To Stay or Not to Stay? Sellers often ask whether they should stay in their homes while they’re on the market, or go. There are pros and cons to both and factors that can tip the scale to one side. Because the sellers have hired you to be their agent, the burden of showing the home is virtually eliminated. The agent’s role is to field all calls, set appointments, and show the home. On the other hand, chances that a buyer’s real estate agent will show a home are increased if the sellers are able to be absent. Busy schedules often cause agents to take the path of least resistance. If they have 20 homes to show and 5 are occupied, they may well show the vacant homes because they’re easier. They don’t have to call and make an appointment. They can simply go over and use the lockbox. Further, the continual pressure to keep daily life from affecting the home’s pristine staging presentation isn’t there if the owners aren’t. The seller is not under constant pressure to keep the home in immaculate showing condition and spotless. If sellers can’t commit to keeping the home in turnkey condition for showing purposes, they might want to consider vacating before putting the home on the market. In addition, potential buyers should be alerted that the seller has vacated the house. A vacant home can be interpreted as a “motivated seller” who needs to sell quickly.
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