Showing Lakeland FL Homes With Elderly Homeowners Present
Time and time again working as a Lakeland FL Realtor selling homes for the elderly and showing homes when an elderly Lakeland FL homeowner is present, it is my experience that the home will not get an offer. At one of my recent showings, I encountered what seems to be the norm when it comes to our senior citizens. I absolutely don’t mind if the homeowner doesn’t have an alternative other than to be present. But I must caution of things you should not do when real estate agents showing your home.Buyers are not ever comfortable when owners are present at the time of showing and here are the reasons why:
- You as the seller can be your own enemy
– such as giving away information that potentially can hurt you.
- Giving the buyer the grand tour – although buyers would see the features of your home, they don’t want to be followed in each and every room, even the tiny bathroom where they being told that the toilette was just replaced because of a leak.
- You can make the buyers feel very uncomfortable with your intriguing questions – at one of my recent showings, the seller asked the buyer how much money they were making. I would not have them shown your home if they were not pre-qualified.
- Buyers feel rushed – When I show homes that are unoccupied, my buyers stay in the home on an average about thirty minutes, sometimes even more if they like it. When homeowners are present, the average showing time is less than fifteen minutes even if they like it.
I often encounter when showing homes that it is occupied by an elderly homeowner, given the geographical location I’m serving. There are also occasions when one of the homeowners is not able to walk or talk in which the homeowners are present at the time of showings. Most of the times one of the homeowners can not help but to give myself as the buyer’s agent and my buyers the grand tour.
First of all I don’t mind that the homeowners are present at the time of showing, but only when one of the homeowner cares for his/her spouse. In order for a possible offer to happen, please take this advice of a real estate agent who has shown homes many times and the reason the buyer did not buy is because of the seller
Stay away from the buyers at all time!
Do not give them the grand tour!