In a tough market, agents try new novelties to grab attention

In a world of virtual tours, the need for an agent’s or broker’s open house has waned. But with some new twists and a little social media magic, a newer style of event-oriented open house may be on the rise.

In mid-June the Royal Lepage Real Estate Services Heaps Estrin Team Brokerage in Toronto hosted a tour for brokers and agents of more than a dozen properties in Toronto’s upscale Rosedale neighbourhood. Such tours are not unheard of when a brokerage has a lot of inventory, though many on this tour were listed by other brokerages, making for a novel bit of co-operation. But in this case, some of those invited weren’t there because they had buyer clients or specialized in the local market, but because they had a significant social media following that could put eyes on the properties.