Should home owners be at the open house?

I do not recommend it. Owners may have good intentions but can make or break a sell if the wrong thing is said or done. And some buyers feel more comfortable being able to see themselves in the home as their own

Dear John,

Homeowners should not be at the open house for many reasons. As mentioned the visitors will not feel comfortable having the homeowner at home. Owner might talk with the prospective buyers or with their agents and can tell things that they do not supposed to say. The owners staying might create pressure on hosting agents too. At the end of the day, Owners interest is to know if there was any interested party with their house, is there any feedback about the house, its features and price. You can tell them you will brief them in details at the end of the Open-House. I guess they will agree on that. Good luck.

Regards,
Cagdas Acar
Msc PSA Realtor @
Mobile: 832-283-1091
Webpage: www.cagdasacar.kw.com
Email: acarster@gmail.com

Hi John,

While nothing prevents a homeowner to be present at the open house (it is after all their property), I wouldn't recommend it for many reasons.
First and foremost- you want your guests at the open house to feel welcome and comfortable to look around, take their time, open closet doors, cabinets, really take in the property, ask as many questions as they want and provide honest feedback. With homeowners being present this is just not possible- your guests will feel "watched" and rushed, they will feel as if they're intruding, and that's the last thing you want.
You will also likely not receive an honest feedback- visitors will be afraid of hurting your seller's feelings. Or the opposite could happen- feedback gets provided, seller's feelings get hurt, it could not only cost a sale but also money.

However- I'd like to add something here. Sometimes sellers want to be present during an Open House if they are afraid their agent does not showcase the property and all its features. Make sure you know every feature of the house to showcase it to potential buyers, make sure you know everything about the neighborhood, the amenities and the lifestyle in this particular area. Sometimes sellers want to be present during an open house to ensure all these questions are answered and all the special features of the house are indeed showcased and shared with potential buyers. So assure your seller that you possess the required knowledge, that you are able to answer any questions about the house, HOA, tax rates, upgrades, etc. and that your visitors will have all their questions answered.

That's my 2 cents. Good luck!

Yvonne Chauvin
Realtor
281-686-0143
yvonnechauvin@yvonnechauvin.com