What is the showing etiquette where you are?
What I'm used to is calling a showing service and scheduling my showing. The showing service then tells you if there is another showing already scheduled during that time, but it's just to let you know that someone else might be there too, no biggie. You don't reschedule or anything.
You go to your showings. If someone is there showing their buyers, you politely knock on the door (as it's usually wide open), walk in, and introduce yourself. You then proceed to let them know you'll go ahead and take your buyers upstairs, or to the backyard, or anywhere else that the first buyers aren't.
What you don't do:
1. You don't sit in your car and wait for the first group of buyers to leave. Why? One, you're on a schedule and have several other homes to show. Two, it shows both groups of buyers that there is interest in that home or just in that price range and they need to be prepared to possibly compete with multiple offers. Three, if you can hear what the other buyers have to say, you might get to learn their motivation and whether or not you will be competing with them if both buyers like the house. ** Always remind your buyers NEVER to talk when another party is around**
2. You don't just walk in and start looking around right under the other buyers' noses. Give them their space and they'll give you your space.
3. You don't interupt the other group by asking, "Are you done in here yet?" That's just plain rude and it makes a bad impression in front of your own clients.
4. You don't talk with the other buyers. This is bad! You might think you're just being nice, but what if the buyers like you better than their agent? The other agent can file an ethics claim that you disturbed an agency relationship and "stole" their client out from under them. It's best to just smile and nod.
If you were there first, and you're ready to leave, you politely let the other agent know where you are putting the key for them to lock up, or you find the other agent and actually hand them the key. If you were the second group and you are finished before the first, politely acknowledge to the other agent that you're finished, so he/she doesn't take the time looking for you to give you the key if you've already left and he/she didn't realize it.
My new market doesn't have a central showing service, so you won't know if someone else will be there unless you're inadvertantly told by the listing agent or the seller when you call, but the etiquette still applies.
**Are You Packed Yet?**
Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
Austin, TX and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, Westlake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Whether you're buying or selling, I'll be with you through the entire process.
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