Are Sellers Spying on Buyers?

As a real estate agent, I have noticed a pronounced increase in the number of showing instructions that include a reference to audio or video recording devices in use at a property I will be touring with a buyer client. Sellers must disclose if any kind of recording or montioring device will be operating when people come to see the home. Often, when I alert my buyers that the sellers “may be looking and listening”, they are uncomfortable and liken it to be spied on. I understand that and, to be honest, I don’t like it either. Guess what, though? 68% of home sellers say that, if they had the equipment, they would use it during showings.

However, if I put myself in the shoes of the seller, I can understand that allowing people I’ve never met to spend up to an hour alone in my home, with my possessions all there, is equally uncomfortable. Why might sellers monitor showings?

• Security. Sellers often cite wanting to be able to check on their homes when they are not there, to be sure nothing is broken/stolen or being compromised.
• Privacy. Similarly, buyers who know they might be on video are much less likely to be nosy or invade a seller’s privacy (like looking through drawers).
• Collecting feedback for marketing. Many sellers may want to see what prospective buyers say and do in their homes because they want to understand what does and doesn’t appeal to them. If buyers continually express disappointment with the condition of the deck, for example, a seller might decide to power wash it and paint the railing. Similarly, if people comment on how nice the deck is, the seller might opt to put out additional seating/table and really play it up as an incredible entertaining space.
• Gaining “insider information”. Even though buyers’ agents must be told if there are audio or video devices in use (and then advise their clients accordingly), people still tend to talk about the property as they walk through it. For example, they might gush about how much they love it more than anything else they’ve seen. Hearing that might encourage a seller to negotiate that buyers offer a little more aggressively. Or, for example, what if the buyers say that they are concerned that there isn’t enough closet space in the primary suite. The seller could ask the listing agent to send a message out to all showing agents and amend the listing to state that the seller is willing to build in an additional closet.

So what does all this mean? The likelihood is that more and more sellers will choose to use technology to see what is going on in their homes during property viewings because there are too many advantages to them not to. Buyers may become more used to it and potentially less bothered by “spying”. That said, they may develop more self control as far as communicating while inside the home. They will probably become better at holding their thoughts until they can discuss with each other and/or with their agents in a private setting (either outside, or during a follow up phone call, for example). Regardless, this monitoring of properties during showings is here to stay.

If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my blog page and search for posts using the relocation tag. Contact me to discuss your Philadelphia area relocation! jen@jenniferlebow.com/610 308-5973