I hosted an open house last Sunday and a family of five showed up with a full picnic. I'm not exaggerating. They walked in with a cooler, spread out a blanket in the backyard, and started eating sandwiches like they were at a park. The kids were running through the house with juice boxes while the parents asked me questions about the HOA fees between bites of potato salad. I just stood there smiling because what else do you do? Then another couple arrived and I had to explain that no, the picnic people were not the current owners, they were just visitors who apparently thought open house meant open for whatever you want. The family stayed for forty-five minutes. They did not make an offer. They did, however, leave a banana peel in the kitchen trash and ask if I had any napkins. I drove home in silence, questioning every decision that led me to this career, and then immediately got a text from my broker asking how the open house went. I replied "great energy, lots of interest" like a liar.