A virtual open house lets real estate agents showcase a listing to buyers online. Learn how to host one, save time, and help sellers reach more buyers.
When a listing hits the market, your most motivated buyers may live three states away. Relocating families and out-of-state investors often find the listing online first. Working buyers see it too, but they can't attend weekend showings.
A virtual open house fixes that. It lets real estate agents show a property live to anyone with a link. This guide covers everything you need to know, from picking a format to following up.
The video you present carries the event. Decide how you'll produce it before you set a date.
Turn Listing Media Into Virtual Open House Videos With HeyGen
HeyGen does not host your live session. It also does not build a navigable 3D tour. What it makes is the video around the event, like a promo teaser, a presenter intro, and a recap.
HeyGen's real estate video maker turns a script and listing photos into a video in your likeness. You supply the property details, and it builds the clip. It does not verify facts, pull comps, or connect to your MLS.
Pre-recorded pieces are where this helps most. A polished intro sets the tone before buyers ever join. You can also pull a listing's photos into an image to video workflow and narrate over them. A listing that's new to the market can have a spotlight clip the same afternoon.
What Is a Virtual Open House?
A virtual open house is a scheduled online event. An agent shows a property to remote buyers and answers questions in real time. It can run as a live walkthrough, a screen-shared tour, or recorded video paired with live Q&A.
A self-guided virtual tour is different. Buyers watch it alone, and virtual tours don't answer a buyer's questions live. A private virtual showing serves one buyer at a time.
Consistent video presence is the idea behind HeyGen for real estate. An open house is one recurring piece of that habit.
Reasons to Host a Virtual Open House
Buyers begin their search in a digital world. A virtual open house is a natural way to showcase the home to potential buyers early. It also turns the listing into reusable video content.
The format removes geographical barriers. Prospective buyers can explore properties from anywhere, which opens the listing to relocation traffic. A traditional open house needs a full afternoon on site.
It saves time for everyone. Buyers skip the drive, and sellers face less disruption at home. The format grew during the pandemic and stuck around.
A live session also shows you who is serious. You see who joins, who asks questions, and who wants a private tour. That helps you focus your week on interested buyers.
It gives flexibility for buyers who work during showing hours. A guided session can help buyers find the right home without wasted trips. For a hard-to-show property, it's a great option.
Types of Virtual Open House Formats
The right format depends on the listing and your connection at the property. Four types of virtual open house formats cover most needs. Whether it's live or recorded, tell buyers which format to expect.
Live video walkthroughs work best when buyers want to ask questions. A 3D virtual tour lets them explore the layout alone. Use 360 photos with a live host when the floor plan matters.
3D tours and virtual walkthroughs suit buyers who want to study a home before visiting. Listings with virtual tours give buyers a first look. A full scan needs virtual tour software, but that step is optional for a live event.
Match the format to the listing. A quick recorded tour fits a starter home. A hybrid event suits a higher-value listing where buyers expect more.
For a recorded intro, a presenter-led clip keeps your face on every listing. Avatar V builds a digital twin from one 15-second clip, so the intro reads as you.
How to Host a Virtual Open House Step by Step
A successful virtual open house comes down to preparation. These steps set up the best virtual open house for your next listing.
Step 1: Get Seller Approval and Confirm the Rules
Start with written approval from your seller and brokerage. Advertising rules vary by state, board, and MLS.
Confirm that a live or recorded walkthrough is allowed before you promote a date. Put the recording plan in writing, and note whether the tour stays online afterward. Compliant advertising stays with you, not the software.
Ask the seller to remove personal items and valuables from view. The NAR guide on privacy and safety covers this well.
Step 2: Choose a Platform Like Zoom
Pick a platform on the features that affect the event. Weigh capacity, moderation, recording, captions, and mobile playback.
Platforms like Zoom cap meeting length and attendee counts on free plans. Check Zoom's free plan before you set a start time, since limits change.
Enable a waiting room and mute on entry. That way you control how the session opens.
Step 3: Set Up Good Lighting and Audio
Keep the kit small. Sound matters more than picture, so a clip-on mic is your first upgrade.
- Essential: a charged phone, a stable connection, a clip-on mic
- Optional: a gimbal for stabilization, extra lighting, a second camera operator
Good lighting makes a staged space read well on video. Optimize it with a quick test before you go live. Shoot in landscape for the live tour, and save vertical clips for social later.
Step 4: Promote the Event and Open Registration
Promote through your listing channels, email, and social feeds. A simple registration makes it easy for buyers to join. Reminders let buyers know when to log on.
Send a note the morning of the event, then a last one an hour before. A captioned teaser posted a few days out does the heavy lifting. A subtitle generator makes that clip watchable on muted feeds.
Step 5: Host the Live Walkthrough
Greet attendees and give a short orientation to the home and neighborhood. Use a simple run-of-show template to stay on track.
Open outside for curb appeal, then move through the kitchen, living areas, and primary suite. End in the backyard or a standout feature.
Set buyers to join muted and route questions through chat. Answer interested buyers as you go, ideally with a moderator.
Describe verified features throughout the property. Do not overstate condition or value.
If you're trying to reach overseas buyers, run the recording through the AI video translator for a lip-synced version.
Step 6: Follow Up and Measure Results
Send the recording and resources to attendees within a day. Reach out to registrants who missed it, with their consent. Some buyers may want a private showing.
Recording a video walkthrough gives you an asset to reuse. The recap amplifies reach and keeps every stakeholder informed. Keep both buyers and sellers updated.
If your narration is rough, speech cleanup removes filler words and rebuilds the cuts. Offer a private visit to anyone taking the next step. Measure the event on registrations, attendance, and watch time.
How Buyers Attend a Virtual Open House
Attending is simple, and a little prep helps. A virtual event lets you see the property before you drive across town. Register early so you get the link and reminders.
Watch how rooms connect and note what the photos didn't show. Ask about days on market, recent updates, and what conveys with the sale.
Bring the questions a buyer's agent would ask. Check on repairs, appliance age, parking, and HOA or utility costs. Ask to see anything the camera skipped, like a closet or utility room.
Ask why the seller is moving, then decide on a next step. Treat the walkthrough as a screening step before a private showing.
Virtual Open Houses for Schools and Universities
Admissions teams host virtual open house events too. The framework carries over with a few changes. Plan several sessions across time zones. Separate the path for prospective students from the path for parents, since their questions differ.
Build in captions and mobile testing from the start. Follow up with short clips that answer families' questions.
What to Do Next
Pick one upcoming listing and match it to a format. A recorded walkthrough with live Q&A suits most homes. Confirm seller and brokerage approval, then check your MLS rules against the claims in your script.
Keep fair housing in mind. Describe schools, amenities, and market data, not who a home would suit, in line with the Fair Housing Act.
Open a simple registration and post a captioned teaser a few days out. Prepare a recording plan and a backup connection. Don't let a weak signal derail the event.
Produce the reusable pieces once, host the event, then send the recap to everyone who registered. Put these virtual open house ideas to work a few times. You will build a repeatable way to reach buyers across the real estate market.
FAQs
Is a virtual open house the same as an in-person open house?
No. An in-person open house brings buyers to the property in person. A virtual open house is a live online event with a host who answers questions. You can pair it with a 3D tour or recorded walkthrough. It reaches buyers who can't travel, while an in-person open house suits local, ready-to-visit buyers.
Do I need my seller's permission to host one?
Yes. Get written approval from the seller and your brokerage before you film inside the home. Advertising rules vary by state, board, and MLS, so confirm a virtual open house is allowed under local policy. Compliant advertising is your responsibility, not the platform's.
What virtual tour software do I need?
For a live event, a phone and a video platform are enough. For a self-guided 3D scan, you need virtual tour software and a 360° camera, or a tool like Matterport. Many agents run a live walkthrough first, then add a scan for higher-value listings.
How do I reduce no-shows for a virtual open house?
Use registration so you can send reminders. A confirmation, a morning-of note, and a one-hour warning all help. Keep the promo clear about the date, time, and format. Recording the session also gives no-shows a reason to opt in, since they can watch the replay.
Should I tell viewers a video is AI-generated?
Label AI-assisted or recorded segments. Realtor Craig Veroni marks every Reel as AI and fact-checks each script against local market data. His audience still recognizes him in public. Disclosure protects the trust your recognition depends on.
How long should a virtual open house last?
Many agents run 30 to 45 minutes. That is long enough to tour the key rooms and answer questions. Treat it as a starting point, not a rule, and adjust to the home's size. Repeating a short version once can help late arrivals.
