houses often plan to sell in the next 6–12 months. Capturing their contact info gives you a warm future listing lead.

What to Include on Your Open House Sign-In Sheet

The goal is to collect enough information to follow up effectively—without making guests feel like you’re asking too much. Keep it professional and friendly.

Basic Sign-In Sheet Fields:

• Full Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Current Address (optional)
• Are you working with a REALTOR®? (Yes/No)
• Are you pre-approved for a loan? (Yes/No)
• What type of home are you looking for? (Optional)
• How soon are you planning to buy? (Now, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, Just browsing)

Adding these extra fields can help qualify your leads without sounding intrusive.

Paper vs. Digital Sign-In Sheets: Which is Better?

Both formats work—but each has pros and cons.

📋 Paper Sign-In Sheet

Pros:

• Simple and easy to use
• No tech issues or setup required
• Great for quick events or agents with limited tech

Cons:

• Harder to read handwriting
• Easy for guests to skip
• Must manually enter info into CRM later

📱 Digital Sign-In Sheet (iPad or Smartphone)

Pros:

• Cleaner data capture
• Syncs to your CRM automatically (depending on tool)
• Can offer instant property brochures or follow-up emails
• More professional presentation

Cons:

• Requires a device and reliable internet
• Might intimidate tech-shy visitors
• May take longer per sign-in if guests are unfamiliar with typing on tablets



Best Practice:

Have both options ready. Use a paper backup in case of tech issues. Offer the digital version prominently at the entrance.

How to Get Guests to Sign In (Without Feeling Pushy)

The key is your script. Here’s a simple, friendly approach:

“Hi there! Thank you for coming by. Before you tour the home, we just ask all visitors to sign in—just for the seller’s records and your safety. If you’d like info about similar homes, we can send that too!”

You can also incentivize sign-ins with:

• A property brochure (only given after sign-in)
• A homebuyer guide
• A drawing or giveaway (Starbucks gift card, local restaurant, etc.)
• Instant email access to listing details or a private link to a virtual tour

How to Follow Up After the Open House

The sign-in sheet is just the start. What you do next determines whether that contact becomes a client or disappears.

Suggested Follow-Up Schedule:

Day 1 (Same day or next morning):
Send a thank-you email or text. Include:

• A link to the property
• Your contact info
• A CTA to schedule a private showing or get pre-approved

Day 3-5:
Call or text to ask:

• What did they think of the home?
• Are they still actively looking?
• Would they like to receive a list of similar homes?

Week 2:
Send a market update or “Just Listed” property alert for similar homes.

Use a CRM

Store all your open house contacts in a CRM like:

• Follow Up Boss
• REW
• Chime

Tag them with a label like “Open House – [Address]” for segmented campaigns.

Example: How One Agent Turned a $0 Sign-In Sheet into a $12,000 Commission

A VIP Realty agent recently held an open house in Plano. 14 people attended. One guest—a neighbor—left their info and mentioned wanting to “upsize soon.”

Three weeks later, they called the agent, who had been consistently following up via email.

That conversation led to a $675,000 listing, which went under contract within 30 days. On the buy side, the client also bought a $775,000 new construction home.

The result? One open house sign-in sheet = two transactions and over $24,000 in commission.

Should You Use an Open House App?

If you want to go digital, here are some top-rated open house sign-in apps:

• Spacio – Syncs with CRMs, sends automatic follow-ups
• Curb Hero – Free app with customizable branding
• Open Home Pro – Capture leads, add notes, track activity
• kvCORE Open House App – Built for agents using kvCORE

These apps allow you to collect, segment, and follow up automatically—making your job easier and increasing your ROI.

Final Thoughts

An open house is more than just a chance to show off a property—it’s a lead magnet. The key to long-term success isn’t just hosting—it’s capturing and converting.

A simple sign-in sheet can unlock:

• A steady stream of leads
• Future listings
• Warm buyer opportunities
• And most importantly—closed deals

Want More Leads From Your Open Houses?

At VIP Realty, we help agents not only host professional open houses—but also generate digital traffic, create branded sign-in sheets, and build follow-up campaigns that close.

Let us help you maximize every opportunity, online and offline.