Do Open Houses Still Matter in Jamaica’s Property Market?

Across the world, real estate agents debate one simple question: are open houses still worth doing?

It’s a fair question. A listing goes live, the signs go up, the social media posts roll out—and then the day arrives. Three hours later, maybe four people walked through the door. One asked a hundred questions but clearly wasn’t ready to buy. Another came because they “were just passing through.” One neighbour wanted to see what the house next door looks like inside. And the last one? Well, they might actually be interested.

That scenario is not uncommon.

In many markets, realtors report that only around 3–5% of homes are actually sold directly because of an open house. Yet the same studies show that about half of buyers attend open houses at some point during their search.

So which is it? Are open houses outdated rituals from a different era—or are they still quietly doing important work behind the scenes?

When we shift this conversation into the Jamaican real estate market, the answer beco…