Tell buyers that you've hid your delicates!
I'm getting ready to list a beautiful home, and while meeting with the sellers, they had questions for me, and my answer to one of them was, "Tell buyers that you've hid your delicates!"
Would I be holding open houses?
Sure, but understand that they do more for me than they do for you, I tell them. I don't know what the statistics are, but I don't believe very many homes sell as a direct result of the buyer walking through an open house that was held at the home. I do know, however, that open houses can be a great way for me to pick up new buyer clients, and I let my sellers know this. I guess it's just my way of telling them upfront not to expect great results from the open houses they want me to hold. I want to sell your home, and will work hard to do so, to the people coming through the open house, Mr. & Mrs. Seller, but understand that the chances of your house being the right house for that potential buyer, on that day...well, they're not great. Once you get past the nosy neighbors, the window shoppers, and the wanna be home builders looking for good ideas, you're maybe left with one honest to goodness potential buyer; one serious buyer that is looking for a home, and thinks that yours just might fit the bill. If so, I consider the open house a success, so I hope you do too!
Should they be home while their home is being shown?
I have mixed emotions on this one. I think that the Sellers being home during a showing can be a great thing. It can also be a bad thing. Really, it depends on how talkative both the potential buyer and seller are towards each other during the showing, and of course, what it is they talk about. I recently sold a home in which the homeowner was there when I brought my buyer through, as she worked from home. She promised to stay out of our way while we were looking at the home and she quickly retreated to her home office. Her listing agent would have been proud! We toured the home on our own, but as we made our way closer to the area of the home in which she was working, she was obviously able to overhear our comments to each other, and she started popping her head out of her office to either answer questions she thought we may have had, or to point out particular details about the home that she wanted us to notice. She was extremely friendly and we immediately found ourselves chatting about all sorts of things, such as why the sellers had built the home the way they did, why my buyer was moving to Rochester, the weather, children...you get the picture. Buyer and Seller got along wonderfully, and before we'd left the home, Seller was holding Buyer's baby and Buyer was visualizing where the furniture was going to go. In this situation, I believe that the Seller being there helped them sell their house. I'd been in the home previously and knew that my buyer would like the home, but having the Seller there to answer immediate questions and to promote their own home to the Buyer made the Buyer's decision to write an offer an easier decision to make. With the market being the way it is, they had many homes to choose from, and they chose this one.
Now, have I had situations where the Seller being home during a showing had a negative influence on whether or not Buyer decided to buy the home? I've had one instance in particular that I remember. Seller had a beautiful home, and being an avid hunter, felt his multiple trophies that adorned almost every wall in his home made his home even more beautiful. Buyer was not a hunter, and in fact, was probably a card carrying member of PETA. Buyer balked at the curled up fawn that looked to be peacefully sleeping as we hit the landing of the beautiful oak open staircase that overlooked the gorgeous living room that boasted a floor to ceiling stone fireplace that was jaw dropingly beautiful (I know "dropingly" isn't a word, but it seemed to fit). Buyer made a derogatory remark about the "sport" that is hunting, and Seller overheard. Seller comments that the fawn had died naturally (or at least not due to being hunted), and he'd had it memorialized so that its beauty could be appreciated by all (he said something like that, anyway!). Needless to say, Buyer didn't buy it, and within moments Buyer and Seller were casting evil glances at one another, and I started pulling out the next listing we were to see, saying a silent prayer that there would be no animals adorning the walls of the next home we toured, and no Seller that proudly comments on the antique rifle he keeps displayed above his fireplace.
So, how should you Sellers handle showings if you happen to be home when the Buyers arrive? Tell them you've hid all your delicates and that they're welcome to open drawers, cupboards and closets! Tell them why you've loved your home, and why you're moving (they're going to ask you or their agent if you don't tell them first!). Buyers always want to know why Sellers are selling...so tell them, in as diplomatic a way as you can. Just be honest, be open to questions, not too "in their face" and let them explore your home. When Buyers and Sellers meet, get along, and get a good feel for another, it can make the entire process of buying & selling much less stressful and enjoyable for everyone involved...including the agents helping them!
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