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Why sellers should ALWAYS leave their homes for showings?

By
Real Estate Agent with Tim Francis Realty LLC

Why sellers should ALWAYS leave their homes for showings?  Today's challenges in real estate are many.  However, some are avoidable.  One of these is having the sellers leave the home while it is being shown.  Ideally, this should be for a small window of time as set up by the buyer's agent.  If that is not realistic, it's important to at least get out of the house when the potential buyers arrive to look at the house by taking a walk or going for a short drive when they arrive!

Why is this so important?  Well, first of all, nothing makes a buyer go quicker through a home they are looking at to buy than having the seller there.  It feels as if you are intruding on a private moment in their home.  

Second, it makes it feel like a tug of war, where the buyer is not able to get a good feel about the house and how it would feel to be theirs.  With YOU, the sellers in the place, it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to visualize this as THEIR home!  It's still YOUR home and YOU are there to remind them of that. 

Third, it just makes sense if you truly want to sell to LEAVE the home, so potential buyers can take the time to think about your home for them and make a decision.  Typically, they will work through how the home would work for them, Suzy will use this room, Johnny will have this room, and we could put our exercise equipment here.

When you do leave for showings, be sure to turn on the lights and open the blinds!

We, as real estate agents and the prospective buyers realize this is not always easy to do.  However, the sooner you leave for the showings, the more likely you are to be leaving the home as in MOVING!   

Are you ready to leave on a permanent basis?

Posted by

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Information and content on this blog is original to Michelle Francis  

Michelle Francis

Tim Francis Realty, Serving Buckhead, Atlanta & Sandy Springs GA

(404) 219-9760

Michelle@TimFrancisRealty.com

 

Want to know more about Residential Buying, Selling, Executive Home Leasing & Property Management in Buckhead, Brookhaven, Garden Hills and Sandy Springs, GA?

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Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News

I agree. However I was shocked when I recently saw a segment on GMA that suggested that sellers should stay home so they could talk to the buyers about the home.  Really?  Have they ever watched the fireworks when a buyer says something negative about the house and the sellers are insulted.  Guess not.

Mar 19, 2010 01:47 PM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Michelle:  You couldn't be more right ... but I'll add another reason to your list.  It's just too emotional of an experience to put yourself through as a seller.  There are those potential buyers that do not flinch at making blunt remarks while in a home even if the seller is there.  That's just hard for a seller to hear unfiltered by their agent.  All sellers should do themselves a favor and remove them from this possibility ... and let their agent handle the showing.  It's just easier and makes for a more efficient transaction that way.  Good post ...

Gene

Mar 19, 2010 01:47 PM
Larry Bergstrom
Crescent Realty, Inc. Spanaway, WA. - Spanaway, WA
CNE, CRS, GRI

Michelle, I"m always looking for good listing agents.  Call me if you come out this way. 

I totally agree that the buyer and their agent find it difficult to discuss the property while the seller is around. The seller provides no benefit by being there.

Mar 19, 2010 01:50 PM
Claude Cross
Homes By Cross, Inc. - Charlotte, NC
Charlotte NC Homes For Sale

Vacate so you can celebrate. If anything the sellers remaing hurts the showing. Feelings can also be hurt if criticism is leveled on the house. Excellent post and I agree

Mar 19, 2010 01:51 PM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Drew, Love the Vulture and resulting creeps analogy!

Dan, I do wonder who would ever recommend this?  My worst seller was a relative, who thought he was being so helpful!  NOT!

Jason, I will certainly concede this for an elderly buyer!  Especially if they are charming!  Cranky ones need to go though:-)

Cindy, Great point I left off, folks don't feel comfortable saying anything negative out loud if sellers still there!  So, communication is stifled.  

Gene, Yes, the emotional toll is bad if sellers hear what the buyers are really saying.

Larry, Thanks for the compliment.  We try to work hard with our clients to make selling successful!

Claude - I love that tag line - vacate so you can celebrate!  

Mar 19, 2010 02:02 PM
Kate Elim
Dockside Realty - Spotsylvania, VA
Realtor 540-226-1964, Selling Homes & Land a

Hi Michelle...Sellers can say things sometimes that can put them at a disadvantage.  Another reason why they should be advised by their listing agent to leave even if if is simply to walk around the block (providing its a long walk). 

Mar 19, 2010 02:05 PM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Kate, 

Definitely true, they can give away $$ even when they don't mean to!  

All the best, Michelle

Mar 19, 2010 02:08 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

Michelle, I can't tell you how many times I have thought "I can't believe they just said that".  Sellers are good at shooting themself in the foot!

Mar 19, 2010 03:27 PM
Monique Combs
Royal Shell Real Estate - Bonita Springs, FL
Royal Shell Real Estate - Monique Combs

Michelle ~ I agree to a point. However, I always prep my sellers to not say anything about the house and always good things they love about the area, schools, neighbors if it happens and they can not leave. I always tell the sellers if they cannot leave you can feel the vibe from the buyers. If distant, take a walk if not engage correctly!

Mar 19, 2010 03:32 PM
Carra Riley & Declan Kenyon
Brokers Guild Cherry Creek Ltd - Westminster, CO
Helping people Transition at all ages!

Michelle ~ Yes, they should!

Featured in Cosmic Cow Pie

Cosmic Cow

 

 

Mar 19, 2010 07:56 PM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

Michelle,

There is no question that buyers feel more comfortable when the sellers have left, but it's not an entirely impossible task to deal with.

Brian

Mar 20, 2010 02:37 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Marcel, Yes, they give more away then they realize!

Monique, Well, I realize it's not always possible, I am more aggravated by the lazy sellers, who don't feel like leaving.

Carra, Thanks - I agree girl.

Brian, The buyers are just happier, which makes it easier to actually sell the home!  

Mar 20, 2010 04:14 AM
Terry Chenier
Homelife Glenayre Realty - Mission, BC

Michelle,

I had a showing last week. The wife sat in her chair watching TV and thew husband followed us with a running commentary.

Mar 20, 2010 05:31 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Absolutely seller should be gone for showing.  Nothing worse than having somebody following you around while you're showing.  Plus sellers sometimes say the craziest things. 

Mar 20, 2010 07:34 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Michelle,

Great points!  I always advise my Sellers that Buyers feel more comfortable if they are looking at the house on their own with their agent, this way they can be free to talk about things like....OFFERS

Jo

Mar 20, 2010 01:24 PM
Terry Chenier
Homelife Glenayre Realty - Mission, BC

Michelle,

Follow up on that comment. The husband following us killed any chance of an offer.

Mar 20, 2010 06:05 PM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Terry,  The wife in he chair watching TV would just REALLY send the wrong message.  Although, the Husband, who probably "thinks" he is helping would kill the deal.

Anna, I know, they don't realize how crazy they appear:-)

Jo, Yeah, best reason of all, hard to discuss an OFFER when the sellers are in the house!!!!

All the best, Michelle

Mar 21, 2010 02:41 AM
Vienna Bello
Liberty Realty, LLC - Jersey City, NJ
Real Estate Sales, Rentals & Consulting, GRI, SFR

Michelle,

This is so true!  Sellers really do say and do some off the wall things sometimes!  In a way, it is good for the buyer to be able to ask the seller directly important questions, How old is the roof, the boiler? How nosy are the neighbors? etc etc etc... But buyers want to vision themselves LIVING in the house as they walk from room to room.  Which is hard to do when the sellers are eating dinner while we're showing, SHOWERING so we can't see the bathroom, or talking non-stop as they follow us thru each room. 

Another thing... RENTERS/LANDLORDS... same situation!  I showed an apartment for this one sweet adorable little old lady.  She wanted to be there for every showing.  I thought... eh, ok.. no big deal... she's so cute, any tenant would want her for a landlady.  The apartment was amazing and very affordable, close to transp...blah blah blah, all that good stuff... so naturally everyone who seen it wanted it... UNTIL the landlady started listing off house rules.  No in & out all night, No loud music, No one can sleep over, No kids jumping over my head... and on an on and on.  It took forever to rent that place!

Great post Michelle!  I couldn't agree with you more! :)

~ Vienna

Mar 21, 2010 11:51 AM
Betsy Schuman Dodek
Washington Fine Properties - Washington DC Area Real Estate - Potomac, MD
SearchPotomacHomes.com

Michelle,

Sellers that won't leave their house during a showing are the same Buyers that complain when the Sellers at the houses they are looking for don't leave...ahhhhh??? Did that make any sense?

Betsy

Mar 22, 2010 02:04 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Vienna,   It's more of an issue with me for the selling process.  In executive leasing that we do, there seems to be less issue with them on an emotional level about the house during these showings.  

Betsy, I agree.  (And I did understand you:-)

All the best, Michelle

Mar 22, 2010 06:02 AM