# Any tips on how to get a lot of Trick or Treaters to come to your house?



## pumpkinspirit (Oct 19, 2010)

Every year for Halloween we only get 5 or 6 trick or treaters. My neighbours don't celebrate Halloween and they turn off all there lights and we are on a hill. Do u have any tips on how to attract more Trick or Treaters? lol


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## Killed by Death (Sep 29, 2008)

Haunt it and they will come!!


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## creeeepycathy (Jul 12, 2011)

well, first of all ... you need to get rid of that hill. No parent or ToTer wants to struggle with that..  j/k

I'm with Killed by Death (btw-love that username)... Haunt it and they will come.  

And good luck to you.


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## pumpkinspirit (Oct 19, 2010)

@creeeepycathy

thanks! =)


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## creeeepycathy (Jul 12, 2011)

pumpkinspirit said:


> @creeeepycathy
> 
> thanks! =)


 Anytime.... Glad I could be of help.      j/k


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## HauntedHorror (Aug 8, 2006)

I dunno... I put up a lot of decorations, including string lights and stuff that lights up in hopes it will draw in the trick-or-treaters but most years I only get a few groups! I wondered if they were too scared, or what! (I also have creepy music playing out the window...)


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## IshWitch (May 19, 2006)

I got 10-20 ToTs the first year so the next year made a couple of tombstones from bead foam. Just cut out the shape, no paint or fuss so a car driving by could read it fast and easy off the white, took a wide Sharpie (they have huge ones that are like an inch length) and wrote on them 
THIS WAY IF YOU DARE
and an arrow 
(on both sides)

I put one down the street on the corner of the main thoroughfare and one on the second busiest corner. Each were next to the street sign pole.

I got almost a hundred kids and now keep getting more!

I don't get all fancy with the sign tombstones because every year they get trashed by some idiot(s).


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

Full Size Snickers


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## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

pumpkinspirit said:


> Every year for Halloween we only get 5 or 6 trick or treaters. My neighbours don't celebrate Halloween and they turn off all there lights and we are on a hill. Do u have any tips on how to attract more Trick or Treaters? lol


Are there ToTs to attract? I've pretty much maxed out my hood at around 150 - 200 and I know folks here in Utah that get 3 to 5 times as many. Bottom line is location, location, location. 

As Wilbret says...full size snickers helps. The better the goodies, the more word of mouth you get. You have to have something about your haunt that gets the kids to talk about it the next day at school. It'll take some time but people will notice.


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## HauntedHorror (Aug 8, 2006)

Oh yeah I forgot to add... I live in a big city neighborhood and I still can't get trick-or-treaters! I give out big handfuls of candy too (because we always buy too much for the small # of people we get.)


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## Crunch (Oct 23, 2008)

I suffer with this as well. I don't live in a huge city by any means, but it definitely isn't any one horse town. I've been adding new stuff each year for a couple years. My 10 year old sister claims our yard is to scary (doesn't hold a candle to some of the yards I've seen on here). But we are somewhat secluded, although you could throw a rock from our yard to a main drag. Perhaps advertising the yard is the route to take. I suppose we'll see what the 'rents say about that.


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## Nepboard (Sep 21, 2009)

What put it over the top for us was using a thunder and lightning gig. 4-Christmas FX boxes, 4-400 watt shop flood lights, and a 600 watt goodwill amplifier driving 4 large house speakers (salvation army) cranking out the thunder plus the flashing of light. You could hear/see it for 5 city blocks. Drew the TOT'ers in like moths to a light. As stated above, attracting TOT'ers is a marathon not a sprint. Consistency will pay off as the word will spread.


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## GhostTown (Jul 6, 2011)

I'm hoping the consistency thing pays off. I bought a home two years ago and I don't get many ToT'rs. I've been giving out full size candy bars, two and three at a time both years. 

The first year I had four or five pumpkins, and that was my set up. I only drew about three visits. Then last year I had around fifteen pumpkins, a few bails of straw, and orange and purple string lights on the house and tree. This attracted around five or six visits.

This year I'm going more heavy duty. Giant blue colored spots to light the *big* trees, smaller but bright orange gel spot lights for the house and everything else, a few props, more pumpkins, tons of corn stalks, and a fog machine. Let's hope the previous two years of full blown candy bars helped. I might even go with KING SIZED candy bars this year. What the hell.

My houses problem is mostly location. It sits at the entry of a well established neighborhood that has no kids living in it. I rely on the neighbors visiting grand kids mostly (I'm a 30 years younger than the average age in my neighborhood ). Also, (I live on a corner) my house faces a 35 mph road, with no sidewalks do to its pseudo country location... one mile from all of the hustle and bustle.


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## Pandemic (Jul 23, 2011)

I had the same problem. Some years I didn't get any trick or treaters. Last year was my first outside haunt and I had it set up for 2 weeks before the big day. My feioncee put a small discription and picture in the local paper. (I think it cost like 30 bucks) I got like 75 kids which is a huge difference from 0. The funny thing is, my fioncee put my name as Dr. Death, and people were calling me that as they came trick or treating. One little girl, maybe 5 years old goes, "are you Dr. Death?" It was priceless.


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

IshWitch said:


> I got 10-20 ToTs the first year so the next year made a couple of tombstones from bead foam. Just cut out the shape, no paint or fuss so a car driving by could read it fast and easy off the white, took a wide Sharpie (they have huge ones that are like an inch length) and wrote on them
> THIS WAY IF YOU DARE
> and an arrow
> (on both sides)
> ...


I'm going to try this. Our problem seems to be that the TOTs don't go down our street, just the surrounding streets.
More lights, more sounds, is what I'm thinking, they just need to know we're here!


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## Xane (Oct 13, 2010)

We used to get more but in the past 3 years it's been less than ten. Last year was the first year I did some heavy duty decorating (we've always decorated but I did a full cemetery this time) and we had some people drive up for candy but it was still only 10. I remember we used to get around 25-35 in years past. People stopped having kids about five years ago I guess.  It's actually kind of weird because it's _less_ of an older community than it used to be, lots of younger people moving into the area. So you'd think there'd be more kids. I'm always afraid to underbuy on candy though, there have been years in the past when it was dead then suddenly 15 kids show up at once.


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## Growler (Aug 12, 2008)

We have been doing our yard haunt for years. There are about 30 children that come by for the whole night. Last year we got about 100!!!! Complete chaos. Ok, I only decorate for that day. I do put up my weblown spiderwebs early in our trees since they are so large and it takes half the day. Here is a couple things I did differently. I hung 3 blucky's from our second floor roof like they were "hung". I did this a couple days before. A week before I put out our HUGE pnuematic spider in the back yard facing the road that all the church goes have to go by on the way to and from church. I set it up completely so it would rear up when some of the cars went by. It was a blast watching the cars almost come to a screeching stop when it reared up at them. lol I have also used one of those huge red polic strobe lights on my roof facing the road so it would flash for an hour at night a few nighs before Halloween. I gave that up though since I really didn't want our neighbors upset with us since it was also flashing in their windows.


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## Raven's Hollow Cemetery (Jul 3, 2011)

A powerful Thunder & Lightning display is all you need to attract ToT's like moths to the flame. 

My rig is 4 light organs powering (4) H-4 Xenon Plasma automotive bulbs (white with a tinge of purplish blue for a realistic look to the lightning). Aside from the bulbs, they were dirt cheap DIY built light organ kits, and a couple of inexpensive 600w computer power supplies. I probably have no more than $150 in the electronics, discounting the sound system ofc. 

For the sound, I have a 320w Awai shelf system for the front yard, I picked up at a garage sale...funny that it's normal home *is* the garage! The backyard graveyard gets a bit more due to the size. I just put my front main theater speakers, & 15" Dayton Titanic w/ a BASH 500w amp out on the back porch for the evening. I have another idea underway, but my friend & I are stumped on figuring out a variable delay based on volume (amplitude). 

Actually, it's pretty overkill to be honest. But it draws them like flies to...well, you know


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## tinafromidaho (May 8, 2008)

How soon do you decorate? Do you just set up a day or two ahead? When we first moved to this house, we didn't get many trick or treaters and now since we've been doing the big decorating thing for a few years we get well over a 100, a guy down the street asked if we get many kids cause only get a few at his place, I just told him to make sure they know to come there i.e. some pumpkins and maybe a string of lights, something other that just there house light on.


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## halloweencreature (Aug 6, 2008)

IshWitch said:


> I got 10-20 ToTs the first year so the next year made a couple of tombstones from bead foam. Just cut out the shape, no paint or fuss so a car driving by could read it fast and easy off the white, took a wide Sharpie (they have huge ones that are like an inch length) and wrote on them
> THIS WAY IF YOU DARE
> and an arrow
> (on both sides)
> ...



Thanks for the idea IshWitch!! I always have around 150 ToTs, and my yard is always well light with floodlights/orange string lights. However.............

I'm worried about them returning this year, as last year was the first year I didn't fully decorate the yard (I had just got married, and returned from our honeymoon). The ToTs were really disappointed, and were EXPECTING to be "wowed", in fact, some even asked "What happened to the lady that USED to live here!??!" 

That made me really sad  So this year I'm going to try IshWitch's idea, and maybe even do full size candy bars too. I love my ToTs!!


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## pumpkinheadedskeleton (Apr 26, 2010)

You need some kind or orange lights if you're isolated on a hill like that with no neighbors participating. At the end of your driveway if visability on the house is an issue.
The light will bring the TOT in like moths.


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## rockplayson (Jun 7, 2008)

Move to Colorado and that will solve your problem.


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## mommyto3 (Aug 24, 2009)

Move.

Just kidding! 

I know there's been a post or two about this in past years where people pass out fliers. Only thing is, if you're going to do that, you need to have something worth viewing for people to drive out to your house. 

I don't have this problem since the houses in my neighborhood are about 12 feet apart.


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

I live about 5 miles off the main highway.That is why I put up my haunt october 1 so people will see it and now to make the effort to come by.I use to have zero but now have around 45-50.


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## GhostTown (Jul 6, 2011)

Early set up is likely key. I have many school buses that pass my house. Set up early and make it interesting. I'm sure this Halloween will be quite different for me.

**crosses fingers**


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## HauntedHorror (Aug 8, 2006)

tinafromidaho said:


> How soon do you decorate? Do you just set up a day or two ahead? When we first moved to this house, we didn't get many trick or treaters and now since we've been doing the big decorating thing for a few years we get well over a 100, a guy down the street asked if we get many kids cause only get a few at his place, I just told him to make sure they know to come there i.e. some pumpkins and maybe a string of lights, something other that just there house light on.


I decorate at the beginning of October and turn the lights on every night until Halloween and the TOTs still don't come!


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## kingwood asylum (Apr 5, 2011)

IshWitch said:


> I got 10-20 ToTs the first year so the next year made a couple of tombstones from bead foam. Just cut out the shape, no paint or fuss so a car driving by could read it fast and easy off the white, took a wide Sharpie (they have huge ones that are like an inch length) and wrote on them
> THIS WAY IF YOU DARE
> and an arrow
> (on both sides)
> ...


I agree post signs on a busy street and they will line up to come. Love, love, love the tombstone idea. And most definitely haunt it.


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## Forever Haunting (Jan 1, 2009)

GhostTown said:


> I'm hoping the consistency thing pays off. I bought a home two years ago and I don't get many ToT'rs. I've been giving out full size candy bars, two and three at a time both years.
> 
> The first year I had four or five pumpkins, and that was my set up. I only drew about three visits. Then last year I had around fifteen pumpkins, a few bails of straw, and orange and purple string lights on the house and tree. This attracted around five or six visits.
> 
> ...


Ghost: I predict that your "giant blue spot lights lighting up the trees" will help significantly. I did this at my house and doubled the number of ToTers. They turn the corner and run straight for my house passing up all other homes. Good luck!


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## Whispers in the Park (Jun 6, 2009)

I agree with several people on here...consistency is the key..Keep doing what you are doing every year and the word will get out. I have moved three times in the past 7 years and it is always busier after the first year. Lots of lights and thunder help..I also board up my windows around the end of September...that gets people interested, then set up the yard a couple of weeks out from the big day.


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## CobhamManor (Aug 5, 2010)

I agree with everyone...

Location, location, location is probably what matters the most. If you're located along a busy residential street or anywhere with a lot of traffic constantly flowing, you are bound to get many more visitors. Like others have said, I would set up early and where people will be able to see your decorations. If your house can't be seen from the road, definitely put up signs! Signs at high-traffic intersections will get everyone talking. If a car full of kids is stopped at an intersection, what else is there to do but read a big sign on a telephone pole?

Consistency does help! (I like to think that) my haunt's number of TOTs goes up steadily each year due to word of mouth. When people like something, they are likely to share it with many others.

Lastly, the goods are very crucial. Give out a cheap bag of treats to each TOTer, or give the large candy bars! People will appreciate it and will return annually!


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## HauntedHorror (Aug 8, 2006)

mommyto3 said:


> I don't have this problem since the houses in my neighborhood are about 12 feet apart.



The houses in my neighborhood are closer than that, I live in a big city residential neighborhood and I still only get around 3-5 groups of TOTs! I don't get it. 
I've been decorating for Halloween for 10-15+ years, I always start decorating at the beginning of October. I put up lights and put lighted things in the second floor window so you can see them from far away; on Halloween I play spooky music, etc... 
I make sure to give out good candy too (generally a handful of it) and usually some type of little toys with it like plastic glowing spiders, or last year I did Halloween Silly Bandz (still have 2 boxes left since we had so few TOTs.)

My next-door-neighbor has these annoying pine trees that are right next to the walkway to my house, they were fine when they were 5 feet tall but now they are huge and bushy. I am thinking about asking him if I can either string lights on them for Halloween or some type of glowing sign, because they sit in between my house and the busy street that intersects the end of our block. Maybe that would get more attention of kids on the main street?


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## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

Get ya a couple of these:


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## adam (Aug 1, 2008)

Yes. Advertise. I did signs in a few major places. I basically put: Trick or Treat Yard Haunt. Nice big letters. I also put Starts at Dusk. Halloween Night only. I put the street but not the address. I also put two signs on each end of the major streets that have left/right turns that connect to our street, trick or treat this way etc. Basically anywhere with major car traffic etc. 

I would do it on the 29th or so. Last year I did it day of, how stupid! But I did get a few new people. This year I plan to stick them out around town on the 29th or so. I was surprised how well it worked.

I also put , free Halloween fun, free candy. Fun and safe for everyone. I wanted people to know it was something fun and safe for the kids. Try it, see how it works for you.

I also tell everyone to come back next year, bring some friends and family.

I also put an ad on craigslist under events in our town. Again, yard haunt with cemetery, music and free candy. Spooky but not too scary for the kids. Come have some good old fashioned Halloween fun!


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## Raven's Hollow Cemetery (Jul 3, 2011)

Being that I've just moved into a new home, I'm taking the added steps of a CraigsList add, and signs on the highway. There are a bunch of families in this neighborhood though, and I doubt I'll be short of Tot's this year at all. 

I will however reiterate, big light & sound shows do help a LOT!


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## rockplayson (Jun 7, 2008)

Posting a Craigslist add is a great idea. We post them for garage sales and bake sales and get pretty nice turnouts. Just make it appealing to the parents.


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## pumpkinspirit (Oct 19, 2010)

@Scatterbrains

OMG those are awesome! did u make them yourself?


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## pumpkinspirit (Oct 19, 2010)

Scatterbrains said:


> Get ya a couple of these:


OMG that is awesome! Did u make those yourself?


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## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

pumpkinspirit said:


> OMG that is awesome! Did u make those yourself?


yep...

They're 40" squares and I used 6 inch stencils for the lettering. I made stencils of the Zombie and the Haunt Work Ahead sign on poster paper first, then spray painted them.

google "zombie crossing" and check the images for lots of ideas


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## mxmarsh (Jul 17, 2011)

Someone called the local news paper and they did a small write up on my haunt and after that was getting 200+ ToTers 
the Craigs list post is a great idea to good luck


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## Lil Ghouliette (Nov 5, 2010)

mxmarsh said:


> Someone called the local news paper and they did a small write up on my haunt and after that was getting 200+ ToTers
> the Craigs list post is a great idea to good luck


That is so cool. If the news paper did a write up on our haunt, I would frame the article and hang it on my wall. <3


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## DexterSinister (Aug 13, 2011)

*Resurrecting this thread...*

I've finally decided to make an effort to drum up some ToTs this year. Our block doesn't get very many visitors - I'm sure in part because nobody really gets their Halloween on, but also because we're on a side street off the main ToT route. I know a fair number go along the main route, but we're lucky to get 3 visits from people we don't know.

To up the ante, I've got what I need to do a Hallowindow projection that will be visible from the street. I figure on running it on Fri, Sat, Sun evenings before Halloween on Monday. I'm hoping to create the foam boards for the boarded up windows and put those in place early in early October.

I like the idea of putting signs up the street to point ToTs in our direction.

Beyond this, I'm thinking of setting up something in the garage. I have a small but nice 5.1 PC speaker system that should fill the garage and the area in front pretty well. I also have a 700w fog machine on the way and might build a chiller to get a ground fog that rolls down the driveway to the garage (it descends from the street). I might use some uplights on the gnarly twisted tree in front.

These are all things that I could do pretty easily, and wouldn't leave me too disappointed if no one came. Now I need to come up with a theme and some decor for the garage. Maybe a failed real estate showing or something. I want to keep things mostly inside because it's as likely to rain as not around here.

I'd be glad to hear any feedback or ideas y'all have...


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## OctoberDream (Aug 7, 2011)

Too scary is no good. Most parents I know wont go to a house with blood anywhere. I also make sure the walk way is well lit. And talk to the parents as they come around. I even offered coffee one year. Kid go where the parents tell them to go. (well under 13 they do.) If you dont have a lot of kids in your hood, you could have an adult party for all of the grown ups. Invite the whole the whole gang. have it out side with a nice bond fire.


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## scareme (Jan 18, 2009)

Right now I get 600 tots on Halloween. In 3 years my hubby retires and we have purchased my Mom's house to live in. The house is on a dead end street and on a busy year she gets about 9 tots. So in a few years I'll be in your situation, and I'm already thinking of ways to draw a crowd. I have a Flying Crank Ghost that I plan on putting in a high window and running it for a couple of weeks before Halloween. I think a lot of lights will get peoples attention. And my niece said to pass out juice boxes and full size candy bars the first couple of years so word will get around that we give out the "good stuff". lol I have to smile when I think about the people who buy our house. Can you imagine them buying a couple bags of candy, only to have 600 kids show up at their door Halloween night? I bet the neighbors will warn them. lol


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## Raven's Hollow Cemetery (Jul 3, 2011)

Whatever you do, don't park something like this in front of the house 










Guaranteed you will have 0 ToT's if you do


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## DexterSinister (Aug 13, 2011)

scareme said:


> I have to smile when I think about the people who buy our house. Can you imagine them buying a couple bags of candy, only to have 600 kids show up at their door Halloween night? I bet the neighbors will warn them. lol


Maybe you should warn them. 600 disappointed/angry ToTs might warrant disclosure by the seller.


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## DexterSinister (Aug 13, 2011)

Raven's Hollow Cemetary said:


> Whatever you do, don't park something like this in front of the house
> 
> Guaranteed you will have 0 ToT's if you do


 Yeah, the wife's been asking me to get rid of it anyway, I guess I can park it up the street for Halloween.


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## DexterSinister (Aug 13, 2011)

OctoberDream said:


> Too scary is no good. Most parents I know wont go to a house with blood anywhere. I also make sure the walk way is well lit. And talk to the parents as they come around. I even offered coffee one year. Kid go where the parents tell them to go. (well under 13 they do.) If you dont have a lot of kids in your hood, you could have an adult party for all of the grown ups. Invite the whole the whole gang. have it out side with a nice bond fire.


Coffee is a good idea, would go well with a real estate showing.

I have a wide driveway leading into the garage, so keeping a clear path while still having a few props is doable. I'm not trying to do a walkthrough, more of a scene at the front of the garage, so no one has to go into the garage (or at least not very far).

Okay, no blood or gore, but how do folks feel about bodies/dummies lying around? Intact, but lifeless? Or injured/dismembered? I'm contemplating having some victims lying on the ground, maybe with spilled bags of candy. Or maybe grownup victims with spilled purse/briefcase.


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## DexterSinister (Aug 13, 2011)

Oooh, I just had an idea (probably not original, but I haven't seen it). 

Carrying on with the haunted real estate showing idea; I could put an appropriately themed for sale sign up well in advance and have an "open house" on Halloween night. I could even have flyers in the box for passers-by with various details (e.g. the crime that was committed or rumors of it being haunted) Or the family went broke got foreclosed and the parents went nuts - something like that...

--- Which thread do the theme ideas usually wind up in? This doesn't quite fit parties or props.


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## OctoberDream (Aug 7, 2011)

DexterSinister said:


> Coffee is a good idea, would go well with a real estate showing.
> 
> I have a wide driveway leading into the garage, so keeping a clear path while still having a few props is doable. I'm not trying to do a walkthrough, more of a scene at the front of the garage, so no one has to go into the garage (or at least not very far).
> 
> Okay, no blood or gore, but how do folks feel about bodies/dummies lying around? Intact, but lifeless? Or injured/dismembered? I'm contemplating having some victims lying on the ground, maybe with spilled bags of candy. Or maybe grownup victims with spilled purse/briefcase.


(sounds like a good poll)

IMO I think bodies are fine. I have even seen one under a lawn mower. It just has to be OK for the little guys. Nobody wants to go to a house if they feel they really need to check the candy, if you know what I mean.


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## chop shop (Oct 31, 2010)

Raven's Hollow Cemetary said:


>


Looks Legit.


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## rltrfox (Oct 19, 2010)

*More attendeessssssss*

I don't quite know where you are, BUT, why knot make a few hunder little flyers on Orange paper with black print to put out at your local liquor store, corner store of IF you are in USA contact a Local Real estate Agt and ask them for a print of labels for your surrounding neighborhood and mail out some flyers. Better yet, walk you are and deliver the lfyers a month or two ahead of time and then dice it up again withing 1 week of the haunt. Good luck. If you build it, they will come...........


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## Raven's Hollow Cemetery (Jul 3, 2011)

chop shop said:


> Looks Legit.


Lol! Yeah, I'd finish that line but...


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## GhostTown (Jul 6, 2011)

chop shop said:


> looks legit.



roflmao!!!


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## kingwood asylum (Apr 5, 2011)

rltrfox said:


> I don't quite know where you are, BUT, why knot make a few hunder little flyers on Orange paper with black print to put out at your local liquor store, corner store of IF you are in USA contact a Local Real estate Agt and ask them for a print of labels for your surrounding neighborhood and mail out some flyers. Better yet, walk you are and deliver the lfyers a month or two ahead of time and then dice it up again withing 1 week of the haunt. Good luck. If you build it, they will come...........


Another suggestion: Take the fliers to your local pizza shop and ask them to tape them to the boxes and pass out with every order.


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