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Why Sellers Should Not Be Present During Showings

Shahri Masters

Buyers are uncomfortable about having a seller in the house when they are touring it. They feel like they cannot look inside closets or speak openly with their agent. They become very aware that they are in someone else's house and have a harder time picturing it as their own. If it is possible, you should leave the house whenever a buyer arrives.

Another reason sellers like to hang around is to sell the house. They may not think of it as hard selling but a buyer usually sees it that way. Of course, you know the house better than anyone, but does that mean you are able to sell it? In fact, a seller's knowledge can actually hurt the sale. Giving a buyer all the details of what you did when building or remodeling makes them feel like you put your heart and soul into the property. They would not want to take your heart and soul away by buying it. Sellers have a tendency to oversell and turn off the buyers.

The details of every hand-laid block in the foundation and every hand-milled piece of trim may be interesting to you, but they will usually just bore the buyer. Not every buyer thinks like you do. Solid construction may not be as important as closet space. Each buyer has her own hot buttons, and days spent showing property to this buyer has educated her agent as to where those buttons are. A few minutes with this buyer in your house is not enough to educate you. You may be selling a feature that doesn't thrill her or overlooking one that she really cares about.