Chaperoned Showings:  “Listing Agent Must Be Present For All Showings”

It certainly CAN be a negative when a “For Sale” home — usually upper bracket — has restrictive showing instructions (other variants: lengthy advance chaperonenotice; financially pre-qualifying Buyers; no previews; and/or no public open houses — ever).

It’s also usually a “no-no” for a listing agent (representing a home seller) to directly communicate with a represented Buyer rather than their agent.

But, both rules have exceptions.

Not Relying on the Marketing Materials

Like when a home is loaded with easy-to-miss architectural features and amenities, and/or the listing agent is especially knowledgeable about the immediate area.

Then, sometimes the smartest thing the Buyer’s agent can do is . . . get out of the way (at least for a little bit).

That is, let the listing agent conduct the showing, pointing out what makes the home so special.

According to my Realtor grapevine, just such a strategy was the key to selling a $2.5 million Edina home recently.

P.S.:  A good listing agent won’t overstep.  When the showing’s over, they’ll quickly retreat and hand the Buyer back to their agent, who’s likely waiting in the wings.

See also, “Proper (& Improper) Purposes of Realtor Previews.”

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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