If agents are coming to "Show" your home, they will be bringing people with them to see your home. The agent will have our office call and ask if you will be home during a certain time period for the inspection or showing.

If you are not going to be home, and have allowed us to have a lock box, then of course the agent will get the combination from our office and leave their business card after showing your home.

Periodically, agents will drop by unannounced, because the buyer pointed the home out while driving in the car. If this happens, it is completely up to you, if you wish to let them through. If the agent can confirm with identification that they are a real estate agent, and your home may be shown, it may very well be a good idea to let them through. We have sold a number of homes this way. We of course, prefer having a record of showings in our office, and do prefer all appointments through our office.

We do not ever suggest letting the public through unannounced. If the public should knock at your door, please hand them our business card and ask them to call us. You don't know if the people are really buyers, and if they are, how are they qualified financially. Please refer all enquiries to us so we can do a complete qualification before showing your home.

Two's a Couple, Three's A Crowd
Try not to have too many people present during a home inspection, since the potential buyer will feel like an intruder and want to hurry through your house. We're not suggesting you have your company leave, but if a neighbour is visiting, you might mention that someone has made an appointment to view your home, and this usually gives them a warning that they should leave.

Music Soothes The Savage Beast
Except for the potential buyer. Try and turn down a blaring radio or television. Let the agent and buyer talk freely and not be distracted.

Silence is Golden
Be courteous and friendly, but don't force conversation with a potential buyer. They are there to inspect your home. You will probably feel the agent isn't telling them enough about your home, but the features of your property are discussed before and after the showing. Remember, the buyer that does place an offer on your home will {in most cases} want to negotiate the price, and they feel by showing enthusiasm, during their viewing the property, will affect their negotiating power.

Be It Ever So Humble
There's no place like your home. Never apologize for the appearance of your home. If any objections or derogatory comments are offered, let the experienced agent handle them - that is their job!

Stay In The Background
Your agent knows the buyer's needs and desires and can better emphasize the virtues of your home when you're not "tagging along." If there are any questions, they will call you.

Don't Put the Cart Before the Horse
Trying to sell the buyer any of the furniture or furnishings which you're not taking with you, before they've purchased your home, can often lose the sale.

A Word To The Wise
Let the agents discuss the selling price, terms, possession and other factors with the customer. If they ask you about a few of these items, you can let them know such things as possession, but never discuss the price of your home. All negotiations must come through an offer, and if any agent should bring up the price factor, please call and let us know immediately, and who the agent was.

For Sale Sign
A "For Sale" sign will be placed on your front lawn, usually within 2 business days of signing the listing agreement. Our sign is like a 24 hour salesman on your property and a number of sales do come from purchasers calling off the sign. If you are in a Condominium, we naturally cannot have a sign.

Key
Many vendors allow us to have a lock box on their property allowing us and co-operating brokers to show your property when you are not home. Our office will call and if you are not home we will call the co-operating broker and give them the lock box combination so they can show the home.