renting a house for sale

[Garner]

Greetings,
This board has never been short of opinions, so I'm asking for some.

Another thread mentioned a Realtor showing a home while it was being rented. I, as a Realtor have the same problem, but from the other direction.

Two of my listings are on a rental program. One is managed exclusively by the owner, who has informed each renter that the property is for sale and they might need to make it available to be shown during their stay. Another is managed by an agency; neither the owner nor the agency alert the renters in advance of their arrival that the property is for sale and might need to be shown.

I don't have problems calling the guests in the first to schedule a showing, and always try to make it at their most convenient time and tell them that they don't have to leave or clean up or do anything special. The renters have all been completely gracious and understanding in letting me show the condo.

The other property is where I have a tough time - the owner has instructed me to "use my charm" and try to get it shown. I try to schedule showings on turn days, but that's not always possible since the prospective customer might also be in town only for the week. As slow as the market is, I want the property to be shown; but I DO have a real problem unexpectedly interrupting someones vacation.

So my questions are:

As renters, how would you like a Realtor to handle a situation where the home in which you are staying needs to be shown?

As owners of rental property, how would you like your Realtor to handle the situation when there are guests in the home?

Thanks -

 

[Kurt]

An owner serious about selling should be upfront about it and let renters know that it will be shown with an hours notice. I'd let them know when reservations are made, giving a small discount if it is an issue. I'd also post a flyer on the fridge with showing details and asking for cooperation.

Get lots of good photos and do your best to screen buyers who aren't serious.

Make your plan known to the owner before taking the listing and demand full cooperation from the owner and the rental agency.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Remember 2004? There are a limited number of rentals for sale that one can show only during a 4 hour window on Saturdays. Most often, the rentors were never informed that the house may be shown. Sometimes I was not able to show homes, and other times I had no problem, due the the rentors being really nice and understanding. It is an interuption and if I were a rentor, I wouldn't want people invading my space for which I paid dearly. As Kurt suggested, the owners should give them a discount and note it, perhaps based on how often the home was shown during their stay. Make the discount worth the inconvenience.

As a Realtor showing a home occupied by rentors, if they were at the house, I would bring a bottle of wine and ask them to enjoy themselves to enjoy it while I show the home, and I would also thank them for their assistance.

 

[DBOldford]

I personally would not want my home shown to potential buyers if was occupied. It wouldn't show as well, with vacation duds, etc. scattered about. And I would not want to interrupt paying guests. Agree with the comment about screening potential buyers very carefully, too. Too many people seem to go looking at houses for recreation. If the sellers are really serious, seems they would leave some gaps in the rental times so that you could show the house more easily.

You are really a consciencious realtor to ask this kind of question, by the way!

 

[Mermaid]

So my questions are:

As renters, how would you like a Realtor to handle a situation where the home in which you are staying needs to be shown?

As owners of rental property, how would you like your Realtor to handle the situation when there are guests in the home?

Thanks -

Good questions and I am surprised that this hasn't been discussed here before, given the number of properties on the market, and the number of same properties being rented. We're on both sides of the equation because we are both rentors and rentees. We rent our condo out but it's too small for us plus our children and their friends, so when we vacation together, we need to rent a cottage. In fact, the cottage we're renting over the winter holidays is now for sale, come to think of it.

As renters, we'd certainly appreciate knowing beforehand that there was the possibility of a showing. That would give us the choice of whether we'd want to rent that particular property (and by renting, it would show tacit approval on our part of allowing a showing). And I do think if there were a showing, we'd be owed a dinner out at the owner's expense, or a discount on that day's rental rate. Just as a gesture of goodwill, because I'd make an effort to have the property in especially good order housekeeping-wise, if for no other reason that I'd be horrified if anyone came in and thought a pack of slobs were renting! I'd also make it known when we, the renters, thought it was an appropriate hour to have a showing. I know I'd hardly mind a showing at 1:00 in the afternoon while we were out on the beach, but if one were requested at 9:00 am, I'd blow a fuse. Accomodation should be worked in both directions.

As owners, we'd tell our guests that there could be a showing before they made firm reservations with us. I know we could lose bookings that way, but it would save a lot of ill will after the fact. Some people simply aren't as flexible as others, but that's their perogative since it's their vacation. I'd also tell my realtor to warn prospective buyers that the property was rented out and as such, they shouldn't expect it to be in show room condition, that they might have to overlook unmade beds or dishes in the sink. We'd never dream of asking our guests to do any of that for our benefit. I'm sure many people would--as I said, I certainly would, but as many people wouldn't. Again, their perogative, not ours. I'd also do my best to give as much advance notice to my tenants as possible so as not to inconvenience any of their vacation plans. Otherwise, we'd handle the situation in the same manner as we'd expect to be treated ourselves (per above paragraph).

 

[Mango]

Garner:
I am not sure how it works with rental agencies since I rent my properties on my own, but do the rental agencies have any responsibility in telling the renters that the house is for sale and there may be showings once they have knowledge of such?
If not, I would also feel uncomfortable as the realtor calling the renters and trying to get in for a showing. The owner should get a list of his/her rentors and make the calls in my opinion, and maybe utilize the tips suggested above, ie:; dinner or bottle of wine. It doesn't sound like the owner is real serious about selling if he's taking advantage of your charm. ;-)

It must be difficult to show a house between turns in season, and unrealistic anyway that the house will be spit shine, and at its best showing it while the cleaners are there within a 5-6 hr window. So, if I were serious about selling my property, I would be cooperating with my realtor and rental agency to get maximum exposure with the least inconvenience to my guests, which would be to call them and ask when and if ok for my realtor to show.

I also have been a beach house renter for many years on the East Coast, sometimes renting the same property yearly. Frankly it would not bother me if a realtor came to show the house while I was there, unless it was inclement weather. In that case I would decline since we could be just relaxing.
Otherwise, during the day we are at the beach. We also tidy the house daily anyway, so I would'nt feel like I had to prep the house, but I know not everyone behaves the same way on vacation.
I would be annoyed if a realtor just showed up without calling though first or the owner. We had that happen once.

I also think Kurt's input about putting a copy of the listing in the house isan excellent point, so renters can see the house is up for sale. That would ease some of the element of surprise if they receive a call if the house was just listed.

What a difference though state to state makes. The rental contracts in New Jersey for shore properties and some in the Hamptons, detail every possible conceiveble scenario. They state that if a property is for sale that the renter cooperate with the realtor for showing. Realtors do make calls to arrange for when its convenient, but the renter can not say they will not allow egress.

 

[Garner]

Y'all have provided me some great and simple ideas. Thanks,

Because an agency manages the home, the possibility that the guests would know in advance of their arrival that it is for sale is remote, at best.

I'll post a flyer on the refrigerator of this particular house to alert the guests that there is a possibility it may need to be shown during their stay. Hopefully the housekeepers won't take it down.

As with the other property (where the renters already knew that it might be shown), I'll call as far in advance as possible, and give them as much choice as possible as to when it would be shown. Of course, the guest could just say no.

In lieu of a bottle of wine (because not everyone drinks), would flowers be a nice offering?

If you were renting a home and learned upon your arrival that it is for sale, would you be upset with the house being shown with the above scenario?

Thanks again, and Donna, thank you for the compliment - I do try to be conscientious, as well as professional and respectful in my work.

 

[Jdarg]

Hey Garner-

Wine, OK. Flowers - no. Nice, but I'm probably going to be at the beach and not around much to enjoy them. Dinner comp would be nice, or at least enough for some nice appetizers and drinkies, if I'm going to have to interrupt m vacation schedule, get the family family cleaned up and somewhere at a certain time. Book store gift cert (like Sundogs) would be nice. Modica gift cert.

If it is known in advance that the house will be shown while it is being rented, then a nice discount on the rental, and plenty of notice.

Just my 2 cents as a vacationer...

 

[Mango]

I wish my guests did something nice for me when I let them arrive a day earlier to beat traffic. Instead their daughter took the keys home with her, and during the week they used the lock box key and then decided to leave it in the house, and the housekeeper asst. couldn't get to start cleaning.
They could have taken the time to go get a new set of keys made in light of my generosity.
It's unfortunate though, even with a discount, that it just human nature that some people will still not feel it's enough.

 

[SHELLY]

You are in a sticky situation...it is admirable that you are trying to balance the vacationer's rights to enjoyment with the owners wants to sell ASAP....

Having said that, if I were on vacation and some realtor came schlepping through the house, I would be pizzed if I didn't know this was going to happen in advance (by ADVANCE I mean I was warned that it might happen when I made the reservation--NOT in an hour's time-- so that I would have the opportunity to decline the rental or be offered adequate "compensation" for my bother).

The owners who want you to use your "charm" couldn't care less what their customers think of the interruption since they are desperate to unload the property and their focus is on selling the property, not charming their clientele' for possible repeat business.