When you list a house that you are living in, it's really, really important to get the showing instructions clear.  Really, really clear!

There have been many posts written here on Active Rain about how important it is to make our listings user-friendly for buyer agents who want to preview or show them.  Agents are less likely to show a house with complicated arrangements needed to get the front door open.   Fewer people looking at the house translates into reduced exposure to the marketplace, which in turn means longer time on the market and a lower selling price.

When the property is vacant, that's no problem.  We just hang a lock box on the front door.  But when you're living there, you need some reasonable way to know when people are going to be going through the place.

So typically, on an occupied house, the instructions are call owner first, leave a message with the time and date.  Well, with cell phones and all, this is what that scenario can look like.

You come home early from work.  You are exhausted.  You peel off your clothes and hop into the tub. 

Then your phone rings, but you don't hear it over the motor that's pumping bubbles into your relaxing Jacuzzi!  It's an agent calling from the curb to let you know she's coming in with some clients.  And you become another one of those funny stories with which we regale our friends and colleagues!

Oops!

Now, here's what I suggest.  Have an extra lock put on your door - even if it's one of those chain locks.  When you're home, use it!  That way, you might get home from work and find strangers in your house.  And that is acceptable.  But what you avoid is having people come in when you are totally indisposed.  And that is not acceptable!

I'm not saying, by the way, that I think agents should call from the curb.  We try to give advaced notice when we plan to show a house or apartment.  But most of us, when it's a choice between showing a house or not, err on the side of showing on short notice and hoping for the best.