Rainy Days

With all the rain we have seen this summer, showing property tends to be less fun and takes longer than sunny days. Rainy day, especially long spells, like we have been experiencing lately, requires us to be more cautious about tracking water and mud into the homes prospective buyers view in the warm months and snow in the winter. A lot of times, buyers will walk around the house and yard before going inside. It's fair to say at that point, it would be easy to track in dirt, water, snow, or worst of all, mud.

So, what is the proper etiquette for showing property? Should buyers remove their shoes when entering a home? I say yes. It is important for buyers to remove their shoes when entering a seller's house if they have dirt, water, snow, and especially mud.

Sellers work hard on getting their homes ready for viewing. Coming home after a showing to find water or mud on their floors is disturbing. They appreciate it when buyers and the showing Realtor care enough to leave the house nice and not make them have to clean up after the showing. It also shows the seller that they respect the hard work and care they put into their home's maintenance and preparation for their viewing.

So, if you will look at a home to purchase, plan to bring shoes that slip off easily. I've even seen buyers bring slippers to wear inside. As a prospective buyer, you want to treat the house as you would treat your own home. After all, you are there to see if you want it to be your home.