“Is it ok to use the bathroom?” During a long day of seeing homes, inevitably someone needs to use the bathroom. Is it ok to use the seller’s if you are nowhere near a public restroom? Yes. But make sure there is running water, as some foreclosures have their utilities cut off. Also, leave the bathroom as you found it – and don’t open cabinets or drawers!
“Why are those people here when we made an appointment?” This has happened quite a few times, when my clients and I have arrived at a home, and the sellers made multiple showing appointments for the same time. This is different from an open house, when one expects to view it with others around. The sellers are really doing themselves a disservice here, because other people can be very distracting. I usually speak with the other agent and ask how long they might be. If we aren’t on a tight schedule, I wait 5 or 10 minutes until they leave. Now I specifically ask the sellers or their agent to keep that time exclusively for my clients.
“Should we take off our shoes?” If there are shoes outside the front door and a basket of paper booties, yes. Many sellers don’t want dirt and germs from who-knows-where tracked into their home. Sometimes there is a cultural reason for removing shoes before entering. So if you see a sign or a dedicated place to remove shoes, please honor it.
“What about the poor cat/dog/bird in the garage?” Sellers often put their pets in the garage so buyers can view their home without distraction. Sometimes they are in crates or free to roam around. Many buyers are animal lovers (like me) and want to interact with the pets, but it’s important to keep clear of them unless you have permission from the sellers.
Hope this helps address a few buyer etiquette issues. Happy house hunting!
No comments:
Post a Comment