The main con is a showing would have to work with the Realtor's schedule. This could cause some missed viewings if the potential buyers are on a tight schedule.

Unless you have an unusual home where special features wouldnt be noticed by the buyers agent or something that could be put on a feature sheet, there is no reason for the agent to attend every showing. Sometimes in my area, sellers will request this if they are afraid of letting strangers in their home. (usually elderly) Sometimes they feel more comfortable if the person they hired and trust is there. That doesnt sound like the situation in your case.

We recently sold and our listing agents contract said he or wife would be present at all showings. There were a couple he couldn't make and left it to us - we said fine let the agent show our house. Our house did have a lot of extra details.

I live in NYC, where the MLS is not very active; every showing is conducted by the seller's agent. But then, nearly every home is in an apartment building, and the security restrictions usually call for this (we aren't allowed to give our agent a key to our home, in fact).

As a realtor, I *hate* those kinds of listings. Usually my buyers and I would like the privacy and time of scanning listings alone.

Where I live, this is pretty usual. As sellers, our agent was present at all showings - there were 3 - 5 a week. I guess it would be hard in a busier area. As buyers, at almost every house we went to see, the listing agent was waiting for us at the door. I found it very helpful to be able to ask questions and get immediate answers.

This was the norm when we moved to Maine. Any house we looked at the listing agent was there. I don't see any down side to it. They all know each other to begin with. They just stayed in another part of the house when we were looking and made sure all doors and windows were locked up when we were through. NancyLouise

I also sold a house with this criteria. I did not request it, but all three agents I interviewed offered that, saying my house would sell better with it staged by the LA at each showing. It did sell quickly in this bad market.

It wasn't the norm in any area I've bought and sold in for the listing agent to attend the showings. My mother did make that stipulation when she was selling the family home in the Chicago area as an elderly widow. She felt more comfortable with the listing agent in attendance at all showings and the listing agent complied.

The downside is if the listing agent isn't available when the buyer's agent want to show it you may lose a showing, which could mean losing a sale. Unless your agent doesn't have any other listings or business and can be there for every showing.

As a buyer, I hate it when the listing agent is present. Three years ago we were buying. When we looked at homes in Chicago, the listing agent was there. When we looked over the city line in the first ring of suburbs, no listing agent. We bought where we never faced the listing agent.

If I have questions, my agent can call the listing agent and get me answers.

My first agent attended the showings, it was my first time and I didn't really know any better. The next agent said it's best to leave the buyer and agent alone so that is what we have done since - though occasionally I will get a weird look from a buyers agent like "you're NOT staying"? or they will ask where my agent is. So I guess there is no real norm here....

It's not typical in my area. In fact, I've never seen it done. If I were a buyer, I'd not particularly want the seller's agent present. So many people here advise the owners to vacate so the buyers and their agents have some privacy during a showing. If the seller's agent were there, it's the owner by proxy.

My agent was here for most every showing and broke her backside to make that happen. I think that the obtrusiveness of the agent depends on the agent. Mine is about as laid back as you can imagine. She's sweet and helpful and so not in-your-face. But, I know that helped sell our house...having someone knowledgeable about the details of the home and savvy enough to stay out of the way. Boy, did I get lucky!

This is not typical in my area. I also have never seen it done here. Usually it's just the buyer's agent and buyer who are present at showings. As sellers, we did not stay for any of our showings, nor did we have any sellers stay when we looked at houses to buy. I don't even like to look at houses with my agent present. I prefer to see the house for what it is, not what my agent is trying to "sell me on."

Thanks, everyone.

Terrig, you mentioned you didn't stick around for showings. So did you have a lockbox or did you let the buyers and their agents in, then leave?

Not sure how I feel about a lockbox here, but then I don't want to be present for any showings, so the potential buyers can feel comfortable looking around and making their snappy comments about my fugly furniture. (Joke!)

My house is not on lockbox as I am still living here. My realtor has been here for every showing except for a couple when she had a conflict and I was able to be here to show it. We have not had to turn down any showings.