I have read some of the different postings and it sounds to me as if some people (homeowners) are actually there when they are having an open house. Is this the way it should be or am I just reading the postings incorrectly?

no they shouldn't be. Put valuables in safety deposit box or hideaway.

Homeowners should not be present during the open house.

Libby-
We have an Open House every other weekend on Saturdays from 12:30pm-2pm. In the summer we are gone most weekends so this works well for our schedule but if I am home then DH and I use this time to tour other open houses! I like to see the competition! We're in a smaller town so I also take them a bottle of water that we have our "house wrapper" on them with a picture of our home and the description. They can visualize the house and then I get to ask them questions as well-like have they been into our home? Do they have any clients for our home? Let them know we've lowered the price,etc. You should NOT be home during an Open House or showing, it will not help you sell your home to be there, let the realtor do their job and sell the home! justmy2cents

We haven't been there for any of our open houses...

Libby I wonder if maybe you were reading some threads where FSBO ppl had posted...they would be holding their own open houses, of course and would be there.

Like the other posters,for most of the time,I was not there for the open house.I usually sat in my car or found somewhere to go. But one day, because my daughter was in the hospital in another city and the only contact they had was my home phone number, I stayed in my house. I sat out on the deck, away from the main"action". never reacted to any comments that the "lookes"made, and only responded to questions that were dircted spectifectly(sp) to me. It was not the best situation and I did it only because of my daughter. Best advice I can give you is to leave the house, just make sure that anyting of value is protected or removed from the house. Ilearned this the hard way as some of my jewler, which was in a jewlery box on my dresser "disapperd" durning one open house. the peices did not have any great monatery value,but rather sentimental value,ie.some peices that had belonged to my mother or somethings that my deceased husband had given me.
So, yes, leave the house, but make sure that your "stuff" is protected. Esp anything that is small enough to be picked up taken out of the house.
I am sorry if I sound negitive,beleive me, I would( and did) live in a world that was positive and always thought the best of everyone. But life has taught me other wise, as much as I hate it.However, I still choose to beleive the best of everyone, just now with a knowledge that not everyone in the world is like me,and a touch of cinisem(sp?).
So, leave the house, but make sure that you protect the small valuable "stuff" in your home.
The other thing that I learned( the hard way) is to make sure that everything in your home is covered by insurance. Make sure that anything of any value is noted on your homeowener policy, ie, jewlery, old family pictures, your good china or crystal(sp?) your sterling silverwear,make sure that if you have any antiques in the house, that they are listed as such and not just "second hand frunisher(sp).
Ok, Off my soap box, just think about what I have said, and then decide what you want to do .
msmarymac2

Oh, ok I guess maybe they were postings by FSBO. And of course, I always take my valuables in a lock box and put it in my van and go over to my Dads. Just wanted to make sure I was doing things the "right" way. Thanks for all your advice.

quote:

Originally posted by msmarymac:
Like the other posters,for most of the time,I was not there for the open house.2

Ms Mary, I hate that those things were taken from your home...I guess there are always a few bad apples around, I'm sorry they found their way to your house.

If you notice something after a showing, your Realtor can take the "electronic" loxbox to the local Realtors' assn. and which records realtor showings and it will determine which Realtor showed your home last. Believe me, your assn. will take charge of this matter. If you have a combo style - impossible to know.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: real estate lady,

During our first open house, we weren't able to get all of us quite out the door just in time and we encountered a couple coming in as we were leaving. We pretended to be buyers and told them that the house was gorgeous inside!!

LOL !
charcoalsmom!

Great salesmanship (chortle)


reminds me of a time when ...
We left a note on the front door,
saying "Please leave the lights on as their are multiple showings today?"

Got offers from both agents! Each assumed hoards of buyers were coming through...


That was luck on my part. My clients thought it was skill. Who am I to argue?

LOL< Great ideas from CM & True Heart, now why didn't I think of those!

2stay,
That is a great idea of putting a picture of your house on a bottle of water. Great idea of showing it at other open houses.
Much better that using my dgd. She would never do any of those things I suggested. She is at the age where she is probably embarrased to know me.