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How To Host A Virtual Open House In Today’s Real Estate Market

Virtual open houses give agents another way to showcase listings beyond the traditional Sunday afternoon open house. They can expand your reach, create flexibility for buyers who can’t attend in person and offer sellers a less disruptive way to market their home. When done right, virtual open houses will support your marketing strategy without replacing what already works.

We’ll go over what a virtual open house is, when you should use it in today’s market, what you need to host one and how to run an effective virtual open house. You’ll also see when an in-person open house still makes more sense, so you can choose the right approach for each listing.

What is a virtual open house?

A virtual open house is just another way to walk buyers through a home without everyone showing up in person. Instead of a set window on a Sunday, the showing happens through video. Sometimes it’s live, sometimes it’s recorded. The goal is to show the property in its best light, answer visitor questions, and get a feel for who’s actually interested in purchasing a home.

Most agents handle this in one of two ways. Some go live and walk the home while viewers ask questions as they come up. Others record a walkthrough ahead of time and share it so buyers can watch when it fits their schedule. Both approaches can work. It really comes down to how you want to show the home and who you’re trying to reach.

Are virtual open houses worth it in today’s market?

Virtual open houses really took off during the pandemic, but they didn’t disappear when things reopened. The reason they continue to be so popular is that they solve real problems for both agents and sellers. That doesn’t mean they’re right for every listing, but in the right situation, they can absolutely be beneficial.

Here’s a clear look at the pros and cons so you can decide when they make sense for your listings.

Pros

Reaches a wider audience
More flexibility and privacy for both buyers and sellers
Useful for out-of-town buyers
Builds your digital presence and brand authority

Cons

Lessens the urgency for buyers
Reduces the chances of establishing an emotional connection with potential buyers
Requires the agent to be consistent and diligent with content promotion
Tech issues can derail the experience

What this comes down to is fit. Virtual open houses work well when you’re trying to reach buyers who can’t easily be there in person or when a seller wants less disruption. It also gives you content you can reuse and build on. The tradeoff is that you lose some of the energy and urgency that comes with people physically walking through a home. Used in the right situations, they can add value. Used in the wrong ones, they can feel like extra work with little payoff.

The best real estate virtual tour software for 2026 (+ free options)

What you need to host a virtual open house

You don’t need a full production setup to host a virtual open house, but you do need the basics and know how to use them. A smartphone with a solid camera, reliable internet, good lighting and some form of stabilization will take you a long way. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s steady video, clear audio and a walkthrough that feels easy to follow. A little prep beforehand makes a big difference in how professional the whole thing comes across.

Create your own 360 property tour (Source: Pivo Real Estate)

If you’re flying solo and want to level things up, we have a few great suggestions for tools that can help you make hosting a virtual open house much easier. Pivo is a simple device that attaches right to your phone and follows you around the room like a professional cameraperson. It’s also perfect for making DIY virtual tours and 360 videos without paying a monthly fee like you would with other products.

Visit Pivo Real Estate

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6 steps to hosting a successful virtual open house

The best virtual open houses aren’t complicated. Start with a loose plan so you’re not wandering from room to room, but don’t overthink it. Walk the home the way you would in person, point out what matters and talk like you normally would with a buyer standing next to you. If questions come up, answer them as you go.

Step 1: Start with the right listing and timing

Choosing the right listing for a virtual open house is more about the seller’s needs than the home itself. You want sellers who are comfortable with the idea of a virtual open house and are willing to support it. That said, listings that are priced well or have something visually interesting tend to work best on video. Before you commit, check the internet connection at the property. If the signal is weak, make sure you can access the seller’s WiFi. That’s not something you want to troubleshoot once you’re already live on camera.

Timing matters, too. Weekends still work well, just like a traditional open house, but don’t overlook weeknights. A twilight virtual open house can be a great option, especially if the home has strong lighting, views or features that shine later in the day. The goal is to pick a time that shows the home at its best and makes it easy for buyers to tune in.

Step 2: Choose your virtual platform and delivery method

You’ve got plenty of platform options, but the best one is usually the one where you already have an audience. If you’re going live, platforms like Facebook, Instagram or YouTube tend to work well. Don’t overthink the differences. If most of your followers are on YouTube, use YouTube. If Instagram is where people actually engage with you, go there. You’ll always have a better shot at turnout and live interaction when you show up where your people already are.

If you’d rather record ahead of time, that works too. Pre-recorded walkthroughs are easier to reuse and give you the chance to clean things up with light editing. Record straight from your phone or use a tool like Zoom if you want more control. Either way, test everything before the day of the open house. Check the WiFi, make sure your devices are charged and do a quick run-through in the home so you’re not troubleshooting lighting or connection issues once you’re already trying to host.

Step 3: Prep like it’s an in-person open house

This is the part that makes or breaks the whole event. You can run a great live virtual open house, but if no one knows it’s happening, it won’t matter. As soon as you’ve locked in the date, time and platform, start inviting people. Post about it, share it with your sphere and let other agents know if it makes sense. Don’t wait until the day before. Give people time to plan to show up.

At the same time, prep the home the same way you would for an in-person showing. Clean, declutter, turn on lights and open blinds. The house should feel ready before you ever hit record or go live. When the home looks good and people actually know about the event ahead of time, you set yourself up for a much smoother virtual open house.

Step 4: Plan what you’ll cover during the walk-through

Take a little time to get familiar with the home’s features so you can answer questions without scrambling. Buyers will usually ask about things like the age of the roof and systems, recent updates, utility costs, lot lines, timing and whether there’s an offer deadline. You don’t need to memorize every detail, but you should know where to find the answers.

Plan to arrive earlier than you would for a traditional open house. Giving yourself an extra hour goes a long way. Use that time to turn on lights, open blinds, tidy up anything that was left out and get your tech set up and tested. When you’re not rushing at the last minute, you’ll come across as calmer and more confident once the virtual open house starts.

Step 5: Walk the home logically and naturally

Once you go live, keep it simple. Walk the home the way you would if a buyer were standing next to you and talk through what matters as you go. You don’t need to sound polished or rehearsed. If you stumble over a word or something doesn’t go exactly as planned, it’s not a big deal. Most people relate more to someone who feels real than someone who feels scripted.

Focus on moving through the home in a way that makes sense and answer questions as they come up. The more natural you are, the easier it is for viewers to stay engaged and picture themselves in the space.

Step 6: Share the replay and follow-up afterwards

Once the virtual open house wraps up, don’t let the video just sit there. Share the replay anywhere it makes sense and send it to anyone who showed interest but couldn’t make it live. It gives buyers another chance to look and keeps the listing in front of them without extra effort. Then, follow up with the people who engaged with your live open house. Don’t overcomplicate it. A quick check-in to thank those who attended is enough to see who’s curious, who wants more information and who might be ready to take the next step.

Virtual Property Tour Template (Source: CapCut)

Tools like CapCut make it easy to trim the walkthrough into shorter clips you can share later. Pull out a few highlights, add simple text if you want, use property templates, and post them where your audience already is. It’s an easy way to get more use out of the time you already spent without creating more work for yourself.

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When an in-person open house makes more sense

Most buyers still want to see a home in person if they can. Unfortunately sometimes, there’s just no replacement for walking the space,feeling the layout and noticing the little things that don’t always come through on video. If the home shows well, the market is active or you’re trying to create urgency, an in-person open house usually does the job better.

Virtual open houses come in when timing or distance gets in the way. Out-of-state buyers, packed schedules or a listing that’s moving fast are all situations where a virtual preview can help. It gives buyers a first look and helps them decide whether it’s worth taking the next step. When possible, the in-person showing still closes the gap, but a virtual open house is always a great marketing strategy.

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The full picture: Virtual open house

Virtual open houses are another option you can use when it fits the listing and the situation. They can help you reach more buyers, give sellers a little more flexibility, and create opportunities you might not get otherwise. They’re not better or worse than in-person open houses. They’re just different.

If you’re on the fence, talk to a few agents you trust and see how they’ve used them. You’ll hear what worked, what didn’t, and whether it’s something worth adding to how you already run your business.