Why You Should Not Be Home

 We *always* advise our sellers to vacate the home any and every time a buyer or their representative is present. This includes initial showings, repeat showings, open houses, inspections and final walk-throughs.

Although it is an inconvenience to have to leave your home, I can assure you that buyers will spend longer in your home if you aren’t there, and they will talk about it more — both the good and the bad.

And that is exactly what you want. You want buyers to spend time in your home. You want them to talk about it — the good, the bad and the ugly. The longer they spend and the more they talk the more emotionally vested they become in the home. And the more they are likely to want it.

Of course no agent will ever know as much about the home or the neighborhood as the person that lives there, but, with owners present and without fail the buyers feel uncomfortable in the home. You are trying to sell your home. Making potential buyers feel uncomfortable in it is the last thing you want to do.  Perhaps running errands during the scheduled showing or nice long walk, could be one of many activities that could get you away from the home during the showing time.

If leaving the home is not possbile, avoid following the agent and buyer from room to room, try to provide ample space and only respond to questions that are asked by the agent.