Open Houses and Showings While You Live at Home

Which showing rules protect the household?

Choose access rules before the first appointment: notice period, occupied rooms, pet plan, valuables, sign-in method, agent accompaniment, and feedback channel. Consistency reduces last-minute conflict for everyone in the household.

Set access rules before launch: notice period, occupied areas, pet plan, valuables, sign-in method, accompaniment, cancellation process, and feedback route. Share them consistently with the people who schedule and show the home. Safety and household needs may limit availability; record that limitation when interpreting showing volume.

How does access affect activity?

An open house and a private showing serve different purposes. Track attendance, follow-up, second visits, and feedback without treating a headcount as an offer signal.

When should the rules be adjusted?

Revisit the plan after a week of actual use. If access blocks qualified buyers, change the rule deliberately and record why.

Review the rules after the first week and document any reason an appointment could not occur. That gives the seller a factual way to distinguish household limits from lack of buyer interest.

Before deciding about Open Houses and Showings While You Live at Home, what will you document?

Document unavailable appointments and review the rules after launch so the access tradeoff is visible in the listing decision.