Introduction to the $4.5M Home
A $4.5 million Los Angeles home struggled to find a buyer until the listing agents hosted a “baby rave” open house. Now, the Crestwood Hills home that had gone through two delistings is in escrow, and it offers a look inside what it takes to move properties in a sluggish market.
The House That Wouldn’t Sell
The Crestwood Hills home first hit the market in March 2025 for $4,495,000—but just three weeks later, it was pulled. A second attempt in April ended the same way, with another delisting by May. It’s a pattern that’s becoming more common, especially as the housing market shifts out of an extreme seller’s market into a more balanced one, with seven metros tipping into buyer’s market territory.
Delistings on the Rise
Delistings have surged nearly 50% this summer, a move that would be unthinkable just a few years ago. In June, the most recent month for which data is available, 21 homes were delisted for every 100 homes hitting the market—up from just six in 2022. According to Realtor.com senior economist Jake Krimmel, delistings are “a way for sellers to reassert control in a market where their leverage is fading.”
The Challenges of Selling
The home had all the right selling points: a desirable school district, a pool, and—rare for the neighborhood—a large, flat, grassy yard. But its location just north of Sunset Boulevard made it a tougher sell, and in the shifting dynamics, the listing languished. After agents Claire and Sam O’Connor, of O’Connor Estates in Los Angeles, sold a nearby home for a high price per square foot, the seller reached out to see if they could help find a buyer for the property.
A New Approach to Marketing
From the outset, Claire knew this listing would require something different. “It’s not a house that’s going to sell for a premium with just regular photography and regular marketing,” she says. Instead, they leaned in to the property’s best features, its family-friendly layout and rare outdoor space. According to agent Claire O’Connor, of O’Connor Estates in Los Angeles, leaning in to the property’s best features helped get the property sold, rather than traditional photos.
What is a Baby Rave?
It then became a question of the best way to highlight these features. A typical open house might have prospective buyers mill about for 10 or 15 minutes, easily overlooking what made the property special. Since Claire and Sam wanted to target families who could really appreciate what made the home special, they turned their first open house into something unexpected: a baby rave. Part playdate, part music class, part high-energy showcase, the event featured DJ and children’s entertainer Jason Mesches—known for spinning contemporary beats while blowing bubbles and handing toddlers toy instruments.
The Baby Rave Open House
The open house was part playdate, part music class, part high-energy showcase demonstrating how the space could be a family home. The idea wasn’t just to entertain. It was also to make the house feel like a home. “We knew this house was family-friendly, but we wanted to create an event that was family-centric,” Claire explains. Instead of dragging their kids from room to room, parents got to watch them explore and play, giving potential buyers a chance to experience the home as a space where their families could thrive.
Why the Baby Rave Worked
In a market where attention is harder to earn, the event offered a way to cut through the noise, bringing more than just music and bubbles. By inviting friends, past clients, and local families to the event, Claire and Sam packed the open house with energy and excitement. “When buyers walked in, they weren’t seeing an empty house,” Claire says. “They were seeing kids running around, feeling at home. They were seeing what life could look like there.”
Lessons for Today’s Market
In a slower housing market, traditional strategies—list the home, stage it, wait for offers—are falling flat. That’s why agents like Claire and Sam are rewriting the playbook. “In this market, I think you have to really actively sell,” Claire says. Every listing is styled like an ad, complete with fresh florals, mood-driven staging, and high-quality photography. And yes, sometimes that means throwing a baby rave.
Conclusion
The success of the baby rave open house is a testament to the power of creative marketing in today’s real estate market. By thinking outside the box and creating an experience that showcases the best features of a property, agents can attract potential buyers and help sellers achieve their goals. As the housing market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see what other innovative marketing strategies emerge.
FAQs
Q: What is a baby rave?
A: A baby rave is a type of open house event that combines music, play, and entertainment to create a fun and engaging experience for families.
Q: How did the baby rave help sell the $4.5M home?
A: The baby rave helped sell the home by creating a memorable and interactive experience that showcased the property’s family-friendly features and made it feel like a home.
Q: What can other sellers learn from this experience?
A: Other sellers can learn the importance of creative marketing and thinking outside the box to attract potential buyers and stand out in a competitive market.
Q: Are baby raves a new trend in real estate marketing?
A: While baby raves may not become a widespread trend, the use of creative and experiential marketing strategies is likely to continue as agents look for new ways to connect with buyers and showcase properties.
