Etiquette for Real Estate Agents.

[DawnCt1]

I have been looking at homes for a while. When the listing agent expects us, or my agent arrives just before we do, the lights are left on in every room. When I go through a room, after I have seen it, I turn the lights off. Wednesday we had our first showing in our home. I left the lights on in every room, as I was instructed. When I got home, all of the lights that I turned on were turned off. I appreciate that consideration. Yesterday I did the same thing. I turned the lights on and left the house about 15 minutes before the showing. Fortunately I was only gone an hour. When I got home, every light was still on, including all of the basement lights, which I forgot to turn on. I am glad that I wasn't gone all day. When they book another showing, the message will be, turn off the lights when you leave and if its muddy, take off your shoes.

 

[mumom95]

If I was a buyer and looking at a house where the homeowner had left all the lights on, I would leave the house the same way it was when I got there. For all I know, there could be another person coming through right after me, so turning the lights off like you do would be quite rude frankly. Many people work all day, so it isn't like they can keep coming home to turn the lights on every time someone does a walk through.

Now if the agents have an agreement to turn off the lights, then this agent was wrong. But it should be left up to the agent, not the buyer.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

If the lights are on, please leave them on when you are viewing a home. I would have mutiple showings sometimes and it really irritated me when they would turn off the lights.

Now in your own home, it is up to you to instruct the realtor to turn off the lights when they are thru.

 

[Angelhalo]

If I was a buyer and looking at a house where the homeowner had left all the lights on, I would leave the house the same way it was when I got there. For all I know, there could be another person coming through right after me, so turning the lights off like you do would be quite rude frankly. Many people work all day, so it isn't like they can keep coming home to turn the lights on every time someone does a walk through.

Now if the agents have an agreement to turn off the lights, then this agent was wrong. But it should be left up to the agent, not the buyer.

Yep. Unless there is a specific message to turn off all the lights before we leave, then we leave the home just as we found it. For all we know there coule be another showing 20 minutes after ours.

 

[mtemm]

the thing is, there may be multiple showings, so when we look at homes we leave them on, and when we are selling we appreciate the prospective buyers leaving them on.

we have bought/sold 4 homes in the past 8 years and more than once have had one showing scheduled when we were selling, and while we were out, our realtor has called and said another couple would love to see it on short notice and such.

I say leave them on.

it really isn't life or death when it comes down to it, but houses do show better with lights on.

 

[jrmasm]

Good lord. What is the big deal??

 

[mumom95]

I have been looking at homes for a while. When the listing agent expects us, or my agent arrives just before we do, the lights are left on in every room. When I go through a room, after I have seen it, I turn the lights off. Wednesday we had our first showing in our home. I left the lights on in every room, as I was instructed. When I got home, all of the lights that I turned on were turned off. I appreciate that consideration. Yesterday I did the same thing. I turned the lights on and left the house about 15 minutes before the showing. Fortunately I was only gone an hour. When I got home, every light was still on, including all of the basement lights, which I forgot to turn on. I am glad that I wasn't gone all day. When they book another showing, the message will be, turn off the lights when you leave and if its muddy, take off your shoes.

I forgot rule #1

 

[DawnCt1]

Good lord. What is the big deal??

About 65 light bulbs averaging 60 watts or more.
The agency should know if there are subsequent showings and I will instruct them to tell the agent to turn off the lights when they leave. Returning in an hour, it isn't a big deal. If I were gone all day, which I could have been, it would have been a bigger deal. I don't expect a prospective buyer to turn off the lights. I do expect the agent to do so.

 

[MizTink]

About 65 light bulbs averaging 60 watts or more.
The agency should know if there are subsequent showings and I will instruct them to tell the agent to turn off the lights when they leave. Returning in an hour, it isn't a big deal. If I were gone all day, which I could have been, it would have been a bigger deal. I don't expect a prospective buyer to turn off the lights. I do expect the agent to do so.

i agree

 

[happygirl]

I forgot rule #1

Shame Shame

 

[jrmasm]

About 65 light bulbs averaging 60 watts or more.
The agency should know if there are subsequent showings and I will instruct them to tell the agent to turn off the lights when they leave. Returning in an hour, it isn't a big deal. If I were gone all day, which I could have been, it would have been a bigger deal. I don't expect a prospective buyer to turn off the lights. I do expect the agent to do so.

So it's a seller's market now? I must have missed that.

Seems to me that being difficult is not the way to get your house sold.

Muddy footprints on the carpet is a big deal. Showing up unannounced is a big deal. Four wheeling across your front lawn is a big deal. Lights left on, not some much.

 

[phorsenuf]

I hope for your sake your house sells fast Dawn. It can be a long frustrating process and if you're annoyed about things a couple days into it, well all I can say is good luck.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think your expectations are too high.

As the buyer, I am not privvy to the showing schedule of your home. I will leave your home EXACTLY as I found it. If I want to see if something works (light switch, faucet, closet door--whatever)--I will try it and then return it to the original position I found it in.

It is not my place nor my job to go through and shut off all of your lights.

If you wish for the lights be turned off, you need a memo to the showing agent to close down your house in the way that you wish.

In the future--don't take it upon yourself to shut off all the lights at a showing. You have no idea if someone else will be looking at the house after you.

 

[DawnCt1]

I think your expectations are too high.

As the buyer, I am not privvy to the showing schedule of your home. I will leave your home EXACTLY as I found it. If I want to see if something works (light switch, faucet, closet door--whatever)--I will try it and then return it to the original position I found it in.

It is not my place nor my job to go through and shut off all of your lights.

If you wish for the lights be turned off, you need a memo to the showing agent to close down your house in the way that you wish.

In the future--don't take it upon yourself to shut off all the lights at a showing. You have no idea if someone else will be looking at the house after you.

I asked my agent if we should turn the lights off. And no, I don't expect a buyer to turn off the lights. I expect the agent to do so if there are no further showings. I will leave those instructions with the office next time they call.

 

[phorsenuf]

I asked my agent if we should turn the lights off. And no, I don't expect a buyer to turn off the lights. I expect the agent to do so if there are no further showings. I will leave those instructions with the office next time they call.

Unless your listing agent is present at all the showings than the showing agent isn't going to know if there is another showing or not. I really think you're getting worked up over nothing.

 

[DawnCt1]

So it's a seller's market now? I must have missed that.

Seems to me that being difficult is not the way to get your house sold.

Muddy footprints on the carpet is a big deal. Showing up unannounced is a big deal. Four wheeling across your front lawn is a big deal. Lights left on, not some much.

Where I am selling its a buyers market. Where I am looking its a buyers market. That doesn't obviate the need to be respectful of someone else's home. I always remove my shoes at the door and I ask if we should turn off the lights. Its intrusive enough to walk through someone's home, open the closets, etc. I certainly don't wish to contribute more stress onto the seller. At least three homes I have seen have been vacated. No one is living there but someone is paying the electric bill. It just seems considerate to me to consider that.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I asked my agent if we should turn the lights off. And no, I don't expect a buyer to turn off the lights. I expect the agent to do so if there are no further showings. I will leave those instructions with the office next time they call.

Have a note in your file. Your selling agent coordinates all the showings. But a buyers agent does not and will not have that information unless your selling agent communicates that.

 

[DawnCt1]

I hope for your sake your house sells fast Dawn. It can be a long frustrating process and if you're annoyed about things a couple days into it, well all I can say is good luck.

I think after a while I will get used to the process. This is something we haven't done in 22 years. That is how long we have been in this home. I have to get used to the idea of people I don't know walking through my house, opening the closets, etc. It would much easier to adjust to, if we had a house at the other end.

 

[Disney Doll]

I asked my agent if we should turn the lights off. And no, I don't expect a buyer to turn off the lights. I expect the agent to do so if there are no further showings. I will leave those instructions with the office next time they call.

Unless the agent showing the home is the listing agent, he/she does not have access to the showing schedule for your home. That schedule is kept with the listing agent's office.

As a PP said, if this totally insignifcant thing is bothering you two days into listing your house int hismarket, then I wish you well. You're in for a long frustrating process.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Where I am selling its a buyers market. Where I am looking its a buyers market. That doesn't obviate the need to be respectful of someone else's home. I always remove my shoes at the door and I ask if we should turn off the lights. Its intrusive enough to walk through someone's home, open the closets, etc. I certainly don't wish to contribute more stress onto the seller. At least three homes I have seen have been vacated. No one is living there but someone is paying the electric bill. It just seems considerate to me to consider that.

In the case of the vacated homes--I can only assume that someone went and turned them on.

I would find it disrespectful to change the condition of the home without permission (Which you will be providing)--but just b/c you feel it is okay to shut off all the lights, it doesn't mean you are necessarily being respectful unless you are aware of the showing schedule and had permission.