Lawrence and Sheila Agranoff do not recommend the Homeowner stay during an Open House.
Through our experience, Buyers feel uncomfortable whenever a Seller sticks around.
Buyers want to open closet doors.
Buyers want to look inside kitchen cabinets.
Buyers don't want to feel rushed.
Buyers don't want Homeowners watching them or following them around.
They want to look and picture their furnishings. It's not about being intrusive. They just want to try and imagine their stuff in these new surroundings.
We had one Seller who followed a couple around and was more interested trying to sell them his $25.00 picture hanging on the wall, then trying to sell the house. He kept distracting them and they eventually left without even viewing the whole house. When we called them after the Open House, they told us they felt "creepy" having the homeowner follow them!
Yes, we do understand it's an inconvenience for you to have to leave your house. But, we know from experience that Buyers will stay longer without a Homeowner around. They will critique the good and the bad about the house without the Homeowner there. They want to talk freely and may see things they don't like but don't want to hurt the Sellers feelings. We have heard Buyers tell Sellers everything they thought the Homeowner wanted to hear about their home, only to say they didn't like the house at all once they left and the Seller was out of sight.
You want Buyers to spend time in your house. The longer time they spend looking around, the more emotionally vested they become in the home. This could lead to the likelihood they are going to Buy your house.
Any questions that a Buyer may have will certainly be passed along to the Seller after the Open House. We have found that when a Homeowner stays...potential Buyers usually walk through faster because they feel they are intruding on the Sellers space.
Trust your Realtor to know what is best.
Getting a Buyer at an Open House to picture themselves living in the property is one of the most effective ways to generate serious interest and get the house from listed to SOLD!
Our recommendation would be to prepare your house and make it sparkling clean, open the shades, turn on the lights, and leave before the Open House!
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