Home > Home Selling > Why Sellers Should Not Be Home When Buyers View Your Home

I typically advise my Seller clients not to be home when buyers view their house. Even on a short notice. Sometimes, the appointment is not relayed to the Sellers in time, buyers and their agents have been known to walk in on Sellers. My typical advice if this situation arise is, Thank the Buyers for coming, drop whatever you are doing, grab the keys and head out the door IMMEDIATELY. Jump in the car, go somewhere. Close the door behind you. Take a walk for a few minutes.

As a Seller, you really don't want to be at the house. Your presence might hurt than help. 

Buyers can feel uncomfortable with you at the house. They will quickly walk through the house, head for the door and move on. No one can make the proper and emotional decision in that 10 minute tour. At least most men cant! Your goal as a Seller is to keep the Buyers in your house for as long as possible. Let them sit on your couch with their feet up and let them sit at the high bar bouncing ideas back and forth about the new imaginary life at their/your house. If you are at the house - either hiding in your bedroom or sitting on your patio, makes them feel uncomfortable, as if you are waiting to reclaim your life back once they are gone. No, no to that.

Another important reason why you shouldn't be home is that sometimes you voluntarily release information that may hurt in your future negotiation. I never felt how terrible this situation is until I had experienced it myself yesterday. I showed a house in Frisco Texas to my buyer clients. We walked in the door and the Seller came out to greet us. She looked like she just got up from a nap (that was about 2pm). She shook my hand and she apologized for how she looked. That's when her life story spilled out. So, she went on and on and on about what she was going through and about why she had to sell the house. My clients and I do really feel for her situation. But at the same time, had my clients been interested in the house, we could really negotiate in our favor.

It wasn't pretty and thank God the Buyers weren't interested in the property. Otherwise, I could have used the information in a tough negotiation. It's not fair to begin with, I understand that. But in my business, I have pledge to give my best to my clients and I will have to do that.

Information is power in negotiation. Voluntary or involuntary, it is still information that we - real estate agents gather to use in the best interest of our clients. Hence, it is best not to answer any question related to the house. Politely tell the Buyers or the Buyer's Agent to contact your real estate agent. If needed, call the agent on the phone immediately.

What you say or don't say sometimes can hurt you in your sale. So, my best advice is to leave the house.

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