Bless you for writing on this sensitve subject. I too find the towel situation unealistic when showing and selling homes.

i had to read this blog because of the title.  all sorts of things came to mind!  Your points are well taken.  If you have to wipe the toilet after a showing, so what?  I've done worse for a lot less.  And why do Realtors think they are so high in the status levels of the world that they can't bend down to do this?
JimG

Susan.. the title caught my eye.. had to read your blog...  You bring up a VERY good point.  Why have the towels tied.. they will be used if they need to be.

Susan you are so right! I use to put these in all bathrooms and then ran out and haven't filled up again, but we will go out tomorrow before our staging and do just that. The little things sometimes slip through the cracks but they are so important! Kym

I think you are absolutely right!  I guess we can all bring along a jar! (lol)!  Oh my!

Susan... Keep writing clever titles like that, and you'll have more readers than you can handle!  Great content too on what can be an important subject.

Last week while out shopping for a job, I saw those disposable hand towels and thought "Now these would be nice to have, then my towels won't get dirty." Thanks Susan for confirming! (If I'd had these, maybe the bonehead would have used one of those to wipe up who-knows-what instead of using my brand new towels and left it to dry on the side of the tub. Ick)

You are so right, our prospects are important GUESTS!  Good job!

Unreal...not being a realtor I haven't even thought of this...too funny.  Always assume common courtesy goes a long way.

Good Points!  I think I'll start including the disposable guest towels from now on in my vacants.  Tied up or not, it sounds like my beautiful towels are going to get used anyways. 

Good thing we stagers have come along.  I'd hate to think what buyers and REA's used to do in vacant bathrooms before we showed up with our hand towels.   :)

Well said.  I could not agree with you more.  Instead of home sellers acting like we are an inconvenience when we are showing their homes, they should be grateful and treat us as welcome guests.

I missed the original posts you referred to, but leaving decorative disposable hand towels is a FANTASTIC way to accomodate guests and keep the Staging work in place and clean.

Great post.  Thanks for telling the realtor side of things!

Susan: We carefully tape all toilets shut with a little sign that says "Please use the toilet in the Powder Room" (we don't tape the powder room toilet shut:)). In the powder room we provide paper hand/guest towels and nice hand soap as well as toilet paper. Besides keeping our display towels in other bathrooms looking nice and new, it is more sanitary for shoppers/buyers/guests to use individual paper towels. We have had numerous instances where shoppers/buyers either clogged toilets with who-knows-what or believe it or not -eeewww - didn't flush. If only one toilet is available for use, then the REA only has to worry about checking that toilet before closing up the house. All of the REAs we work with love this concept and always ask us to repeat it in the next house we stage for them.

Vicki: I hear you! Thanks for stopping by.

Jim: Would that more would follow your lead.

Valerie: I don't mind them tying them up as long as there is an alternative.

Kym: Your Realtor friends will thank you.

Susan, I think all of us have had a client ask if they could use the facilities. What a great solution to the bathroom problem! 

Susan,

 Great post. This is one of those things stagers may have not thought about before. I offer a monthly cleaning with all my staging projects, so I can address issues like this.

Susan love the post.  I will be investing in disposable hand towels and keeping the baskets I was ready to toss.  Thanks for the advice.  Betty

You are so right. I may pretty up a bathroom but in reality I believe that people use my towels regardless of what I tell them. Please pee in the bathrooms I've staged and take the time to notice how lovely it looks...Then call me to do the same in your own house!

Joan: It's either that or hand out Depends.

Bill: Thanks for the compliment. My assistant said getting comments on your blog is like Christmas for your ego. I have to agree.

Roberta: Next week I'm writing a blog on bathroom ettiquette for those boneheads.

Retha: Thanks and with a little luck we can turn them into paying quest.

You bring up excellent points Susan.  I hadn't really thought about it from the agent's point of view when they are stuck there all afternoon doing an Open House.  I'll definitely keep your suggestion in mind for the future about disposable hand towels in a basket - that's a great idea.

I work with a builder who insists on taping up the TB's because people use them, then are afraid the water has not been turned on and don't flush.  It might be weeks before another showing and ...well I don't want to be graphic but, I think you get the picture.

This is a pretty funny post.  Don't use the bath facilities.....don't wear shoes in my house (we've heard this one too)....just what do they think realtors are?

What a funny but realistic blog!  You brought a smile to my face today!  I have found myself in that situation before.  Do I use the towel or don't I?  I hate trying to dry my hands on toilet tissue! And please, quit hiding the soap!

Cheryl the soldier's wife

Interesting, I never thought of this. I like the idea of directing everyone to one bathroom and making it very user friendly.

Also, remember to take the magazines out of the bathroom, especially the ones you bought at the supermarket checkout counter, with pictures of Brad Pitt and J-lo, or the buyer will never come out of the bathroom.

Casey: Touring with clients is a bit like a mini road trip.

Emma: Most agents listen to their mothers and carry tissue at all times.

Wanda: Absolutely!

Tori Lynn: It appears to be unamnimous.

Amy: We're all in this together.

Susan: What a great post!  Great ideas that I will be adding ASAP.  :) 

It's funny. People can be so OCD for no reason. We're in the business to make money...even if that means a little inconvenience.

Michelle: Excellent point! I just changed my post to reflect this. Thanks!

Debbie: Thanks for commenting.

Donna: That's a great service.

Betty: On behalf of my fellow Realtors, I thank you.

Kimberly: LOL! Thanks.

Susan, great points about the towels. I've never seen plastic or tape over the toilet, that would be a first (other than those sanitary tapes in hotels). I wonder how often people bar people from the toilets? Great post here. You know your stuff!!

This is a funny one.... but true!

I have actually put the paper towels out and found my cloth towels all messed up anyways.  It is unrealistic to think the nice towels won't get used.  I really like the idea of sending everyone to "one" bathroom.

LOL I LOVE IT. It's SO good to see a fellow stager's post getting featured! (You know, I really consider you as a stager now, not a realtor!) :)

Totally feel ya!

Cheers,

Cindy

Good idea to keep one functional bathroom with towels and paper and all the items needed. As a side note, all of these foreclosures with the water and sewer turned off .... some of these are rather gross ...need we say more.

Oh Susan yes the faux blog was beaten to death, but this part is an element that as a Realtor I think is important.  WE are bringing potential buyers to the home.  It is homey and inviting and the 2 year old needs to go...what to do?  We don't have paper towels in the car, just in case, or maybe we staging realtors do, but...before we can stop them they've gone and used the towel.  YES I straighten it and put it back as best I can, however I do put disposable hand towels in my listings for just this purpose.  It would be an added plus for the home stagers to think of this too.  It makes touring a little easier and the impact on the buyer who is having to go a little less stress about where to "go".

I agree so I always leave a hand towel for use that matches the others and then can be washed or folded neatly to dry. Hey after I stage houses I need to go, and I find myself using my shirt to wipe my hands dry..not too welcoming to a buyer, ha, ha...'

Phyllis Pafumi

I think it looks better if the towels are how they 'should be', along with the toilet.  It will look a lot more inviting.

Susan ~ This is a classic age-old concern for stagers! I always leave some nice decorative disposable hand towels (like from Linens N Things) in staged bathrooms for potential buyers and agents to use. I like Michelle's idea of designating just the powder room for those who want to use the facilities.

Gary: You usually see it in new construction or REOs.

Dave: You gotta have a sense of humour!

Sharon: You're in the majority with the one bath idea.

Cindy: I'll take that as a compliment. Thanks!

Bob and Caroline: Those REOs need to get with the program.

Charleen: Open houses are long enough.

Maureen: I ammended my original blog because of that.

Barbara: It's a look but don't touch deal.

Cheryl: Drying your hands with toilet paper is the pits!

Cindy: I like it too!

David: You've got a good point!

Teresa: Thanks!

Alan: You're so right!

Terrylynn: A good realtor is like a Girl Scout 'always prepared' or is that a Boy Scout?

Phyllis: I've done the same thing.

Amy: Thanks for the suggestion.

Maureen: That's fine as long as you have a powder room. A lot of my listings only have one bath.

Susan, once when I was pregnant with my second child, I was showing houses and well, I had to go to the bathroom.  When I went into the powder room, I noticed that there were little rounds pieces of paper in the toilet that you get from a hole punch.  I knew that the seller did that to see if anyone used the bathroom but when you are 8 months pregnant and you have to go... you HAVE TO GO!!  So go I went!  Later that day the seller actually called me at home, I have never met her, to suggest that if I, or my buyer need to use the bathroom in the future, that I find a gas station!  Needless to say, I was not in a hurry to sell her home and I was very glad that the buyer, who was also 8 months pregnant, didn't like it!

Susan: This really takes the cake! What were they thinking?

Amen! And Amen! Clients are usually very worried about using restrooms, but I tell them that is what they are for. Although, in vacant properties, I advise them to make sure the water is turned on :) It is especially an Amen when your client is 7+ months pregnant. You just try to tell that woman she can't use the toilet.

Sarah: Fortunately I haven't run into too many houses that have the water turned off but with the increase in REOs it may become more common.

Susan, I just tripped over this post, and you make such a great point here!  We call it "testing the plumbing".

Susan,

I agree with you a 100%. People want to feel AT HOME when they are viewing a property. Even if they do not use the bathroom, my clients flush the toilet once in a while to check that it works. 

Thanks for the ideas!!!

Fern Hamberger Broker @ NestQuest Inc.

Susan, loved the post. Neither me nor my clients care if someone uses the bathroom during a showing, after all, you want to make sure the plumbing works:) I only ask that if they do use the bathroom please FLUSH (that's always a great surprise), and if you clog it...fix it, or at least call me and I will!

Patricia: The real challenge is showing houses where they have turned off the water and the electricity. Yikes!

Fern: Thanks for the comment and I love your name (Nest Quest Inc.).

Tim and Laurie: It's really hard to get people to fess up when they incapacitate the toilet. Yuk!

Wow ... it happens there too? :)  I took a client recently to see a luxury condo and the bathroom door had a note on it, the bathroom mirror had the same note on it, and the toilet lid had the same note on it:  "DO NOT USE. USE PUBLIC BATHROOM OUTSIDE" ...  We were out of there very fast, and ran into the seller, waiting outside the door, and he asked why we were leaving so fast - no way we could possibly have seen the entire condo ... we told him we had to go to the bathroom, but wouldn't be back. (My client bought, but not that one - he was turned off by their attitude/notes.)

Of course I've also walked into vacant homes, after another agent, and it was quite obvious by the 'scent' in the air, that someone forgot to flush the toilet, so I suggest to Realtors that they double check the bathroom, before they exit with their clients. :)

Sylvie: That guy deserves to have his condo sit on the market!

Susan, that is the best suggestion ever - about the disposable hand towels in the bathroom.  It is so unclassy not to let guests use the bathroom and it is always a turn off for me.

I always carry my own paper towels and toilet paper when working or travelling. Call it experience,

When you are staging vacants sometimes there are neither available. Better to be prepared than the alternative.

Great idea about the disposable towels. Hadn't thought of it before. Will do it now.

It is so refreshing to read the point of view by Realtors. I read the Realtor group each day but rarely see these topics come up.

thank you for posting and keep them coming.

I didn't realize that people have taped toilets down...  You bring up a valid point on catering to the buyer, not just with the decor, but with "other" amenities that would make them comfortable in a home.  I really like the disposable towel idea.  Thank you for sharing your insight into this "urgent" matter!

Lisa: Tell me about it! Especially after a 6 hour tour.

Michelle and Kristina: Thanks, my pleasure!

I agree and have never tied up the towels, but do place decorative towels on the towel bars and then place an additonal towel to use on the sink, decorative, but functional.  In fact, it's the way I do it in my own home.

Joyce

Year ago I was searching a site where I could sell my house. I found really great site. It was called Fizber. There were great services. You can find them here http://www.fizber.com/sale-by-owner-home-services/index.htm.

As a stager with a good portion of my business coming from new home builders, I've never seen it from this point of view.  New home builders have models, so I always thought their buyers would just use the model bathroom.  But, qeez, you're right.  When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.  I've never gone to any length to stop people from using the towels but when I found them used I would always be peeved.  So simple, give them an option!