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Cooperate with the Showings and Your House Will Sell Much Quicker Than It Would Otherwise

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Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster Real Estate VA License # 0225089470

Listing a home in Northern Virginia lately can make you feel as though your home is the latest attraction at an amusement park.  Real estate agents are calling day and night to schedule showings.  Some are just popping by.  Meanwhile, you may get sick of making the bed every day, cleaning out the sink of it's dirty dishes and so on.  The inclination to limit show times to thereby limit the stress can be very appealing.

DON'T DO IT! FIGHT THAT URGE!

I'm here to tell you that the more open you are with your showings from the get-go, the quicker the ordeal will be over and done with.  I know it's hard to be flexible.  You just picked up the kids from soccer practice, their starving and someone wants to show the home about the time you'll be rolling in.  Take the kids to Subway for dinner and thank your lucky stars that your home is so popular with buyers.

The more buyers coming through the door, the quicker you'll have a purchase offer in hand and be ready to start moving toward settlement. So as difficult as it may seem to have strangers tromping through your home every day, let it be.  Find that calm place inside you, grin and bear it.  It'll be over much sooner if you're flexible when a Buyer's Agent wants to show your home.

Comments(13)

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David Burrows
Classic Realty - Fairfax, VA
No Pressure, Just Seriously Devoted to Real Estate

I work primarily as a Buyer's Agent and this is very good advice for all Sellers. Thanks for the post!

May 04, 2011 12:21 PM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

I know it's inconvenient, but that's what happens when you put your home on the market.  You're no longer living in a home, you're living in a product, and you have to make the product available to buyers.

May 04, 2011 12:32 PM
Ellie McIntire
Ellicott City Clarksville Howard County Maryland Real Estate - Ellicott City, MD
Luxury service in Central Maryland

I do have great empathy for home owners who are on the market for a long time, BUT they want to sell don't they? I have seen a lot of homes lately that have relaxed!

May 04, 2011 12:38 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

David:  It helps the Buyers and Sellers alike.  You can't sell it if they can't see it.

Alan:  That's right.  And the more available it is, the shorter the marketing time will be.

Ellie:  I've worked with some fairly restricted listings lately in terms of show times.  It's always best if we can find a way to loosen that up.

May 04, 2011 12:41 PM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Chris- Wonderful advise ..The more showings the faster it will sell!!! i think this deserves a feature

HelpfulHannah

May 04, 2011 12:52 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Hannah:  Thanks!  It's advice that all Sellers get, but a few chose to not take.

May 04, 2011 01:09 PM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

This advice also works on sometimes-reluctant tenants, too!  Cooperate and we'll try to get this over with as soon as possible.  ;-)

May 04, 2011 02:12 PM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

What do you do when you get the uncooperative tenant? They can be really frustrating out here because if they cooperate, they lose their home faster.

May 04, 2011 02:21 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good evening Chris Ann,

You are so right on..the more buyers that see the home the faster it will sell. It's never fun opening your home up to everyone but that's what happens if you want to sell your home!!

May 04, 2011 02:26 PM
Jackie Connelly-Fornuff
Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Babylon NY - Babylon, NY
"Moving at The Speed of YOU!"

Hi Chris Ann, making the home convenient to show is what will sell it besides price right. If homeowners want to move on with their lives this is what they have to do.

May 04, 2011 11:47 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Susan:  So very true.  Tenants get so inconvenienced by the home showing process if their landlord is selling.  But if they cooperate up front, it'll be less aggravating in the long run.

Russel:  Leases transfer with the home out here.  And tenants are told that up front.  Their lease states they must cooperate, but often they are so restrictive it's unbearable.  There's nothing in it for them, so why cooperate?  That's the attitude.

Dorie: It's hard to get this through to some, though many understand and will do whatever it takes to get the home sold.

Jackie:  That's right.  And if it's priced right, the home can feel like it's on a parade route.  But that's a good thing.

May 05, 2011 04:23 AM
Coral Gundlach
Compass - Arlington, VA
Real Lives. Not Just Real Estate.

Great blog Chris Ann.  I give this speech to all of my sellers.  Tell them to get used to eating out for a few weeks.  Don't get comfortable at home, it's not yours anymore!

May 06, 2011 10:13 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Coral:  It's hard to convince some of them, and especially tenants.  Usually a Seller will try to give a financial incentive to the tenants, but still, they are way too put out with showings and have no problem being as disagreeable as they can about them.

May 06, 2011 10:27 AM
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