Please remove shoes? ...Gee, I hope I have my good socks on today (the ones without holes in them). Do not let the cat out? ...Cat? Okay, I'll alert the allergy sensitive buyer, so she can start out on a NEGATIVE note. These are just a couple of the common requests which are made as I try to schedule an appointment to show a house. And, I can actually live by these rules.
But.....24 hours notice? Well, just forget it then. See, the buyers live an hour away and just decided this morning that they want to look at houses THIS AFTERNOON - they won't be back here tomorrow.
What? .....7pm is too late? You want me to try to schedule the showing before 5pm? Sorry, can't do it - the buyer works until 5.
Geeze. What are sellers thinking? In a buyer's market it's not about accommodating the SELLER. If a seller really wants to sell their house bad enough, they need to make it available and EASY to show.
And what about those security alarms?
Last week I was provided confirmation for a showing appointment with the most unusual instructions...
Please remove shoes. OK.
THEN, turn off the alarm. OK
...which is located in the 1st floor master bedroom
...to the right of the entryway
...and behind the door to the master closet.
WHAT? As I listened, I was trying so hard to visualize the distance involved and imagine the amount of time I had to finally find the keypad to the alarm ...which just so happened to be so conveniently hidden behind the master bedroom closet door. And, as I rehearsed this little skit in my mind, I tried to remind myself to take off my shoes and be careful not to trip over them as I sprinted to the keypad in a frenzy.
I thought of my worst fear coming true. Setting off the alarm, police cars swarming, cops with their guns drawn and insisting that me and the buyers come out with our hands up.
And, just imagine ...the real reason the police showed up to arrest us? Perhaps it's because they discovered that we all have holes in our socks!
Sellers: Just turn off that alarm for showings. And, while you're at it, just make it simple for me to sell your house! Geeze!
Hi Carol,
Oh my gosh, what a day! Late this afternoon I had a few of these myself, yet without the cops! Last time I set off an alarm it was just after we left the property. As you can imagine the listing agent was not happy, and truthfully I don't blame her.
Hope tomorrow is better for you!
Carol, the one I still don't like is BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. I know sometimes it has to do with a baby in the house but the buyer is with an agent, so don't make this so hard.
OK so the sellers are giving out their security codes so agents can turn off the alarm-what's the point of having an alarm if so many people know your code? It's like they say, if someone is going to do harm by you, it is most likely someone you know. Sellers should not be extending out the welcome by handing out their security code. Let the lock-box be the sellers secure way to track who's in and out-tell sellers to only set the alarm when it is for certain that they won't be expecting anyone (i.e. at night).
Carol- This is too funny but I know just what you mean. Sometimes these special instruction can be a turn off for both agent and buyer.
Agree -- all the restrictions on showing and the cats and dogs and removing shoes - -- yeiee -- if you want to sell , make it easy!
Carol it is amazing what sellers will put in the way of selling their homes----and that is even before the things I am going to find:)
Hi Carol!
...and don't forget the day sleepers. I am empathetic to their plight, but it doesn't make it any easier to show when we can only show the home on weekends!
Good point, just turn the durn thing off for the day. Shoes off would not be an issue in my market and in fact is the norm unless the home is under construction.
Hi Carol... I always tell my sellers that the more difficult they make it for agents to show their house, the less likely their house is to be shown by agents. It's definitely a proportional relationship.
Hi Carol, Good post. Thanks for sharing.
Best - Sash
Carol - Very funny, but sadly true. I agree, just leave the alarm off already.
Carol,
As an inspector I hear the cat one, sometimes dog. There is little more stressful at an inspection than trying to keep track of someone's pet and, if the pet escapes, coyotes might eat the pet. Anymore, I just will not keep track of pets. I ask them to lock the pet in some room.
Carol, I think I'd take this house off my list permanently. But if requested you have to show it and that's bad. We have one here that the seller has had the agent put the lockbox on a very high entry door to the laundry room that has no guard rails and is about as wide at the top as the door. Dangerous and ridiculous. That is where it is even though there is a front and back porch! Clueless!
Carol, what a freakin' nightmare! Although, the last time I set off an alarm, the nice police lady (who recognized me as a repeat alarm setter offer) left with my business card. They have this new law that police are supposed to live in DC. She may have to sell her Takoma Park home and move into town. Hmmm.