Do You Have to Leave During a Home Showing?

“No one wants you breathin' down their neck, especially when they are about to make a critical move and buy your home.” - Jen Corso

Introduction:

Can you imagine going into someone's home to look around because you may buy it? Then you have someone staring at you. You can't even talk freely. You feel like you're being intrusive. You feel like if you make a wrong move, you'll be punished. Guess what? Some people don't leave during a showing. Awkward, you think?

Let's break this down why sellers don't leave. Often, sellers who have lived in their homes for decades feel overwhelmed and protective of their space — which is completely understandable. It can be overwhelming and intrusive They usually have tons of "stuff", memories, and don't trust anyone. I mean, who can blame them? It is also more difficult for them to leave. I always tell my buyer to not engage in conversation with sellers and keep your eye on the prize.

Another situation could be because there are children involved. Sometimes it's difficult to get kids ready and get them out of the house, especially babies. Sometimes, there's even pets. If there is a dog and they don't have a kennel or they don't want to keep them in a room, (of course you can't even see the room) they will stay in the house. They should take the dog for a walk to be fair. You also don't want to put buyer's and agents' safety in danger. What if their dog decides for the first time to bite a stranger?

Recently. I showed a little ranch home and the seller didn't leave. He had a very fluffy cat. Mind you, I'm allergic to cats. So, me just walking through the home knowing that I will have to tear off my clothes and take a shower when I get home, wasn't exactly exciting either. There were cat toys, cat forts, and water drink waterfalls were in every corner. I assumed he didn't want to put his cat in a cage for the 15-minute showing. In some cases, sellers may not realize how their presence affects the showing experience.

Do you have to leave your home during a showing?
No — you’re not required to leave. However, stepping out during showings helps buyers feel comfortable, explore freely, and envision themselves in the home, which can lead to stronger offers.

No one can make you leave your home for a showing. Though some listing agents are too scared or too polite to tell sellers to leave or at least stand outside. Listing Agents and Buyers Agents would prefer that sellers are not in the home. Buyers Agents walk with the buyers throughout the home to keep an eye on them and answer any questions about the home. Some sellers don’t want to leave because they think someone is going to steal from their home. They also believe that they can answer questions about the home. Having a seller staying inside the home does not help sell the home. It can actually hurt the sale.

With that said, here are 10 reasons why you should leave your home during a showing! 👊

1. Uncomfortable.

One reason is buyers feel uncomfortable. They do not feel free to look and feel like they are invading the seller’s privacy or personal space. Sellers that stay inside their home make buyers less likely to buy the home because they feel they can’t open closets or look at detail at the furnace or other equipment. How would you feel if someone was in close proximity and was just waiting for you to leave.

2. Keep Quiet

Buyers are also concentrating on keeping quiet on how they truly feel about the home and not talking out any concerns with their agent. The showing is usually a quick showing instead of a buyer taking their time and really feeling themselves in the home, not the seller. Buyers like to critique the home out loud and ask for opinions from the agent. Buyers feel like they won’t have negotiating power if the sellers see them personally and talk about the pros and cons. Sellers can also reveal something that kills any offer. Buyers judge the look of the home and the sellers. If the buyers don’t like what the sellers look like or how they talk, this can make buyers uncomfortable in buying the home.

3. Crowded

The home may seem crowded with the Buyer’s Agent, the buyers, sellers, along with pets. The home may seem smaller than it really is. Sellers usually have to jump from room to room if they don’t leave and if they stay in one room, such as an office, the buyer won’t even look or pay attention to that room. A clingy seller never helps sell a home. Sellers need to give buyers space.

4. Feels Rushed

Buyers seem to feel rushed and not being trusted to go through their home without the seller being there. They feel more like an alleged criminal than a buyer. Hanging around your home makes buyers think sellers are desperate. Buyers also think they may be difficult to negotiate, not trustworthy, and overbearing. It can be very distracting having the seller in their home.

5. Trust

I’ve been on both sides of the transaction. When I've been a Listing Agent the seller does not want to leave the home, and I have to explain why. I've shown homes where the seller or tenants let us in and don't leave. When I’ve shown homes usually it’s because of the last minute and the seller has kids, pets, or is working from home. I don’t want to inconvenience any seller, especially for a 10-minute showing. I just ask the Listing Agent or seller if they can just step out while I show. Sometimes they don’t want to leave because they don’t trust anyone to be in their home, so I just let my buyers know to act like the sellers are not there. My buyers usually keep their comments to themselves and rush through the home. I don’t think any of us look at the details because we are too concerned with the seller.

6. Annoying Habits

I’ve had sellers stay inside the home during the showing and all the buyers think about what the seller looked like or what they were wearing. Or the sellers screechy voice or annoying habit the buyers see. It sounds strange but even having the seller there with the volume up on the tv or watching the seller hand washing the dishes can annoy a buyer. Watching a seller blow their nose and not washing their hands can be a gross event and the buyer only wants to leave.

7. Constructive Criticism

On the listing side I have had sellers not wanting to leave their homes because they didn’t trust the realtor or buyers walking through their home without them watching every move. Usually, they have lived in the home for decades and never sold their home. It’s sometimes hard to explain that Realtors are trained and are ethical with how they show homes. One of my sellers would not leave. She sat at her kitchen table and asked questions about the potential buyers. I had told my seller not to talk to them about the home. Actually, I told her not to taIk to seller's period.

I had told the Buyers Agents that she was older and wanted to sit at the kitchen table. They understood. It did not help to sell the home because my seller was very judgmental of what they commented on and how they looked. The seller didn’t even want to sell to certain types of buyers. I had to remind her that was illegal. Sellers cannot choose buyers based on personal characteristics protected under fair housing laws. Your agent will guide you to ensure the process remains legal and fair. Buyers don't want to even put in an offer because the seller had been criticizing any negatives that the potential buyer was commenting or giving their feedback.

8. Open Houses

Not only should sellers not be in the home during the showing, but they shouldn’t be in the home during any broker tours, open houses, home inspections, or appraisals. Buyers do not want to see sellers living in their future home, they want to see themselves. It can also give off the wrong vibes if they see the seller crunching down on chips at an open house and not closing their mouth. Trust me, buyers don't want to know sellers' opinions unless there is something bad going on with the house or crazy neighbors. Buyers don't care that you spent $4 on paint that you used forty years ago because you believe it still gives the home value.

9. Pets

Even taking pets out of the house is a good idea. Pets don’t treat strangers the same as owners. Their behavior and normal habits can change. I've seen sellers grab their dogs and struggle get their cats in the car to drive around so I could show their home. Many sellers shouldn't even leave their pets in a bedroom because buyers want to see what the room looks like and if there's a closet. It's hard to sell a home if the buyer doesn't get to see the whole home. Also, leaving your pet in a cage doesn't appeal to some buyers either. Sometimes buyers can be allergic, or they want to stick their fingers in the cage. And you don't want them to bite your potential buyers, do you? What if the buyers bit your pet?

10. Don't lock yourself in a room

I know you think this sounds like no one would ever consider this, but I've had sellers lock themselves in their bedroom or office. The whole point of showing buyers your home, your whole home, is to buy it. Why would you think that someone would walk through your home and only see half of your home and be like "Whelp, I think I've seen enough and I'm ready to buy."

I showed a home a few years back with a mother and her 3 adult daughters. All four of them would not go outside or leave during the showing. I had 2 buyers with me. The oldest daughter locked her door and wouldn't let anyone go in her room. Our minds went to more of a concern. Were there stains? Torn up carpet? Punched out walls? Drugs? Weird crap going on? We were uncomfortable. Long story short we didn't put in an offer because we couldn't see one of the bedrooms.

Conclusion

Honestly, think about if the roles were reversed. If the seller was a buyer going to see some homes (which is usually the case), do they want to see homes with the seller in it? Probably not. It’s uncomfortable and doesn’t help trying to sell the home with the seller in it. Staying at the home is probably going to hurt you more than it will help. Unless you are a superstar, I’d suggest taking a walk around the block for a few minutes during the showing. Go to your neighbors and have a glass of wine. Even a short walk or quick errand can make showings more comfortable for everyone.

Make Showings Easier for You

• Plan quick errands or walks

• Create a 15-minute exit routine

• Secure valuables and medications

• Take pets with you if possible

• Keep lights on and blinds open

In competitive markets across the western Chicago suburbs, creating a comfortable showing environment can make a significant difference in how quickly your home sells and the offers you receive.

Thinking about selling but unsure how showings work?
I help homeowners across the Chicago suburbs prepare their homes and navigate showings with confidence.
📩 Contact me at www.jencorso.com

The Author is Jennifer Corso - Realtor. This was created all by her own brain cells. This was not created in Chat GPT or any AI. This was created for informational purposes only. This is only opinions and stories obtained by Jennifer's own experiences.