Q: Can you tell me what the customary routine is for showing homes?

My husband and I were out with an agent over the weekend and he seemed to be running in circles. Some places were empty and we could go to those anytime but some homes we could only see at a specific time. He had conversations on the phone with some of the owners about taking dogs with them and one made a big deal about locking a gate or something. Why is this so difficult?


A: Showing homes, especially if they’re occupied, can be a real choreographic nightmare sometimes. Most sellers want to be notified of the showing a day ahead and want the appointment made for a specific time. That’s often hard to accomplish when showing several homes to clients that are located in different parts of the Island.


We often run into other challenges when our clients miss the boat they were planning on getting and we have to call everyone back and reset the time of the appointment. Another problem is trying to guess how long a client will spend in each house. Some folks are interested in everything and want to walk the property, see the garage, and even spend time measuring rooms. Others just pop in and out in just a few minutes to get a general idea of the place. That can mean that by the time you get to house number six on the list, you’re an hour late or an hour early.


Many listings have special instructions for closing a gate or leaving a back door open for the cat, or calling ahead just before you get there so the seller can scoot out with the dogs. We all try to be respectful of people’s time and requirements but it isn’t easy.


Cut your broker some slack. He is juggling many issues as he’s trying to show you everything in your price range that you’d like to see. His thoughtful handling of seller’s often difficult requests can pay off when you make an offer on one of those homes.