Should Sellers Really be present at Open Houses?

You raise some very good points, but I think a lot of people would feel uncomfortable with the seller being present. It may make them hurry to get out of there. But, your points are very valid.

I agree with Shannon - you raise some good points.  Perhaps we should enlist the NCAR/NCBAR to provide us with a hold-harmless for sellers to sign protecting us, as agents, from the liability that might arise from something like the things you have mentioned.

You have made a great point.  I know most prefer that the seller not be there, but if they still have their valuables out, they may just insist on being there.  Most sellers  may know when to let you do your job, but there is always that one that doesn't. So that's a risk your taking either way.

I like the comments by Bill and Cyndi.

Debra,

You have greater faith in sellers than we do, though we are predominately listing agents.  A seller usually has an emotional attachment to the property and tries to sell it too hard, which can come off as desperate.  We do not do open houses with the sellers present... period.

Now as part of the listing appointment we specifically tell them to remove or secure any prescriptions, irreplaceable, or easily concealed items of value that could "jump" into a pocket.  On one listing priced above $1M, after the first open house I received an angry call from the owners saying that some expired, narcotic prescription bottles had been emptied and placed back in the medicine cabinet.  After listening to my client about the loss I gently brought them back to the listing appointment and our conversation about securing items in the house.  These were "high maintenance" sellers to say the least, but after I reminded them of the conversation they admitted that they had overlooked these items.

After reading Bill & Cyndi's comment, we may well add an amendment to the listing that we have discussed securing valuable/desirable items within the home to futher protect ourselves.