Selling your home isn’t easy. In fact, it’s downright stressful on many levels. For example, a lot of people struggle with the idea of strangers coming through their house. Perfectly understandable! But, that being said, the rule of thumb is that it’s very important to clear out while a Real Estate Agent brings a potential buyer through your home. Here’s why:
- If a buyer engages you in any kind of conversation, no matter how innocuous, you might give important information away, perhaps without even realizing it. I advise sellers that almost any piece of personal information ‘given away’ could adversely impact negotiations. Potential buyers are bound to form all kinds of conclusions as a result of comments you might make, your appearance, the car you drive… and everything in between.
- You might know the prospective buyers. It’s a small world! Once again, this could affect negotiations.
- The buyers might offend you. It’s one thing to expect that not everyone will love your daughter’s bubble-gum pink bedroom; it’s another thing to hear people comment on how ugly it is. Yes, people have strong opinions and plenty of them will shout them from the rooftops, if given the chance. Your perception that the prospective buyers are rude or insensitive brings a level of emotion into the process that won’t serve you well during the negotiating stage.
- Your presence in the home will almost certainly make them feel awkward. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and imagine walking around a home without being able to speak freely, and the general sense that you’re being watched. Your buyers are likely to have much less interaction with the home and, certainly, it’s hard to visualize a home as potentially “yours” when the current owner is reading the paper in his comfy chair by the fire.
Sometimes it’s unavoidable, though – and if you do have to remain in your home during a showing, consider confining yourself to one space where you can separate yourself from your house guests. It may not be the ideal scenario, but at least you give potential buyers enough freedom to linger and discuss your home in relative privacy.
Just a final suggestion… If you have security concerns related to showings and having people come through your Guelph home, raise those concerns with your Real Estate Agent. He or she should be able to advise you on the steps you can take to protect your home and gain some peace of mind.
