# Etiquette for house showing..am I suppose to evacuate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090 "2012-08-20T20:27:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/1 "2012-08-20T20:27:52Z")
What is the etiquette when a realtor is showing my house in the evening, or on the weekend when I would otherwise be home? I just got a notifiction that they are showing my house between 6 and 7 this evening. I don’t really _want_ to pack the kiddo up and find something to do for an hour, but I also think it would be weird to be hanging out and carry on as normal with a tour traipsing through my living room. Edit: Ahhhh!! SupposeD! I promise, I know how to spell it. Dangit, now my title sounds stupid. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/2 "2012-08-20T20:35:31Z")
When I was going to sell my rent house, the real estate guy said the tenant should go have a beer or something with buyers came to look at it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/3 "2012-08-20T20:36:42Z")
You don’t have to leave, but it’s better you do. Among other things, this allows the potential buyer and the realtor to speak more candidly. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/4 "2012-08-20T20:44:28Z")
Yep, get out of dodge. Just go hang up the street in the car and wait for them to leave. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/5 "2012-08-20T20:45:49Z")
Guess I’ll find something to do…considering the circumstances, it might be a good time to scout out some apartments! Or make a Costco run. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/6 "2012-08-20T20:46:57Z")
Yes, there’s very little you can do to help the sale, and a lot you can do to hurt it. Many buyers will just be uncomfortable you’re there and cut the showing short. And clean up before you go. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/7 "2012-08-20T20:48:10Z")
Not only that, but you want the buyer to feel like this could be their house. If you are in the house, it puts a huge damper on that feeling. It is why you stripped your walls bear and removed all of the clutter from your shelves, tables, and counters. (Also it makes the negotiations more difficult(easier? for one party) later as the other party now has a face and a personality.) ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/8 "2012-08-20T20:49:53Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Yes, there’s very little you can do to help the sale, and a lot you can do to hurt it. Many buyers will just be uncomfortable you’re there and cut the showing short. > > And clean up before you go. Yup, I have been trying to keep the place presentable…still, it looks like a functional household with a two year-old, a dog, and a cat. > [@Disheavel](#): > > Not only that, but you want the buyer to feel like this could be their house. If you are in the house, it puts a huge damper on that feeling. It is why you stripped your walls bear and removed all of the clutter from your shelves, tables, and counters. (Also it makes the negotiations more difficult(easier? for one party) later as the other party now has a face and a personality.) How did you know I did that?? Creepy 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/9 "2012-08-20T20:55:48Z")
And make sure anything valuable has been locked up or well stashed. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/10 "2012-08-20T21:13:51Z")
When we were looking at houses about 11 years ago, we were showed 6 or 8 in the neighborhood we eventually moved into. Most of them I’ve forgotten, but I’ll never forget the one in which the family was hanging around, doing stuff. The mother was puttering around in the kitchen, the dad was on the computer in the family room, the kids were playing. They all pretended not to see or notice us or the realtor - like we were ghosts observing them from another time or something. It was surreal. We didn’t buy that house. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/11 "2012-08-20T21:13:59Z")
If you are leaving the cat and dog in the house for the showing you should make sure the agent knows about them. If you can take them with you that would be best. When I sold my house all cat stuff was packed up and stuck in the truck of the car and the cat was put in a kennel and left with the neighbor. When I was viewing houses I don’t recall ever seeing a pet around except for the FSBO place. ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/12 "2012-08-20T21:21:50Z")
Also, if you’re there while a prospect is looking at your house and he asks an awkward question (“The railings on the staircase seem to be at an odd height” - “blue walls and a red ceiling?”) you’re not tempted to jump in an explain/defend the situation and your realtor has more options available to him/her when he gets to explain it. Among other things he/she has the option of saying “yeaah, well, the current owner has some odd ideas in terms of decorating” without offending you. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/13 "2012-08-20T21:52:40Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > If you are leaving the cat and dog in the house for the showing you should make sure the agent knows about them. If you can take them with you that would be best. When I sold my house all cat stuff was packed up and stuck in the truck of the car and the cat was put in a kennel and left with the neighbor. When I was viewing houses I don’t recall ever seeing a pet around except for the FSBO place. I told my agent about them, I assume that he made it known on super-secret-agent board that my animals will be here. Dog is kenneled, cat is out but hides. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/14 "2012-08-20T22:06:10Z")
Furthermore, it’s horrible to sit there while other people open your closets and discuss your landscaping. Even if it wasn’t much better for selling a house, you want to leave, I promise. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/15 "2012-08-20T22:12:07Z")
You don’t want to be there, and ideally you would want your family photos and pets and most of your possessions elsewhere while the home is listed. As was mentioned before, you want it to appear as “A” home, not “someone else’s” home. If your place smells like pets at all it’ll turn a lot of buyers off. When I was looking for my current home I brought a small blacklight and if it lit up an obvious litterbox area in a bathroom or laundry room I figured I’d either have to completely gut that room to the studs or learn to live with the entire house smelling like cat piss whenever that room saw a little humidity. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/16 "2012-08-20T22:13:49Z")
If you want to sell the house, do not evacuate, unless you are in the bathroom… ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/17 "2012-08-20T22:16:54Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > When I was going to sell my rent house, the real estate guy said the tenant should go have a beer or something with buyers came to look at it. > 🙂 I hope you meant when the buyers came, not with the buyers… 😃 We’re house shopping now and owners are rarely there and it’s awkward when they are. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/18 "2012-08-20T22:34:29Z")
I have been house shopping and people always leave - that’s why we have an appointment to see it. once the couple renting the house staying and that was actually interesting. they pointed out why I wouldn’t want to buy it and, sure enough, I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/19 "2012-08-20T23:01:04Z")
I was in my house while it was being shown once. But it’s easier all around if you’re not there. If the potential purchaser is uncomfortable looking at the house with a critical eye while you are there then they might leave with a negative impression for no reason. Also, it freaks out the realtors because they have a whole different storyline with the purchaser than the one they’re discussing with you. The purchaser may sense that, misread the realtor, and in another way, walk away with a negative impression. Just grab the kid and go to MacDonalds. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090/20 "2012-08-20T23:02:12Z")
Definitely get the hell out. The realtor has no emotional investment in the place. For her it’s a business transaction, and she needs to be able to discuss the place without your input. Also, the buyer needs to be able to express concerns and opinions without you getting all butt-hurt about it and torpedoing the sale. Many realtors have superstitions about owners hanging around. Ours didn’t even like us being in the neighborhood. The place sold in two weeks at full price, so perhaps she was right. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etiquette-for-house-showing-am-i-suppose-to-evacuate/632090.md?page=2)