How to Serve Alcohol Popsicles at an Open House
So you’re planning an open house and come across the idea of providing adult treats for those who attend.
But can you even serve alcohol at a real estate open house?
And what kinds of alcoholic treats are appropriate?
Read on to find out how you can cater your next open house with boozy popsicles!
Can You Serve Alcohol at an Open House in Los Angeles
The short answer is “yes, if…” In order to serve alcohol legally an event where the general public may be present in California, it is necessary to obtain the proper alcohol licenses. Or, you must hire a catering service licensed by the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control.
Your other option is to host an event that is technically closed to the public and put on for a private audience, which allows you to serve alcohol without worrying about potentially breaking a law.
A few other rules for serving alcohol at an open house are as follows:
The alcohol must be free (There can be no exchange of services or money for alcohol provided at an event by a non-licensed company. This is easy, since open houses typically offer freebies anyway!)
The property must be residential (If you are serving alcohol at an open house, it cannot be at a property that is designated for alcohol sales such as a bar or liquor store. Most open houses are held on residential property, so will most likely avoid messing with zoning laws.)
The guest list must be private (You can be exempt from alcohol laws by hosting a private event.)
In order to qualify as a private event… How do you do this? Have a list of guests that was created before the event. A great way to do this is to send out postcards created in a free tool called Canva to your farm in bulk for cheap using Every Door Direct through the United States Postal Service. Include a scan code from QR Code Generator. Have the scan code link to an opt in page from Lead Pages. Send the emails to a list you have created in Constant Contact. And voilà! You have now turned your public invite into a private affair. Additionally, you can also post the link from your Lead Pages opt in to local Facebook groups. ;-)
This also makes the event feel more exclusive, and some clientele will enjoy an intimate atmosphere with more personal attention!)
By hosting a private open house in the Los Angeles area that is invitation-only, you can serve alcohol legally. There are tasteful ways to host such events so that you attract adult clients while also remaining classy. An example of a tasteful open house event that may include alcohol is a twilight open.
What Are Twilight Open Houses?
A twilight open house is a property showing that is held at dusk on weekdays. These are often more exclusive than other open houses and somewhat fancier affairs. This is a great strategy for brokers to employ when trying to attract upscale clientele to an open house. This is also a way that you can serve alcohol legally, and tastefully.
Reasons to Host a Twilight Open House
There are many reasons why a broker may choose to host a twilight open house:
To attract specific clientele (Twilight open houses are a strategic way to attract certain kinds of clientele. First of all, twilight open houses are hosted at a convenient time when those who work 9-5 jobs are available. Also, twilight opens allow you to host a private party with exclusive invites, which is appealing to certain potential clients who may not want to attend an event open to the public.)
To show off a quiet neighborhood (If a neighborhood is particularly quiet and serene at night, staging an open house during sunset and dusk is a great way to highlight those qualities. This gives prospective buyers a chance to see what life would be like at this property, and whether they’d feel at peace here.)
To display the home’s lighting (Another reason to host a twilight open house is to show off a home’s special lighting. Since it will be getting dark around the time you open the doors, this is a chance to feature special lighting such as unique chandeliers or outdoor patios strung with fairy lights.)
To serve alcohol (While this may not be the main driving factor behind a decision to host an open house at twilight, it is certainly a plus. Many clientele, especially upscale Los Angeles homeowners, may look for events like these that are classy and invite-only. This is your chance to throw a cocktail party and potentially make a sale or pick up new clients who don’t already have real estate representation.)
Most importantly, it’s to stand out in a saturated market. You don’t have to take our word for it either. In 2003—almost two decades ago—Seth Godin wrote a whole book about how traditional advertising is far from being the best way to find customers. It may be the familiar, comfortable, supposedly-reliable way to spread the word about what you have to offer, but that doesn’t make it good. Godin’s whole point was that familiar and comfortable = boring, like a brown cow in a pasture full of brown cows. No one notices. It’s tuned out like background noise. If you want your business AND your open house to stand out… host a private twilight open house. ;-)
How to Host a Twilight Open House
Once you’ve decided to host a twilight open house, schedule the event for a weekday evening and then send out private invitations. When choosing the guest list for a twilight open, consider targeting particular clients who have shown interest in such events or send out an email to those who have signed up for news from your business.
Reach out to clients who prefer exclusive parties or who might be interested in the property you are showing, and make sure to mention that those in attendance are specially and personally invited! If you are planning on serving alcohol at the twilight open house, it may make sense to mention specifically that the event is 21+ in the case that someone wants to bring an underage child.
Just like with any other open house, it is important to set up the property to look its best before the main event. This means guiding the homeowners through home improvement projects, staging the home to make it look inviting, stylish, and lightly lived in, and setting up the event to be as enjoyable and unique as possible. Part of this may involve catering the open house to provide a special experience or serve as a conversation starter.
Catering a Twilight Open House
Because you have set up the open house to start at a time when most people are headed home from work, it is appropriate to serve alcoholic beverages or treats.
Catering a twilight open house adds a special touch that will attract potential clients and impress all those in attendance. One option for twilight open house catering is light hors d’oeuvres and wine, or passed appetizers and cocktails.
For an even more fun take on a twilight open house, try serving alcoholic treats such as boozy popsicles.
This adds more fun to the event and makes it intriguing while also serving adult treats in an appropriate and classy way.
Plus, boozy popsicles come in a variety of luxurious flavors that are sure to please even at the most upscale clients in the South Bay Los Angeles area. Boozy popsicles are unique, interesting, fun, and--of course--delicious!
How to Appropriately Serve Alcohol at an Open House
The first rule to serving alcohol tastefully at an open house is to schedule the event for the evening. If you host a midday open house and put out alcoholic beverages, most clients will not partake.
At an exclusive twilight open house, on the other hand, booze is more welcome.
Another important thing to keep in mind about serving alcohol at a real estate open house is not providing too much of it.
If you put out bottles of wine or hard liquor for people to pour themselves, you run the risk of inappropriate behavior.
Instead, serve alcohol tastefully in boozy popsicles, where small amounts of alcohol are pre-portioned out into tasty sweet treats.
This is a more fun option than handing out tickets to impose a drink limit on guests, which can come across as being stingy. Sweet treats with alcohol in them are a subtle and tasteful way to avoid dealing with intoxicated guests.
What are Boozy Popsicles?
Yes, these are as amazing as they sound! Boozy popsicles combine the best elements of your favorite childhood treat with the adult pleasure of tasty cocktails. These popsicles are injected with gentle amounts of liquor combined with sophisticated flavors that are delicious and special.
Some favorite boozy popsicle flavors to feature at your next Twilight Open:
Mojito (A mojito wrapped into the cute, convenient package of an ice pop! Fresh chopped mint, cold pressed lime juice, and Bacardi rum make this adult treat yummy and refreshing.)
Tequila Sunset (Orange and lime juices with blackberry brandy provide a delicious ice pop for adults only.)
Champagne and Strawberries (A classy serving of Moet champagne with fresh strawberries is an unexpected surprise in popsicle form.)
Pina Colada (Beach favorite coconut and pineapple juice mixed with Malibu rum, ideal for twilight open houses on Redondo Beach!)
Peach Bourbon (An indulgent combination of sauteed peaches and Jim Beam for a special treat.)
Boozy Dessert Open House Catering
Whether you lay out boozy popsicles for a Los Angeles open house or rent an alcohol ice cream cart for a Manhattan Beach twilight open, you are sure to win over some potential new clients and provide them with an unexpected experience. These treats are classy, tasty, fun, and the perfect complements to a property showing. Plus, they’re an instant conversation starter when you speak to potential new clients. A win-win for all!
Now that you’ve learned how to safely and tastefully serve alcohol at a real estate open house, get in touch today and start planning your next twilight open that features boozy popsicles!