Give Your Buyers Some Privacy

By Gloria Smith

If you have decided to sell your home on your own, you need to remember that you will be performing various tasks. You will clean up, photograph, and advertise the house. Afterwards, you will receive and screen calls, and schedule viewings; either private viewing or through open house events. Though you may be able to perform all these tasks single-handedly, and without any hitches, you may encounter some difficulty when you are actually showing the house to potential buyers.

As the owner of the house, there is still a tendency for you to be somewhat “over protective” of your property. Oftentimes, you would “shadow” the buyers wherever they go; giving bits of trivia or ‘defensively’ offering explanations to perceived flaws. Although you only want to help, your buyers may feel intimidated or uncomfortably with your presence. Buyers, especially couples who come in together, tend to talk about the unit they are viewing between themselves. They will discuss everything from which room would be used for what to the envisioned color scheme. With you around, they may not be able to thoroughly discuss the pros and cons of the house as well as their future plans.

When you’re showing your house to guests, always keep a respectable distance. Don’t hover around them; ideally don’t follow them inside rooms. The absence of your ‘immediate presence’ gives them the freedom to open doors, pull drawers and draw shades; and most importantly, talk between themselves if the house is the one they are looking for. Keep the information you relay to them to the bare essential and go into detail only if they ask you questions.

You have to strike a balance though. You may go into extremes and completely leave them to their own devices – thus making them think that you are not interested in their business. It may be difficult to do, but if you carefully observe how your clients move and interact, you will be able determine whether or not they want your help or would rather be left alone.