Real Estate --- Showing Your Home To Buyers

When a seller learns their first potential buyer is coming to see the house, they start to question themselves. To be or not to be there? Many sellers are so anxious and want to help, but in the end, it’s usually best if the seller is not present when the potential buyer gets there.

Buyers can be brutal. A good real estate agent will tell you that many buyers, even when they are very interested, will indicate every fault the home has. This is because they do not want to appear too enthusiastic over the property. They may love the kitchen, but will state the color is all wrong. The bedrooms may be perfect, however, the buyer will say there the doors are hung the wrong way. I have heard buyers criticize about the carpet only to have them walk out the door and say it was the perfect shade.

You never know what a buyer may say when they are viewing the home. The same it true with the seller. A seller may be so desperate to please they can say anything to make the sale. This is a mistake made all too often. It is especially true of first time sellers. They will offer to pay for things or decrease the price before the agent can stop them.

The best thing a seller can do when the agent is showing the home is not be there. Go out for dinner. Go for a drive. Go see a movie or an old friend. Just do not be at the house until the whole affair is over. This means you should leave when the agent gets there and not come back until the time you have been told by the agent. He or she will take care of the whole thing while you are gone. It is part of their job. One agent actually had to take a cake out of the oven because a seller forgot about the showing and started baking right before he got there.

If you find you have to be present when the buyer comes due to family obligations or illness, try to stay out of sight and earshot. Definitely keep your comments to yourself. Should you overhear a derogatory comment about your home simply ignore it. Remember the buyer does not want to seem eager. You may need to go into another part of the house, or even in the back yard to keep from commenting. If this is necessary, by all means do it.

There is actually another reason why a real estate agent may ask you to not be present during a showing. This is because you may reject a good offer if you hear the buyer down grading your home. This has happened on more than one occasion. The potential buyer started criticizing on the condition of the home. The homeowner heard this and got aggravated. When the buyer made an offer, the seller rejected it instantly without even a counter offer. The buyer chose another house. The seller actually sold the house for less than the original buyer had offered. All of this because a comment was made the seller overheard. Real estate agents have this happen all the time. They are trying to do the best job for you that they can. You need to let them do their job. This is why they are the professionals with the state license.

When your agent asks that you leave when they are showing your home, do not hesitate. Make plans to do something else that night. It can be the best night you ever had.

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