Since you are there, leave your card to indicate you were there and then go on and show homes to your buyer. Before you leave make one more attempt to show this home to the buyer.

Wed Jul 16 2008, 19:11

Stick a card in the door to identify you were there and move on to the homes your client does want to see.

Wed Jul 16 2008, 15:04

I would go inside and leave a card so the seller knew that we had made it to the property. Then I would contact the listing agent and explain what happened. I would give her my feedback on the property. We owe each other common courtesy. The seller may have spent hours preparing for the showing.

Carol Pease

Wed Jul 16 2008, 14:41

First I would politely request the buyer to view the home since obviously a showing was scheduled. The request would not be made with the thought that the home would be purchased but on the thought that it can become a point of reference for comparing the value of the other properties being viewed. I.E.- A home overpriced with major repairs may make the next home priced within the market and with good appeal seam more likely to be desired. If the buyer said no, then I would go inside and leave a card. I would follow-up with showing reports to all listing agents whose properties were shown.

Tue May 6 2008, 12:07

I would try to persuade them to take a quick look. When looking at properties we are in an information gathering mode, and each property we look at helps me to better understand their particular likes and dis-likes. Sometimes a property doesn't show it's best face from the curb and can be really nice inside, or at least have a lot of potential. I have found that often a home that has good bones but lacks a little charm at first glance, can be purchased at a bargain price, because other buyers are seeing the lack of curb appeal and passing it by. With a little imagination it can look like a whole different house - a 'diamond in the rough'.

Tue May 6 2008, 09:05

I immediately contact the showing service and cancel the appointment. If my buyer does not want to see the house from just curb appeal I dont want tooo waste their time and focus on homes they are interested in. Actually it is the buyers time not yours.

Mon May 5 2008, 14:34

Jeff,
If it is early on in the relationship with your buyer, you might explain that they are in an education stage and looking at all the homes you have scheduled will assist them in learning the market and value. Even a quick 5 minute look is worth the time since you are already there.
If they still insist, go on to the next property but make sure you understand their objections.

Mon May 5 2008, 14:08

We quickly move on to the next house, I call the seller back and let them know my buyer changed their minds and we will not be viewing the house but thank you.

Mon May 5 2008, 06:03

I agree completely with Elvis except for the fact that I work in chicago and we always leave cards. I see them on the kitchen counter of most empty houses I show.

Sun May 4 2008, 17:49

We don't "leave cards" in our area, so I don't have that option, and quite honestly, I wouldn't use it.

I tell my clients, as Chris mentioned, that someone prepared for our showing, cleaned, maybe they ran home and removed the dogs from the property, and even though it's clearly not the house for them, let's show the seller a "courtesy" and take a quick look at their home. You might be surprised, and fall in love with it.

I also point out, that it's more than possible, that the sellers are sitting in a neighbor's house across the street, watching us, so please be polite, and let's make a "showing" of going through the home.

If the client can't be convinced, we move on, and while we're in the car on the way to the next showing, I make a phone call to the listing office, to let them know that unfortunately, we had to cancel our showing. It's just a little courtesy, that allows the listing agent to see that the showing was canceled so that they don't get ambushed by their seller, when they tell the agent that nobody was in the house "I know" says the seller "because I have a nanny-cam running in the kitchen, and nobody came in". (don't laugh... it happens).

Sun May 4 2008, 17:05

Hey Jeff,

Sadly, I have been in that spot a few times. I do believe that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.

Going inside and leaving a card has always worked best for me.

I don't feel that arguing with a client or trying to convince them to go in is a benefit for them or me. However, somebody cleaned that home for a showing and may even have turned all the house lights on for you.

I go inside, take a quick look at the place myself for future reference and feedback purposes, leave a card and then leave.

THEN, at the end of my showings, I remind my clients that they need to drive by each of the homes they are scheduling with me so that this does not happen again. I remind tem that somebody worked hard to clean a home for them and that it is unfair of them to do this to the home seller and it effects my credibility with that Realtor the next time that I want to show one of their listings.

Sun May 4 2008, 16:56

I'd try to persuade my clients to come in with me as I go in to leave my card. Explaining that the seller has gone through the effort to (hopefully) clean and arrange for showing. Then obviuosly you want to find out what happened on the way over.
Do any of you have to show houses when the seller doesn't leave? In San Francisco the seller is never there and the agent is, unless it is vacant (we don't use allot of lockboxes). In the next county I've had agents tell me that the owner will put the lockbox outside the door, I go with my clients and owners are home. Is it just me or is that awkward?

Sun May 4 2008, 16:54

I would try to get the buyers to take a look at it explaining the sellers would be disappointed if they did not at least go in so you could give feedback to the listing agent. I don't leave a card unless I am instructed to by the showing desk.

Sun May 4 2008, 15:00

I would most likely leave my business card and ask the listing agent to give me a call. We are working for the buyers in this case and must follow their instructions.(however difficult that might be!)

Sun May 4 2008, 14:58

Jeff,

IMO, I think the buyers not wanting to see the home after making the arrangements, may be based on initial impression of the neighborhood. You may ask them to reconsider and at least take a look inside but I would not push the issue.
If it was something to do with street, neighborhood, location etc...their is little that can be done to change those factors. I say just leave your card in sellers home and move on to next property. On your way to view the next property you have a wonderful opportunity to be a better agent to your clients by getting insight as to what tuned your clients off about that particular home. This will give you make you more knowledgeable concerning what they ARE looking for in a home and a neighborhood. Plus, this insight may even save you time on your next tour with these buyers.

Bonus: Since you left your card it is not rude to the sellers, and if you will give feedback to the other agent about the property, it will give the sellers a chance to address the issue (considering it's an issue they can address) to make their home more appealing for the next buyers. Win/Win situation. I'm sure everyone will appreciate your efforts.

Warmest regards,
Tiffany

Sun May 4 2008, 14:12