Very short poll on a Saturday ...

I just read this post and found it to be relative to your poll.

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I strongly encourage sellers to leave the house during ALL showings and I usually will not do an open house with a seller unless they are a friend.  You can't force them out during showings but I let them know the disadvantages of being there and request they take a short walk or visit the neighbor.  A friend (or even a seller) at a house who will sit on the sofa and keep quiet while buyers are going through is ok, but one who insists on following buyers around and pointing out all the 'great' things about the house I will not tolerate!  Actually having someone with you is a safety feature.

Hi Bill: It usualy is better to show a home without the sellers present. 90% of the time. There are exceptions if the sellers know when to let you do your job.I had one character who thought it would be okey to show his home in his pj's and drunk.

I agree with everyone.  I try to tell my sellers that the buyers will feel most comfortable if they were not there, but again...we can't force them to leave.  As for Open Houses, same thing goes.  Like Lloyd, I had a client's teenage son think it was funny to pop out of his closet and scare potential buyers with a jock strap over his head!! 

I tell my sellers that anyone viewing their home would feel freer to may comments if they weren't there. We want them to fall in love with the house and if the seller were present it would discourage them from opening doors, poking around and lingering.

Hi Bill, short and to the point it usually is unproductive to have sellers remain during a showing.  They are emotionally attached to the property and could take offense to comments and the buyers will not be open and honestly evaluate the property, has been my experience.

I have made exceptions where physical handicaps have been involve creating a very difficult situation for the seller to vacate.  Nice post.

At the time I list with the sellers, I explain that buyers feel uncomfortable when the sellers are home and they feel they are intruding into the seller's lives.  Therefore they want to get out of the house as fast as possible.

I do not allow sellers to be present during the showing or during any open houses, unless it is a Realtor Open House. 

 

No, No and No - I do not let the sellers be present. Two times I've been the buyers agents and the seller stayed home and maid promises the a selling agent didn't know about. One lead to a lawsuit and once I explain this story to my sellers, they don't want to risk and run from the home fast!