Chicago Open House...can be windy city blues

This weekend I did an Open House at my new listing 2512 W. Iowa #3. (sorry, but I had to plug my new listing.) I try to do Open Houses every weekend. I find that this is a good way to market my listings and to meet potential buyers. My Open Houses are usually from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. I bring my paper to read if it is slow. I also have my PDA so I can keep in touch with clients. Overall it is a good experience. The only part I dread is the putting up of Open Signs. This part of the day takes a ½ hour at the most, but it can feel like hours. Especially on weekends like this past weekend. I am fortunate enough to be practicing Real Estate in Chicago. The market is strong, and the city is a desirable place to live, but when it gets cold…it gets cold. This weekend was one of those weekends I wish I was at home relaxing on the couch and not having to go outside.

I try to strategically place my Open House signs where I can draw the most traffic to my Open House. So I am usually at a busy corner or intersection. I have to stop my car, turn on my hazard lights, avoid traffic and grab a big metal sign from the back of my truck. These signs are made entirely of metal, and are not very flexible or easy to move. Of course when the wind gets a hold of them, they have no problem flying around. I can have it in my hand one second and the next I am fighting the wind to keep it from blowing out of my hand. By the time I am done putting up the signs I am exhausted and worn out. Three hours later, I am back out there grabbing my signs again. But, the most frustrating thing of all is, I have spent my morning putting up the signs only to come out a find half of them blown over from the wind. Not much you can do, except pick up the sign and hope for better the next time.
Weekends like this past one are not over yet. As Chicagoians we have seen it before and we know it will happen again. I will continue to put out Open House signs that will get blown over in the wind, get tossed in a dumpster by someone who has nothing better to do, and overall test my patience. So if are driving around this winter and happen to see a Realtor putting up an Open House sign. Slow down, give them some space and hope that the wind does not cause them too much trouble.