An open house sign in sheet is a tool used by Realtors for collecting details of the guests visiting an open house. These details can be used to follow up the attendees, nurture relationships, find potential buyers and/or promote your future listings. 

Traditionally, Realtors used paper sheets, but nowadays, you can opt for digital sign in sheets. 

Whatever format you wish to utilize, it’s important to keep your log in sheets easy to fill, less time consuming and should capture vital details of the open house guests. 

We understand as a Realtor you are occupied with other tasks and can’t invest time in peripheral tasks like creating sign in sheets yourself. Hence, we created some beautiful, free sign in sheet templates you can print to use for your next open house and shared some handy tips.

What are the Benefits of an Open House Sign-In Sheet?

  • Collect attendee’s important details like names, phone numbers, and email addresses that you can later use for specialized campaigns like a newsletter
  • These details can be used to track potential buyers and follow-up after the open house.
  • Not all of the attendees will purchase the house (of course!) but you can follow-up with them to promote your future listings

What Should be on an Open House Sign-in Sheet? 

As mentioned already, your open house sign-in sheet should be able to capture key visitor information and yet allow guests to quickly fill it out. 

Here’s what they should include:

A Basic Open House Sign-in Sheet

A basic open house log in sheet collects only the essential data and has a clean layout. 

  • Name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Address (optional)

This is short, easy to fill out and attendees don’t have to wait in queues to fill them. This type of sign-in sheet is perfect if you are expecting a large number of guests. 

You may decide to add 1 or 2 additional questions from the below list but we suggest keeping it short.

 Did you know? You can organize the open house sign-in data by integrating it into a customer relationship management (CRM) platform. Using a CRM can help you manage and nurture your leads, improve follow-ups, and enhance chances of converting visitors.

Detailed Questionnaire Sign-in Sheets

A detailed open house sign-in questionnaire is ideal if you’re looking to gather more in-depth information about potential buyers and sellers. These sign-in sheets collect details beyond basic contact information.

Here are some suggested fields:

  1. Are you working with a real estate agent?
  2. Are you buying, selling, or both?
  3. Where did you hear about this open house?
  4. Are you pre-approved for a mortgage?
  5. What is your homebuying budget?
  6. Are you a first-time homebuyer?
  7. What kind of real estate are you interested in seeing?
    • Single-family homes
    • Bed/bath count
    • Features
    • Condos
    • Bed/bath count
    • Features
    • Lots/land
  8. When are you looking to buy?
  9. What are your current real estate needs?
  10. What is your preferred neighborhood?
  11. How do you prefer to be contacted?
  12. Would you like to receive updates about similar properties in the future?

These questions can give you additional understanding of your visitor’s needs. 

With this detailed information in hand, you can personalize follow-up communications and property suggestions, increasing the likelihood of conversion. 

But remember that not all attendees will appreciate the detailed form. Always gauge the situation and use your templates strategically.

Open House Sign-in Sheets With Feedback

These open house sign-in sheets allow agents to gain valuable feedback by asking specific questions about visitors’ impressions. This method shows your commitment, identifies scopes of improvement and gets actionable insights on the leads’ requirements. 

Here are some example questions for a feedback-focused open house sign-in sheet:

  • Out of 10, how would you rate the overall condition of the property?
  • Did the property meet your expectations based on the listing description?
  • Do you think the property is priced appropriately for its condition?
  • What features of the home did you find most appealing?
  • What features of the home you didn’t like?
  • What other amenities would you like to see on the property?

Analyzing these feedback can uncover potential buyer’s motivations and help you adopt a more appealing strategy.

Here’s a smart tip for longer sign in forms! Print two sign in sheets, one should collect the basic contact information while the other one goes into details. Now, simply pin the two sheets with the basic sign in sheet being the first. This way, an attendee will fill out the basic contact details first and move on to the next form. Even if some guests don’t feel like completing the second, longer form, you will still have their basic contact details for follow ups.

Open House Sign-in Sheets with a Giveaway

Who doesn’t like Giveaways?

Add an extra incentive your open house attendees can win by providing their information. 

Inform them that by filling out the open house log in sheet, they become eligible for the giveaway or raffle. How does this help? 

A giveaway or raffle draws more attention and can drive more engagement while offering a fun element in the overall open house experience.

Here’s how to structure this type of sign-in sheet:

  • Stand up a banner at the front gate to inform attendees about the giveaway
  • Allow visitors to opt-in the giveaway by adding a checkbox in the sign in form
  • Mention the prize, keep it a surprise or include a field where attendees can choose their preferred prize

For the prize, you can choose something useful or valuable yet within your budget. This can include:

  • Gift cards from a local popular bakery, cafe, home depot
  • Home decor items such as scented candles, small potted plants, or picture frames etc.
  • Free tickets to a local event
  • Water bottles, tote bags, coffee cups or notebooks with your logo and contact details

The Case for Using Digital Sign-in Sheets

Digital open house sign-in sheets have become the go-to option in today’s real estate market. These are becoming popular because of their convenience, accuracy, integration with CRM, and automatic data validation.

Many real estate CRM and marketing apps come with inbuilt digital sign in sheets.

Common Open House Sign-in Issues & How to Fix Them

  1. Illegible Handwriting: Some attendees have illegible handwriting and recovering contact details may feel like nightmarish. One solution is to engage attendees in verbal communication as they fill out the sign-in sheet, allowing them to slow down and write clearly. If you can’t read a name, you can clarify it immediately.
  2. Placing the Sign-in Sheet: Place your open house sign-in sheet where it will be noticed most. Avoid putting it in a place where it will be overlooked. It’s best to position it near refreshments, kitchen or well-lit areas where everyone will pass by. Make sure people can sign in comfortably. You can add a “Please Sign In” board above the sign in sheet to attract people’s attention and direct them to the sheet.
  3. Ask If They Have Another Agent: A simple “Are you already working with an agent?” checkbox will help you exclude non-potential leads or take a different approach in line with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) guidelines.
  4. Hosting Too Few Open Houses: Open houses are a great opportunity to showcase your dedication. New agents, in particular, should take advantage of hosting as many open houses as possible, to build relationships and gain exposure.
  5. Follow-Up Strategy: Follow-up is crucial or you will miss out on potential business. Reach out to every attendee through calls, emails, or texts to nurture those leads. Develop a discipline to consistently follow up and build relationships with potential clients.
  6. Print Extra Sign in Sheets: It’s always a good idea to have extra copies on hand for impromptu opportunities and as a backup if your branded materials aren’t available.

Free Open House Sign-In Sheet Templates

We created some simple, free sign in sheet templates that you can download as PDFs and print for your next open house. Download Here

How to Use the Open House Sign-in Sheet? 

Leveraging an open house sign-in sheet online is an excellent way to streamline lead generation and keep organized.

One key factor is to assess whether your visitors are active buyers or current homeowners. Don’t overlook those who seem to be “just browsing”—they may be homeowners considering selling their property.

  • Active Buyers: Follow up with market insights, upcoming listings, and open house events. 
  • Current Homeowners: Stay connected by offering resources like “recently sold” reports, home maintenance tips, and design ideas. Build relationships for future homeselling and referrals.

3 Steps to Get Attendees to Complete Your Open House Sign-in Sheet

Step 1: Ask Them Directly

Greet your guests warmly and ask them to sign in as soon as they enter. If using a digital format, hand them an iPad or QR code for easy access. If it’s a busy event, bring on extra help.

Step 2: Explain the Benefit

Tell attendees how signing in adds value for them. For example, explain that signing in allows you to send them new listings that match their preferences. If they’re just browsing, offer market reports or updates on upcoming open houses.

Step 3: Offer a Freebie

Incentivize signing in for max engagement. Offer rewards like a gift card or raffle entry. Some Realtors even offer snacks and beverages like cookies, muffins, toffees, coffee, juice etc. 

The aim is to leave them with a lasting impression to remember you. Even if they don’t show interest in this open house, they would surely come back for more home recommendations or get a second opinion. 

By keeping it friendly and offering something in return, you’ll see much better participation.

FAQs: Open House Sign-in Sheets

Why should you use a sign-in sheet for an open house?
Open house sign in sheets ensure you have the necessary contact details to follow up with the potential buyers after the event.
It can be useful for sending thank-you notes, invitations to future open houses, and giving attendees a sneak peek of your upcoming listings. Ultimately, sign in sheets help you convert visitors into buyer leads

What to put on an open house sign-in sheet?
We suggest keeping your open house sign-in sheet short and simple. Limit details to basics such as name, phone number and email address. If you’re advertising the open house on different channels, ask how guests learned about the open house.

How do I encourage potential clients to sign in at my open house?
Ask visitors directly, offer refreshments or incentives to encourage signing in. Assure them that their contact info will only be used to share updates about future open houses and listings. Making your guests feel comfortable and valued will prompt them to sign in.

Authored by Arjun