Please Leave! 5 Reason’s to Hit the Road when your House is being Shown

If you have your home listed for sale and I show up with a potential buyer…please leave!  Go for a walk with dog, take the mail up to to the corner or go for a ride in your car.  Nothing shortens up the time a prospective buyer(s) will spend in a home than the homeowners being home…even the quiet ones who sit in the den and try to blend in with the proverbial woodwork (and you know who you are!)

I feel strongly about this.  What happens to the buyer when the owner is home?  I have witnessed a few things happen:

1.Buyers suddenly feel like interlopers into someone else’s daily living and want to get out quickly.  

Fact:  You want prospects to linger and absorb all the home has to offer.  It is human nature to feel rushed if you think someone is waiting for you to leave.  Also, remember they are there to see the house.  You and your family going about your routine are distracting.

2.  You might be pointing out objections without even realizing it. 

Fact:  All of you piled into the den might just be showing off how small the den really is.  Some houses are small. The less people in them at a showing the better.

3.  You might be saying something that can turn the buyer off or give them a reason to start deducting money off the asking price.

Fact: Something that doesn’t bother you, might bother the buyer.  Pointing out that the neighbors have 3 big dogs may not appeal to everyone.   And when you see the buyer’s expression change, please don’t add that only one dog bites.

4.  If you are home, you will be asked “Why are you moving?”

Fact:  Your circumstances for moving do not have to be shared.  You don’t need to tell the family of 4 looking at the house that you are moving because the house is too small for a family of 4.  One man’s small is another man’s big.  The question is being asked to gage your motivation and to set up a price negotiation.

5.  You may telegraph too much with your body language and demeanor.

Fact:  In this market, buyers are looking for reasons to negotiate the price down.  If you appear anxious or nervous they might sense that.  Don’t be shocked when they make a low offer because without knowing it, you looked like you wanted out of the house by sundown.  And, vice versa, if you look too non-chalant that can be misconstrued to mean you are not serious about selling.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea.  So, be prepared.  Put all your valuables in the safe deposit box prior to listing to alleviate any security issues. Then when you get a call for a showing, make the beds, get the dishes in the dishwasher and take the dog(s), cats and the kids out with you.  Let the agent show your home and its features and let the buyer visualize themselves living there. Tell the agent to take their time with the showing and to just call or text you when they are done.  By inconveniencing yourself, you just might help sell your home faster and for more money!