When an agent takes a listing that is going into the Multiple Listing Service he/she is taking part in a unique cooperative where competitors agree to share inventory and the resulting compensation.  The seller is guaranteed that any buyer working with any licensed subscriber to the MLS will be exposed to the listing.  Listing brokers agree to other types of advertising to attract buyers to the property (i.e. newspaper advertising, internet advertising, real estate magazines, etc.).  In many parts of the country listing agents also agree to make an effort to actively market the property to the other MLS cooperating agents.  One of the most successful ways that listing agents accomplish this is by running broker Open Houses or Caravans.  Good agents will make an effort to attend the open houses run by listing agents to become familiar with the inventory.  They know that buyers have more confidence in agents who have prescreened properties and can therefore do a better job of pre-selecting appropriate properties to show.  Those agents are also better prepared to take a buyer to the property and point out pertinent facts.

Often Broker Open House/Caravan schedules are coordinated by the local multiple listing service.  Identifying areas where open houses are to be run on designated days of the week facilitates productive and successful broker to broker marketing.  Until now Staten Island has not had a coordinated Broker Open House/Caravan program.  The Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Board of Governors feels it is time to change.  They feel that part of providing superior professional service includes having knowledge of properties before taking a buyer to the property.  Obviously this cannot be done in all cases.  Some homeowners will not agree to a broker open house during the week and certainly agents can’t attend all open houses.  But good agents will convince sellers of the value of the caravan and good agents will selectively attend open houses that match the markets they serve.

The Broker Open House program will begin by dividing the island in two.  While the MLS cannot force anyone to schedule according to the recommended plan, compliance with the schedule will facilitate successful open houses.  The plan calls for Broker Open Houses on Tuesday and Thursday each week.  Times have not been established.  The MLS system is being modified to create a Broker Open House posting function that will only allow for Tuesday and Thursday scheduling by specified town.  Likewise, reviewing scheduled Open Houses will also be limited to the designated days.

 The system obviously needs the cooperation of listing agents.  They need to schedule open houses and post them to the MLS system.  Posting is done in the Maintenance Section.  Click Maintenance.  Enter the MLS number.  Click Open House and enter the date, times and any descriptive information desired.  In many cases around the country listing agents entice cooperating agents to attend an open house by including information about refreshments that will be served.  Refreshments are not a requirement, but you are competing with other open houses and agents limited time.

Tuesday Broker Open Houses will be suggested in: Arlington, Arrochar, Bloomfield, Bulls Head, Castleton Corner, Clifton, Clove Lake, Concord, Elm Park, Emerson Hill, Emerson Valley, Fort Wadsworth, Graniteville, Grasmere, Grymes Hill, Lower Todt Hill, Manor Heights, Mariners Harbor, New Brighton, Old Town, Park Hill, Port Richmond, Randall Manor, Rosebank, Royal Oak, Shore Acres, Silver Lake, Snug Harbor, St George, Stapleton Sunnyside, Sunset Hill, Todt Hill, Tompkinsville, Ward Hill, West Brighton, Westerleigh, and Willowbrook.

Thursday Broker Open Houses will be suggested in:  Annadale, Arden Heights, Bay Terrace, Butler Manor, Charleston, Dongan Hills - Above Hylan, Dongan Hills - Below Hylan, Dongan Hills Colony, Eltingville, Grant City, Great Kills, Heartland Village, High Rock, Huguenot, Latourette, Lighthouse Hill, Midland Beach, New Dorp, New Springville, Oakwood, Oakwood/New Dorp Beach, Oakwood/New Dorp Heights, Pleasant Plains, Princes Bay, Richmond Valley, Richmondtown, Rossville S E, Annadale, South Beach, Tottenville, and Travis Woodrow.