Absentee Policy

There is always some measure of inconvenience when placing your home in the Summit NJ listings.  The tidying up at a moment’s notice, the removal of personal touches, the repainting and rearranging of furniture can all grow wearisome.  On top of all this, your realtor won’t even let you to stay home during the showings and the open houses.  As the proud owner, why should you be the one scuttled off to a coffee house or shopping mall while your agent stays to show off your home?

It may seem counterintuitive to leave the showing of your home in someone else’s hands.  After all, who knows your home better than you do?  Who else knows all the small wonders of living there if not you?  So why is it such a common practice among the Summit NJ real estate community to ask the seller to vacate the premises for showings?

When selling your property, the focus should primarily be on the buyer.  The buyer wants to really see the home, all its quirks and irregularities in complete detail.  It’s not like giving a new acquaintance an admiring tour of the house during a party.  The potential buyer will be looking at every detail, both good and bad.  He will want to talk it over with his agent or spouse and be able to speak frankly about perceived problems. 

Basic good manners prevent most people from speaking so freely in the presence of the current owner.  Not wanting to insult, the buyer would likely not speak of anything negative if you are within hearing.  With little to say, they will likely leave your home much more quickly than if you were not present.  You want them to stay and linger in your home.  The longer a buyer stays the better. 

Once you have decided that your Summit NJ real estate agent is right and it is best that you not be at home during a showing, there are some things you can do.  Make an album of your home’s best selling points to keep on the kitchen counter or coffee table, anywhere a buyer could sit and peruse it for a while.  Or, if you are of a technical mindset, make a presentation to be displayed on a notebook computer or digital photo frame set in an obvious spot.  Highlight special features of the home, the neighborhood and the surrounding town.  These will help your realtor show the home from your perspective.

Have a plan for the times when your Summit NJ realtor makes the call and asks you to clear out for a bit.  Investigate local spots where you can spend some time without spending a ton of money.  Libraries and book shops are good spots to while away an hour or two along with museums and parks. 

If you feel that you’ve contributed to the process and you’ve planned a spot to spend time, you’ll be much more comfortable letting your realtor take over the task of showing your home.