Showings After House Is Sold

It's not theirs till the final closing.
You were nice enough for one additional showing (I wouldn't have done that much).
You need to say you're too busy for additional showings.

I read somewhere where people were under contract to buy and then showed it to their parents - who then pointed out things THEY didn't like about the house and talked them out of buying it.

So no more showings after this one time you allowed it.

I did visit with a friend after we went into contract, but that was because the seller was a friendly old guy who had put a lot of work into the house and wanted to show me some things he thought I should know about the systems and the maintenance. Two showings like that, though, make me think they really want the opinions of friends and family about whether they should go through with closing. If someone tells them it's a mistake, are they going to back out? For example, my parents were very against the house my sister bought 30 years ago and tried to talk her out of it. She's still there - just paid off the mortgage - and they still think it was a mistake. Some people would rather lose earnest money than make a life long mistake.

I have never heard of this. I would just tell them the house is a mess with boxes all over the place and you really do not want anyone to see it like that.

That's odd. I thought you were going to say the Realtors are still showing the house to other people, which is not uncommon as things can go wrong before closing, but it is rather weird that your buyers want to show their friends and family the house while you're still living there.

Normally, buyers would see the house when they were looking during pre-offer, perhaps again for inspection(s), then right before closing to see if there are any surprises uncovered after the seller and their stuff has been removed.

Not allowing friendly tours of your house is not a legitimate reason to break a contract. They'd lose their earnest money and whatever fees they've already sunk into the process.

I would have your agent convey to their agent that this is the last time they'll be in the house until the walk through before the closing. This way their agent can let them know right now that anything they want to check out, measure, etc needs to be done on this visit. Next request is a no, sorry, I'm really busy trying to get the house packed up so I can move out and you can move in. No exceptions.

Here's the deal on this situation: The more you accommodate them the more they'll ask for. At this point they are over stepping their boundaries and the more you let them the more they'll ask. My son is currently in the process of buying a house. He's putting in a bid on 1 we looked at last night. If they accept the bid the next time he'll step foot in it is when the inspector he hires is there. After that if everything goes ok the next time will be a walk through before the closing. Anything more would be annoying for the seller.

I'd tell your realtor to tell their realtor no. You don't want family members picking out things that they might not have noticed, and then telling their realtor that you have to fix them, holding up the closing. There really are people like that.

i seriously doubt they'd back out just because you don't let 'em in. i do understand their excitement and desire to show their pending new place to family, and if you can reasonably accommodate it, i'd do it.
but if you really feel put out by it, don't. you are allowing one walk-through, after all.
i'd probably be cool with it, myself. i'd let them know the place is a mess, and if they're okay with it, schedule it at a time that worked well for ME, not turn myself inside for them.
but i would do it.
khairete
S.

They should always always have the realtor along for these showings. Never them alone.

I could see them bringing the kids or family that might be living with them, but that usually happens before the bid is put in.

I would have your realtor politely let them know that you are packing and getting ready for closing. If they want to accompany the inspector (and the realtor) during the inspection that's fine.

Remember that your home is NOT sold until ALL the paperwork is signed, until then it is under contract and either party can break the contract at any time.

Personally, I find it very rude to keep asking to see the house, it would be different if it were empty.

We've sold 2 homes and this has never happened.

After the contract signing, the new owners to be did show up with the inspector which is perfectly acceptable and then they did not come back until the day we closed.

It would annoy me if someone wanted continued visits because in my mind... I would think they were looking for anything they might have missed so they could pin in on you, second guessing themselves, etc. The more opportunity you give them to come look around, the bigger then chance of them having a change of mind.

I think you have gone above and beyond what I would do in this situation. You are trying to pack, clean and have it move in ready for them and they are taking your time away from you.

I'd have the realtor convey that although they are excited, blah blah, that the next time they come in, it will be after closing when it is their new home.

I suggest this is an imposition. I would only say yes again if the realtor says it's best. Even if the realtor recommends doing so I would allow it at my convenience. I wouldn't worry about the mess made by moving. The buyers would not expect it to be otherwise. They are also most likely packing also.

Perhaps you could ask them why they need to see it again. If it's to show friends and relatives I would remind them that they can do that after they take possesion. If they're unsure of their decision I'd again ask the realtor what to do. If they want to measure for drapes, rug etc. I'd set the day and time for when it works best for you Only as a courtesy.

We sold a house near Phoenix several years ago. The buyers signed the contract based on our making some improvements. Our realtor confirmed they were done. The buyers did not see the house after the initial visit Until they took possesion.

I agree with Sherry. Their realtor or yours should be with them.

Yeah, we went in to look at our "new" home before closing. There was some work we had to get done before moving in and needed to line up contractors, etc, so we asked for access to the house a couple of times. We asked nicely and only at a convenient time for the owners. They happily accommodated us. We were able to get measurements, contractor bids, etc before the closing and we were ready for the work to start the day we closed. We were able to move in weeks earlier than if we'd waited till closing to get into the house. And we REALLY appreciated the old owners letting us in.

Your buyers are probably excited about their "new" home and maybe want to show it to other family members, or take measurements or whatever. Certainly they shouldn't need access more than a couple of times. I doubt you saying "no more" is a valid reason for them to back out. Remember, they WANT to buy your house. If they back out, THEY'LL also have to start all over with the house search. Nobody wins.

Has the Realtor accompanied the buyers on any of their extra visits? If not, then I would not be open to having the romp around the house before it is their house. You still own it and they have to wait just like every other does.

If it is to fall through, they are the ones that lose the earnest money.

Do contact your Realtor about this situation. Let the seller and buyer Realtor get together and handle this.

the other S.

If you think their desire to show off the house is intrusive or excessive, then I would be honest. "I'm really glad you love the house, but we're trying to finish out the school year and packing and it's really not in showable condition. I'm sure you understand. We'll be out on x date and it will look so much better all cleaned up."

IMO, they can ask, but you don't have to show the house. You still live there til June. FWIW, I've done a drive by or shown the Zillow listing but not given friends and family the tour til *I* was moved in.

I also agree that the more you allow them this or that, the more they will nickle and dime. Friends really want OUT of their house and it's been a nightmare. The buyers are being really crappy and enough is enough already. I don't see it being out of line to tell the Realtor no more and have your people talk to their people. What do they want to see it again for? They put in a contract.

I think it's presumptuous. It's not their house yet. One visit to measure for drapes, fine. Repeated visits to bring in all the relatives, no. Have them contact their realtor and not you. They have to go through an intermediary who will calm them down. If they do come in, be gracious and then be incredibly busy with packing. Don't be the Queen of Sociability - show them you are being efficient. The problem with letting them in is that the aunts and mother-in-law and cousins may see a flaw and talk them out of it! You can't encourage that!

They can bring their family with them to the inspections or any other required opportunities to see the house. Don't be afraid to put your foot down. Selling a house is stressful, hard and extremely inconvenient work. The fact that they are enthusiastic is great, but they need to wait until closing before parading family and friends through.

I'd have them schedule it only when it would be convenient for you (i.e. you already have plans to be away from home), and have your realtor and/or theirs be there with them.

When my parents sold their house recently, the prospective buyers were "touring" the house for 3 hours (!) and when my parents came home, they found that the people had tampered with the hot water heater and it was leaking from the pressure relief valve at the top. They had to have a plumber come out and fix it. My parents made the buyer's realtor (who was there with them) pay for the plumber's bill; she should have been WITH them as they wandered around, and obviously she wasn't. She covered it without complaint. Still though. Who needs that when they're selling their house and trying to get everything packed up?!

I would say one to two extra visits should be enough that would be including the home inspection. We have only bought one house, we have never sold, but I wish I had taken measurements of some windows, walls, rooms and such prior to us buying some items for the house. That type of visit should not take more that a half hour or so.

Many years ago that happened to my husband and me when we were selling a house. And yes, as another mom mentioned, extended family talked the buyers out of the purchase (after we had a contract and a deposit). Guess what - they didn't think they should have to forfeit their deposit! (it was only about $500).

We went to small claims court and and ended up keeping the deposit.

If it were me I might let them see it again, but then have your agent convey that this is absolutely the last time. If there is a hint that they have remorse, better to back out now. IMHO it's best to avoid conflict.

Some of this really depends on how much you want to sell your house, too.

That would be annoying.

We were given one opportunity with our first home, zero with our second.

I didn't ask for the first one - it was part of our deal with the realtors. It did annoy the sellers. Inconvenienced them.

The only advantage was, we were able to go in and get measurements ahead of time for curtain rods and baby gates.

I would think two visits after the sale is too much.

I would say no to any more. They should video/take pictures in case they need to show more family/friends, and maybe they could take measurements etc. if needed when they come.

Congrats on the sale :)

Odd to say the least. Never heard of this. What does your realtor say? If I did it at all it would be one more time MAX and the realtor would have to be with them. I have a hard time believing people would even ask to do this....

me and dh asked the realtor if we could tour a house 3x before we finally put an offer in... first it was just us, then with my dad and again with his dad. i doubt that we would of gone 3 seperate times if the house had been occupied though. the house we were looking at was empty and on market for 2.5 yrs. and we bought it!

As you pack up and move items away from walls and expose flooring that was covered before more and more things can be found. They could start adding all sorts of things to the list of requests.

I'd let the Realtor know you are too busy to allow them time to come in. However, if you do have some free time and they have been wanting to come in you could schedule something so they can come in for a while.

It sometimes makes them start feeling the house is their's and that can cement the sale even more.

Easy. If they are wanting to come in specifically to take measurements or get information to show a contractor because of alterations they plan to make, I'd say yes, once. If they are just showing the house to family out of enthusiasm, I'd say, "I'm sorry but we are now packing and the entire house is full of boxes and our stuff is all over the place, so the house really isn't accessible to be shown to others. Please see us again at the closing."