Open House Flags and Signs That Actually Bring People In

The best open house flags are 10.5 to 14 ft double-sided feather or teardrop flags that say “Open House” in big letters. They have one job: get drivers to notice, slow down and turn. A tall flag at the curb moves and catches the eye in a way a flat yard sign can’t, and a few directional signs guide visitors from the main road to the front door. Here’s how to choose open house flags and signs, what to print on them, where to place them, and what to check before anything goes in the ground.

Why flags work for open houses

A yard sign is easy to miss from a moving car, especially on a street lined with parked cars, hedges and mailboxes. Flags add two things signs don’t have:

• Height. A 10.5 to 14 ft flag stands well above cars and landscaping.
• Motion. Feather flags move in light wind, and movement is what pulls a driver’s eyes off the road ahead.

There’s a longer-term benefit too. If you use the same branded flags every weekend, people who drive around looking at homes start to recognize your colors.

Pick the right shape and size

Our custom flags come in two shapes, and our feather vs teardrop flag guide covers each one in depth. Here’s how they fit open houses:

Shape	Sizes	Open house use
Feather	7, 8, 10.5, 14, 17 ft	The classic curb flag; moves in light wind
Teardrop	7.5, 12 ft	Holds its shape on still days, great for a logo

For most agents:

• 7 to 8 ft: the front walk, driveway or porch, and quiet streets.
• 10.5 to 14 ft: the curb in front of the house. This is the size most agents should start with.
• 17 ft: the entrance to a subdivision or a corner on a busy road, where rules allow it.

A 17 ft feather is built for highways and car lots. For a typical neighborhood open house it’s more flag than you need.

What to print on an open house flag

You’ll use these flags at every listing, so design them to work anywhere.

• Make “OPEN HOUSE” the biggest thing on the flag. That’s the message drivers need in the second or two they see it.
• Add your logo or brokerage name in your brand colors.
• Leave off the address, date and hours unless you always hold the same hours. A generic flag works at every property for years.
• Use strong contrast and bold letters. Thin fonts disappear from a moving car.
• Run text vertically on feather flags, and keep it out of the curved top of a feather flag.
• Choose double-sided so the flag reads correctly to traffic from both directions.

Many brokerages have rules about how logos and agent names appear on signs. Check yours before you send your design.

Bases for lawns, driveways and sidewalks

The right base keeps your flag upright all afternoon:

Where it goes	Base
Lawn, grass or soft dirt	Ground spike, included with every flag (watch for sprinkler heads)
Driveway or pavement	X-base with a water bag

Bring flags in when storms roll through or the wind gets strong. In Florida and along the Gulf Coast, summer afternoon thunderstorms can show up mid-showing, and in Arizona and Nevada sudden desert gusts can tip a flag that looked fine an hour earlier.

Check sign rules before you set up

This step matters as much as the flag. Many cities, counties and homeowner associations regulate temporary signs, including where they can go, how big they can be, how many you can use and when they have to come down. The rules vary a lot from place to place.

Before your open house:

• Check local city or county sign ordinances for temporary and real estate signs.
• Check HOA, condo or gated community rules. Many have their own limits, and some don’t allow flags at all.
• Follow your brokerage’s policies on signs and branding.
• Get permission before placing anything on a neighbor’s lawn or at a corner lot you don’t control.
• Stay out of medians and the street, never block a sidewalk, and keep corners and driveways clear so drivers can see traffic.
• Pick everything up as soon as the open house ends. It’s courteous, and often required.

Build a simple open house kit

A small kit you keep in your trunk makes every weekend faster:

• One or two 10.5 to 14 ft feather or teardrop flags with bases
• Two to four sidewalk sign with arrows for turns from the main road
• A fitted 4 ft or 6 ft table cover for the sign-in table
• Water for water bags, a mallet for spikes, and spare zip ties
• A towel to dry flags before packing them away

If you host community events, brokerage open houses or new-development showings outdoors, a branded 10x10 canopy from our booth builder gives you shade and a home base. Our guide to sidewalk signs has more on directional signs, and our post on a first-time homebuyer guide realtors can give clients covers a useful take-home for buyers who walk through.

Keep flags looking fresh

Sun fades any outdoor fabric over time, and a faded, frayed flag sends the wrong message about a listing. Dry flags before you roll them up, store them out of the sun between weekends, and replace them when the color fades. Agents in sunny, year-round markets like Texas, Florida, Arizona and California will put more hours on a flag and may need to replace it sooner. Flags arrive about 1 week after you approve your final design and pay, and sidewalk sign stands about 1 to 2 weeks, so order the sidewalk signs first. Nothing prints until you approve your final design, and shipping is free to the lower 48 states and DC.

FAQ

What size flag is best for an open house?

A 10.5 or 14 ft feather, or a 12 ft teardrop. It stands above parked cars and hedges without overwhelming a residential street. Go 7 to 8 ft for walkways and 17 ft for busy road corners where allowed.

Should my open house flag include the property address?

No. Keep it generic with “Open House” and your brand so it works at every listing.

Can I put open house flags on the sidewalk or at the corner?

It depends on local rules and HOA policies. Get permission for any property you don’t control, and never block sidewalks or drivers’ view.

Do I need single or double-sided flags?

Double-sided for streets, so drivers coming from either direction can read it. Single-sided flags show your design in reverse from the back.