Should Home Sellers Be Home During A Showing To Prospective Buyers?

May 10, 2021

Should Home Sellers Be Home During A Showing

This is definitely a common question, “Should home sellers be home during a showing to prospective buyers?” It is actually not uncommon for home sellers to be home when home buyers swing by to see the home they are interested in. The showing is often led by the home buyer’s real estate agent. Here is guide to know how buyers and shellers should act during home buying.

The showing of a home is a very critical moment in the home selling process. Buyers liked what they saw online, the asking price is within their range, and now it’s time for the real thing. However, you the home seller may not want to interrupt. Sure, you know your home better than anyone else, but trying to be helpful during a home showing can actually hinder the sale.

Even if you mean well, home buyers may be turned off by you being a shadow during the showing. And a home seller being home during a showing to prospective buyers can make it a more stressful experience for buyers. In fact, it could be a bit awkward.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the common question, “Should home sellers be home during a showing to prospective buyers?” It may help you decide if you really want to be home when buyers pay a visit to see your house.

Whose responsibility is it? Home seller? Listing agent? Both?

A home seller’s presence during a showing is actually not the responsibility of the seller. This all actually falls on the listing agent. After all, as a home seller you just want to be helpful and get your house sold as fast as possible. Your listing agent should have the “showing” talk with you prior to any showing.

He or she should explain the proper home showing etiquette. However, many real estate agents agree that the best etiquette in this situation is simply not being home. This includes a number of occasions like:

  • Home buyer showings
  • Broker tours
  • Open houses
  • Buyer appraisals
  • Home inspections

If you’re a seller that is ready to talk your home up, it may be best to save the discussion for your listing agent. They are responsible for knowing the ins-and-outs of your home. Any good listing agent should know as much about your home as you. This includes upgrades, remodels, defects, and special features that could be leveraged as key selling points. 

Otherwise, why do you even need a real estate agent? You’re essentially paying them to market, promote, and get a buyer interested enough to purchase your home. 

Did you know you can skip the listing agent? Get a fast cash offer on your home within 24 hours with DealHouse. No listing agent, no lofty realtor commissions, no stress of showing your home for months on end.

Give your potential home buyers the space they need to make a decision

This is very important when answering the question, “Should home sellers be home during a showing to prospective buyers?” The real estate agent of prospective home buyers wants you to not be at home, because they want privacy for their buyers.

In fact, the first home showing is all about imagination. The real estate agent of the buyers wants them to imagine themselves living in the home. If you the home seller is lurking around, this can be tough.

A home seller’s presence can make buyers feel uneasy, and actually rush the home showing. This is bad news for home sellers, since the longer buyers are in a home, the better chances of a sale.

Don’t be a home seller that sabotages your own home sale by being home during a showing. And sometimes you could overhear comments that will potentially lead you to not like the buyer. For example, a buyer may comment on the small kitchen, or disarray of the appliances. Overhearing comments like that could make things personal, and this is bad for a sale.

Home seller tips when it is time for a showing

Ultimately, home sellers should leave when there is a showing. But other home seller tips may prove useful when trying to sell your house fast. For example, decluttering your home as much as possible in order to help potential buyers envision themselves living in your home. It just looks ready to be lived in.

If you have pets, take them with you when there is a home showing. If you are going to be at work during the showing, you should have a plan for your pet, such as taking your pet to the local boarder, or leave your pet with a neighbor. If your pet is home during a showing, it could hinder a sale.

And ensure your home smells inviting. Smell plays a big role when it comes to selling a home. If your home smells funky, it could rush the showing and thus no offer. You can bake cookies or invest in an aroma diffuser to make your home smell warm and inviting when potential buyers come in for a showing.

Skip the hassle of home showings and sell your home fast to a direct home buyer instead

If you don’t want to leave your house every time someone wants to see it, know there are great alternatives to traditional home selling methods. Like getting a competitive offer for your home. And you even get to choose your closing date. You could sell your home in a few weeks with DealHouse.

We are direct buyers of homes in Suffolk County and Nassau County on Long Island, New York. We have simplified the home selling process by eliminating the long wait, high realtor commissions, home sales fees, and other hidden costs of selling a home.

 

If you don’t want strangers in your home weekly, or if you don’t want to pay someone to sell your home, you can sell direct to DealHouse. Get a great cash offer on your home within 24 hours.

Chris Chiarenza