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ANY TIME IS A GOOD TIME....

By
Real Estate Agent with Ebby Halliday Realtors

Any time is a good time

"Now's not the best time ... can we set something up for later?"-these are words that a buyer and his agent do not want to hear when they're out looking for a property.

As a home seller, you retain the right to require appointments and to show the house on your schedule. It's a good idea, though, to either always be ready or not make such restrictions on the home's accessibility. If your home is not readily available to show, you're decreasing the number of potential buyers that see it, and the chances of that home being sold diminish.

To avoid surprise visits, some sellers don't allow a yard sign or a lockbox.  Again, this is within their rights, but the easier the home can be shown, the better the chance for it to sell quickly. 

If you have special circumstances that call for some advanced notice, like a disabled individual or an infant in the home, scheduling all showings may be a preferred option for you. Let your listing agent know ... conditions like "By Appointment Only" can be specified in the MLS and will be respected.

Everyone likes privacy and a degree of control. Just know that the easier it is to show your home the more likely you are to find a buyer.CONTACT TIFFANY SHARKEY AND TONYA PEEK 972-977-2254 FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE RELATED QUESTIONS.

 

Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

You are so right, we can sell a house if we can't show it.  I have even gone to a sellers house and made the beds so it could be shown.  Now that is going above and beyond the call of duty wouldn't you say?

Oct 01, 2009 09:30 AM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

Obstacles to viewing are also obstacles to sale.

If the property is not generally available, it better have some big time redeeming quality, like it's the only waterfront property around. 

Oct 01, 2009 09:37 AM
Marney Kirk
Cummings & Co. Realtors - Towson, MD
Towson, Maryland Real Estate

Tiffany & Tonya this is SO true! I have been getting "Instead of 4:30-5, can you do 6:30?". NO!!! ACK! We never saw that house, my clients put a contract on another, and that one is still sitting on. Sellers, you never know who may be the right buyer!!! Let them in!!

Oct 01, 2009 10:39 AM
Vickie McCartney
Maverick Realty - Owensboro, KY
Broker, Real Estate Agent Owensboro KY

If only all sellers would just say anytime is a good time!  But, those that do, are the one's that sell!

Oct 01, 2009 10:51 AM
Christianne O'Malley
Dickson Realty - Reno, NV
Exceptional Service - Delivering Results in Reno!

We had a listing recently I couldn't wait to give back to the sellers. The sellers are close friends of my father's and they would constantly deny showing requests, yet said they wanted to sell the house. When I went to take down the lockbox (because the husband was going to be gone for a week and the wife just didn't feel safe, even after I explained all the precautions and restrictions the lockbox provided her) I flat out told her she didn't want to sell.

She didn't appreciate it, but I felt better. And here we are, they've taken their home off the market and both Dad and I can expend our efforts on sellers that really want to sell.

Oct 01, 2009 11:01 AM
Sherry Siegel, Managing Broker, EcoBroker, ABR
BrokersGroup, serving Sequim and Port Angeles - Sequim, WA

We've all had it happen. Clients or potential clients come to look over the town, find they love the area and want to buy something before they leave in 2 or 3 days. Reluctant Sellers exclude themselves by their tight restrictions.  When we sold our first home waaaay back, we would receive calls "I'm bringing my client." Mad dash to make things tidy. So what happened? The agent called during our dinner time, kitchen a mess, etc. Arrived with clients within 5 minutes. Guess who bought the house? The people who could get in on a minute's notice.

Oct 01, 2009 11:26 AM
Lisa Matykiewicz
United Brokers Group - Gilbert, AZ

Being a flexible seller is definitely going to help move the home quicker.  I also try to give plenty of notice but frankly, sometimes we just do not have the luxury of time.  Motivated buyers do not like to wait to see the property.

Oct 01, 2009 12:13 PM
David O'Doherty
Clayton, NC
Clayton NC Homes, Raleigh, NC

I always get on the phone immediately with clients when they won't allow a showing and cross out every excuse, the last time they had nowhere to put the dogs, as I live in the neighborhood, I told them to put the dogs in my yard.

Showed it, I am always amazed when sellers will cancel a showing.

Oct 01, 2009 02:03 PM
Russ Ravary ~ Metro Detroit Realtor call (248) 310-6239
Real Estate One - Commerce, MI
Michigan homes for sale ~ yesmyrealtor@gmail.com

I have tried to schedule one house three times only to have them cancel within 2 hours of showings 

Oct 01, 2009 02:06 PM
Emily Lowe
RE/MAX Homes and Estates, Lipman Group - Nashville, TN
Nashville TN Realtor

Every showing these days is absolutely critical to the sale.  You don't know who will be the buyer.  I try explaining this to clients and encourage them to be as open to every showing as possible.

 

Oct 01, 2009 02:48 PM
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Sellers get the very incorrect idea sometimes that buyers will wait. They won't. Sometimes they can't.

 

Oct 01, 2009 02:57 PM
Wayne Palmer
WNC Dreams Realty - Sylva, NC
Eddie Palmer

Even worse is a house with clutter and excess furniture, enough that you cannot imagine how your furniture would look sitting there. I guess we must learn that sellers who insist everything must stay as is, really are making it hard or impossible to sell. As stated above, CANCEL.

Oct 01, 2009 03:24 PM
Chris Olsen
Olsen Ziegler Realty - Cleveland, OH
Broker Owner Cleveland Ohio Real Estate

Great post.  No matter how much communication exists, some sellers simply don't get it for whatever reason.  Not many, but it's sad when it happens as one never knows when they may have found just the right buyer.

Oct 01, 2009 03:27 PM
Roland Woodworth
Blue Cord Realty - Clarksville, TN
Blue Cord Realty

I recently took a home off the market after the seller refused to show their home over 30 times. Yes I understand that some time a showing may be schedule at dinner time. The question is.. Do they want to sell the home or not. I don't have a problem with By Appointment Only or, can you showin in 30 min or 1 hour from now. Just to out right say NO.... This could be the buyer who wants to place an offer and you just slammed the door and they move on to purchase another home. Tomorrow may be to late.

 

Oct 01, 2009 04:22 PM
Jeff Cole
Realogics Sotheby's International Realty - Sequim, WA
Homes For Sale 360-316-1177

the mystique of being aloof, unavailable or exclusive has long past.

Oct 01, 2009 04:46 PM
William James Walton Sr.
WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Briotti Group - Waterbury, CT
Greater Waterbury Real Estate

There really isn't any good reason for a seller to behave like this. They're time wasters, imho.

Oct 02, 2009 04:02 AM
Marian Goetzinger
Pine Knoll Shores Realty 252-422-9000 - Pine Knoll Shores, NC
Crystal Coast Real Estate NC

Oh, you've gotten me started now...The seller who calls constantly wanting to know why his home has not sold is the very one who will say, "Today, we're just reorganizing the garage, I can't possibly let you show the house today."  I'm definitely going to emphasize even more how important it is for the house to be always ready to show and the sellers always ready to go!

Oct 02, 2009 06:58 AM
Charles Stallions
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services - Pensacola, FL
850-476-4494 - Pensacola, Pace or Gulf Breeze, Fl.

I agree with an earlier comment, there is no reason a house shouldn't be able to be seen and if there is take it off the market.

Oct 02, 2009 09:02 AM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

I always explain to my sellers that making the house as easily accessible as possible is a good thing. Though sometimes they have their reasons, try to work through their objections.

Oct 02, 2009 05:06 PM
Mark Velasco
West Shores Realty - Whittier, CA
Top Producing Broker Associate

If the Sellers do not make their home available, then, like you said the chances of selling decrease. As an agent, this is one of my pet peves: pepople who do not help you market their home.

Oct 02, 2009 05:17 PM