Do your weekend plans include exploring a new-to-you neighborhood by dining at a restaurant popular with locals, shopping at a store recommended by someone friendly and strolling around a few blocks, just to check out the scene? Sounds like you’re attending an open house.
Real estate agents, who have traversed the ups and downs of open houses as either a marketing opportunity to distinguish a home when shoppers have a large selection or an unnecessary effort during bidding wars, have landed on a welcoming way to make seeing a property for sale feel like a getaway. Roll in a stop at an open house as part of an afternoon of sightseeing the area’s highlights.