Weekday Showings Matter More Than Open Houses

Why your busiest open house might not lead to a sale

I want to talk about something I've been noticing with sellers across Ottawa.

A lot of people think a packed open house means their home is about to sell. And I get it, it feels good to see 15 groups walk through on a Sunday afternoon.

But here's what I've learned after selling 20+ homes a year:

Open houses create awareness.
Private showings create offers.

Most people at open houses are neighbours, early-stage buyers, or folks just comparing. They're curious, but not ready to write an offer.

The serious buyers? They book private showings during the week.

They come back after work. They take their time. They ask detailed questions. They picture themselves living there.

That steady flow of weekday showings is one of the strongest signs a home is priced right and presented properly.

In Ottawa, most homes that sell smoothly follow the same pattern: quiet weekends, but consistent weekday traffic.

If the weekdays are dead, a packed open house won't save the listing. Real momentum shows up Monday to Saturday.

What I'm hearing from sellers this week:

"Should we do an open house first weekend?"
Yes. We list it on day one to drive early awareness and create urgency. Sometimes we get offers before the open house even happens.

"How do we know if our price is right?"
Weekday showings tell the story. I track every showing, monitor feedback, and adjust fast if something's off.

"What if we get showings but no offers?"
That's feedback. Usually means the price is close or presentation needs tweaking. I don't guess. I ask buyers' agents directly and we course-correct in real time.

Bottom line:

A busy open house is nice. But if your phone isn't ringing Monday to Saturday with showing requests, something needs to change.

Want To Benefit In This Market?

I’ve got a beautiful track record with buying and selling in all kinds of markets. If you want a clear plan for today’s market, reply to this email to book a no-pressure home sale consultation.

Thank you!

Thank you for reading this week’s edition of my newsletter.

Sincerely,

Cale Botha

Cale’s Recent Awards

Nasby Knuckle Award 2025 - (Massive Door-knocking Achievement)

Top 5 Under 25 Years Old In Canada - EXIT REALTY

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