When you put your home on the market, what should you expect for what actually happens at a showing?

In the Berkshires , we often have both the listing agent and buyer’s agent present. However, in most areas, only the buyer’s agent will be there with the buyer. We are slowly but surely moving towards this model. More on this topic in another post :)

A few things that might happen at a showing:

Buyers may want to open cabinets and closets.
Buyers want to feel free to express what they like and don’t like about the house. ( This is why many areas do not have the listing agent present so that the buyers can talk freely to their buyer’s agent during the showing )
If you have photos out, they may peek at them out of curiosity.
If there is access to the attic, unless you have given specific instructions to not access it, they may want to take a look at the attic space.
Certainly many buyers may have driven a long distance to see the property and just might need to use your bathroom. Make sure to have soap and a hand towel available. Better to be prepared than for us to pretend this never happens. lol

How long will a showing typically take ?

Well , I have had showings that last all of 5 minutes to over an hour. Often , the showing is basically over but the buyers need time to chat with their realtor afterwards. If you need them to clear out by a certain time, be sure to convey this to your listing agent.

The realty is that they say most buyers know within the first 5 minutes if the house is “ The One” . Despite this statistic, many potential buyers still need the extra time to go through the whole house and sometimes, even walk through more than one time.

Keep in mind that if the showing goes long, this can be a VERY good sign !

Be sure to let your listing agent know that if you are out and about waiting to come home, to let you know as soon as the showing is over and all guests have left the property.

As for feedback on showings, try if you can to be open to both positive and negative feedback. As our market continues to shift, this will become more and more important.

We may be trending towards a more “ Normal” market in which property listing preparation, buyer incentives, and feedback becomes a very important component of your property marketing campaign again. Always talk to your listing agent as well as to what they expect to see for showings etc. It is critical to have open communication with your agent so that you are working as a team from start to finish.

Hoping this post was helpful !

Tanya