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Be a No-Show At Showings
It's 6:30 p.m. on a lazy Sunday
evening. You've finished dinner, washed the dishes and settled in front
of the television, when the telephone rings. Your REALTOR® has an
opportunity to show your home to an out-of-town buyer who's stopping by
a few more properties before catching a late flight out of town. Should
you hang around while the buyers go through your home? Or should you
head out for a frozen yogurt or take the dog for an extra walk? Making
yourself scarce and letting your agent show your home is probably in
your best interest. Here are a few reasons why:
Buyers are uncomfortable when the seller is present.
Remember how you felt when you were walking through other people's
homes shopping for the one you decided to buy? You probably felt a bit
intimidated or reluctant to spend much time in a home when the seller
was at home. If you clear out, prospective buyers will be more inclined
to give your home their full attention and consideration.
Sellers usually say something they shouldn't.
Are you moving because your home is too small for you? Or too
large? Is your beautiful front lawn or refreshing swimming pool
expensive to maintain? Did your neighbors balk at sharing the cost of
repairing your boundary fence last year? Revealing this type of
innocent-sounding information to prospective buyers may give them
pause. Similarly, simply disclosing your motivation for moving can give
buyers an edge at the negotiating table.
Leaving is less stressful than staying.
Selling a personal residence is an emotional experience for most
people, regardless of their reasons for moving. There really aren't any
compelling reasons to put yourself through the trauma of watching
strangers wander through your home and listening to their criticisms or
redecorating plans.
You'll be helping your agent.
Most agents feel they are better able to show a for-sale home when
the seller is off the premises. If your agent asks you to leave and is
cooperative about scheduling showings only with qualified buyers at
times that are reasonably convenient for you, you should go along with
your agent's request. After all, that's why you hired a professional to
market your home and negotiate the deal for you, right?
By the way, these considerations apply to weekend open houses
and broker-only events as well as private one-on-one showings to
individual buyers.
Written by Realty Times Staff
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