“Just Say “No!'” (or, “Tomorrow Works Much Better”)
As a rule, the more accessible a home is to prospective Buyers . . . the easier it is to sell.
But, that doesn’t mean Sellers can never say “no” ” either to a showing request, or, to a Buyer (and their agent) literally standing in their doorway.
Here are four situations where, as listing agent, I give my clients permission to “just say no” (Note: arguably, there’s a fifth scenario as well: arctic temps with a -30°wind chill — Minneapolis’ current weather. But then, Buyers aren’t likely to want to see homes then, either):
One. The agent and their client are late.
At least in Minnesota, showings are always for a one hour window.
An agent who requests 3-4 p.m. on a weekday and shows up at 4:30 p.m. should expect to be refused, especially if the homeowner is juggling small kids, work demands (they have a home office) ” or is just preparing supper.
Two. “Serendipitous” showing requests (also known as “spur of the moment”).
Exactly what they sound like, these typically occur when a prospective Buyer is looking at a home down the street, and notices another “For Sale” home that piques their interest.
Memo to Sellers: if the Buyer is serious, they’ll double back with more notice. See also, “Dealing With “Emergency’ Showings“; and “How to (Try to) Get a Short Notice Showing Request Approved.”
Three. Someone in the household is sick.
Buyers don’t want to be exposed, any more than co-workers, customers, etc. do. Same as situation #1, if they’re serious . . . they’ll try again.
Four. Update or repair-in-process.
Just like you can’t “un-ring a bell,” once Buyers have seen the flooded Bathroom*, ice dam aftermath*, or shocking pink spare Bedroom, it can be hard for them to get it out of their head.
Given how emotional buying a home can be, encountering any of those situations can spoil a home’s appeal for at least some Buyers.
P.S.: For the same reason, I don’t encourage selling clients who’ve done substantial updating to share the “before” photos, no matter how proud they are of the transformation.
*After doing the repair(s), the Seller should also update their Seller Disclosure.
