Conducting Open Houses and Developing a Safety Plan
Open houses have been a standard practice in seller representation for decades, but they're not always a smashing success. By carefully selecting which listings are suitable for an open house, then preparing the sellers for the event, you're far more likely to have a productive open house.
During an open house, you're responsible for the security of the seller’s property, as well as the safety of the visitors and yourself. But open houses aren't the only safety risk real estate professionals face. Due to the nature of the business, licensees face more risks than the average professional. With a few strategies, common sense, and intuition, you can protect yourself, your family, and your business.
This two-hour course walks you through the steps involved in planning for and hosting a successful open house, including safety aspects to consider. We also look at safety concerns for real estate professionals.
Course highlights include:
- Evaluating when to choose an open house and when to choose a virtual tour instead
- Preparing properties and sellers for an open house
- Establishing guidelines for a successful and safe open house
- Developing an overall safety plan that includes marketing materials, client relationships, and home and office settings
- Protecting your personal safety through your everyday actions
- Activities and scenarios to reinforce key concepts
State Requirements For Virginia
Virginia State Requirement Details for Real Estate Salesperson Continuing Education
Renewal Date: License expires every two years on the last day of the initial license month. Renew no earlier than 60 days prior to license expiration.
Hours Required by the State if License Expires Before June 30, 2026: 16 hours
- 8 hours of mandatory course topics
- 3 hours in Ethics & Standards of Conduct
- 2 hours in Fair Housing
- 1 hours in Legal Updates and Emerging Trends
- 1 hours in Real Estate Agency
- 1 hours in Real Estate Contracts
- 8 hours of elective course topics or mandatory course topics
Hours Required by the State if License Expires On or After June 30, 2026: 16 hours
- 11 hours of mandatory course topics
- 3 hours in Ethics & Standards of Conduct
- 2 hours in Fair Housing
- 2 hours in Legal Updates and Emerging Trends
- 2 hours in Real Estate Agency
- 2 hours in Real Estate Contracts
- 5 hours of elective course topics or mandatory course topics
Note: These Continuing Education requirements also apply to inactive experienced salespersons who apply to activate their licenses. No Continuing Education is required of new salespersons in their first two-year license term. However, some new salesperson licensees—upon completion of their 30-hour Post-License Education requirement—may choose to begin taking Continuing Education courses in the six months just prior to renewing their license for the first time. If a new salesperson completes Continuing Education courses in those last six months of the first licensure period, those hours may carry over to the 16-hours required of them during their second two-year licensure term pursuant to 18 VAC 135-20-101.
Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Real Estate Board
Street Address: 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, Virginia 23233-1485
Mailing Address: 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, Virginia 23233-1485
Telephone: (804) 367-8526
Email: reboard@dpor.virginia.gov