Free tool
Open house checklist
A printable list covering the week before, the day itself and the follow-up. Add your name and the address, edit the items, and print or download it. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
Like quick, simple tools? Kadapt turns listing photos into short video reels.
What a good open house checklist covers
Most open houses go wrong in small, avoidable ways: a sign left in the car, a dead phone, a sign-in sheet with no pen. The list above is split into four stages so each job has a time. The week before is about the seller, the listing and the promotion. The day before and the morning of are about the house itself. During the open house you greet, log and stay safe. After it, you follow up while the visit is fresh.
Before the open house
- Agree the date, hours and any access rules with the seller, and put it in writing.
- Post the event on your listing and your channels a few days ahead; a printed poster helps for neighbours and signs.
- Ask the seller to declutter, tidy the garden and arrange for pets and valuables to be out of the way.
- Prepare a sign-in sheet, feature sheets or flyers, and a way to answer price and offer questions.
On the day
- Arrive early, walk every room, turn on lights, open blinds and check for smells and mess.
- Put signs out, charge your phone, and tell someone where you will be and when you expect to finish.
- Greet every visitor, ask them to sign in, and note what they say about the home.
- Keep an eye on exits, valuables and the front door, and do not hold a house open alone if it feels unsafe.
After the open house
- Send a short thank-you to each visitor by the method they gave you, within a day.
- Give the seller a summary: how many came, what they said, and what you would change.
- Post a recap or short video of the home; see how to make an open house reel.
- Store paper sign-in sheets safely, as local rules on visitor details differ.
- Send the follow-up emails and texts from fill-in-the-blank templates.
More free tools: the just listed and just sold maker, the listing QR code generator, the price per square foot calculator, and the rest of the free tools for real estate agents.
Sending feedback requests after showings? Use the showing feedback form.
Handing the seller a prep list first? Try the home staging checklist.
For the posts around the day, see open house captions for the whole timeline.
Common questions
Is the open house checklist really free?
Yes. There is no signup and no watermark. The checklist is built in your browser and you can print it, save it as a PDF through the print dialog, or download it as a PNG image.
Does Kadapt see what I type?
No. Your name, the address and any items you add are used only to draw the checklist on your own screen. Nothing is sent to Kadapt, stored, or used in analytics.
Can I change the items on the list?
Yes. Untick any item you do not need, and add your own lines for each stage in the boxes below the form. Many agents keep a personal version for each brokerage or type of property.
When should I start preparing for an open house?
A week ahead is comfortable: that leaves time to book the date with the seller, order signs, post the event online and ask the seller to deal with clutter and repairs. The list is grouped so you can see what belongs to the week before, the day before, the day itself and the follow-up.
Is this checklist legal or compliance advice?
No. It is a practical memory aid. Rules on advertising, visitor sign-in, consent, safety and what a listing agent must disclose differ by state, country and brokerage, so check your own rules and add anything they require.