Selling your home can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. A good real estate agent can help you, making the entire experience easier. There are also some common sense tips that can help make sure you don’t say the wrong thing when you’re showing your home.
Elizabeth Weintraub at The Balance has a list of important things that you should never say in front of a potential buyer, and the overall tip is to depend on your listing agent.
In an ideal situation, as Weintraub points out, it’s best if sellers don’t show their own homes, and excuse themselves before their real estate agent shows the home, but there are a number of reasons why a seller might meet interested home buyers.
“There are also times when a tenant might be uncooperative, which could require that the seller be present during showings,” Weintraub notes. “Tenants might not respond to a listing agent or a buyer’s agent’s requests for showings and prefer to open the door only for the owner. A seller might not allow an agent to secure a lockbox to the home and insist on showing themselves.”
When a seller meets another agent though when showing your home, there’s always a chance you could tip them off to something about the home that would impact selling price or the entire sale.
“All too often, sellers answer questions put to them by other agents because they don’t think they are doing anything wrong. They don’t see it as a mistake to provide what they feel is just information. But what they can say to an agent or the buyer can have big implications,” Weintraub wrote.
Here then are here top things never to discuss with another agent or a potential buyer:
The present sales price.
The length of time the home has been for sale.
Why the seller has decided to sell.
The comparable sales prices of other homes.
Any price reduction considerations.
Things that might be wrong with the home
How many offers the seller has received.
How quickly the seller would like to close.
So what can you say if you’re asked something and you don’t know how to respond? Weintraub suggests you don’t need to answer at all, but if you feel compelled to say anything, the magic words are: “You will have to ask my agent that question.”
As Weintraub points out, even simple questions like “Can’t you tell me if your home has been on the market for 7 days or 7 months?” could have implications for the buyer, so it’s best to let your real estate agent handle any and all questions showing your home. Your listing agent is there to support you, and get you the best deal for your home, so let them deal with the questions for a better experience all around.