How an open house differs from an appointment

At an open house, buyers come and go at their pleasure.

They’ll sign their names and contact information on a sheet.  Sometimes, what they write actually is legible and even factual.  Often not.

To the broker holding the open house, that sheet is somewhat less important than the possibility of turning one of those buyers into his or her buyer of either that property or another one.  When the possibility is great, the information is verified and the broker gives chase by phone and e-mail.

(If the broker manages to sell the property to such a buyer, the commission is doubled, and the opportunity to engage in a conflict of interest is created.)

Fair enough.