Are Open Houses a Sign of Desperation?

Another anecdote.

Someone that I know is selling their house in North Jersey. She asked her realtor about running an open house this weekend and the realtor said that having an open house would be percieved as a desperate move.

Given the number of open house signs that I have been seeing since about July, I think I would have to agree with the realtor. Until just recently, I never really noticed those open house signs, but now they seem to be everywhere and I can't help but think to myself, when I do see them, that the property is having problems attracting interest.