How Do Showings Work When I Still Live in My House?

A buyer's agent asks for a time, you approve it, and you leave while they are there. A short routine each morning keeps the house ready, and a plan for pets, valuables, and where you will go makes the busy weeks much easier.

I am Delia Bayna, a REALTOR with eXp Realty in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). Many sellers live in their house until it sells, and here is how to make showing a house while living in it work.

When a buyer wants to see your home, their agent asks for a time. You can say yes, ask for a different time, or say no if a time truly does not work. Then you leave, and the buyer's agent walks the buyer through the house.

Some weeks bring a lot of showings, especially right after a home goes live. Other weeks are quieter. Saying yes as often as you can matters, because a buyer who cannot get in this week may buy a different house.

Buyers need to talk freely. They want to open closets, say what they would change, and picture their own furniture in your living room. With the owner in the next room, most buyers hurry through and say very little.

Leaving can feel strange when you have lived somewhere a long time. Have a few places ready to go: a walk in Liberty Park, a library branch, the grocery store, or a visit with a friend. In bad weather, a long errand works fine.

A daily routine keeps you from cleaning the whole house every time your phone buzzes. Before you leave each morning:

• Make the beds and put away the breakfast dishes.
• Wipe the kitchen counters and bathroom sinks.
• Empty the small trash cans.
• Open the blinds and leave a few lamps on.
• Put shoes, coats, and bags in a closet.

Keep a basket in a closet for last-minute clutter. When a showing request comes in, everything on the counters goes in the basket, and the basket goes in the car with you. Your house will look the way it did in the listing photos, which is the goal. Here is how to get ready for listing photos if you have not done that step yet.

Plan for pets before the first showing. Take dogs with you when you can. If a pet has to stay, crate it and leave a note on the crate. Some buyers are allergic to animals or afraid of them, and a loose pet can slip out an open door.

Put away anything small and valuable, like jewelry, cash, spare keys, and important papers. Lock up prescription medications or take them with you, and lock up any firearms. Buyers open cabinets and closets, and a lot of people walk through a house while it is for sale.

Showings do not stop when the snow starts. A few habits keep winter showings going well:

• Shovel the driveway, the walks, and the front steps, and put down ice melt.
• Set a boot tray and a small rug inside the front door, so buyers know where to put wet shoes.
• Keep the furnace at a comfortable temperature, even while you are out.
• Leave the porch light on. By late fall, it is dark before many people get off work.
• Give snow boots, sleds, and shovels a spot in the garage instead of the entry.

For many sellers, the hardest part of showings is the waiting. You leave, buyers walk through, and then you wonder what they thought.

I call and email every seller every Friday, whether there is news or not. You will never wonder where your house stands. I spent eighteen years as a teacher, and I know a plan on paper calms people more than any pep talk does.

Showing requests come fastest in the first week on the market, so have your routine ready before you list. You can read more about selling a home in Salt Lake City, and if you are moving to something smaller, my downsizing page covers how I fit the sale and the next home together.

Do I have to leave the house during showings?

It is best to. Buyers look longer and talk more freely when the owner is not there.

What do I do with my pets during showings?

Take them with you when you can. If a pet has to stay, crate it and leave a note on the crate.

Can I say no to a showing request?

Yes. If a time truly does not work, you can ask for a different one. Saying yes as often as you can gives more buyers a chance to see the house.

How do I keep my house clean for showings while living in it?

Use a short morning routine and a basket for last-minute clutter. Make the beds, wipe the counters, and put things away before you leave each day.