Save the criticism. It is worth more at the inspection than in the hallway.

Here is the part that makes this practical rather than just a cautionary tale: the things you noticed walking through are not useless. They are early. Write them down, keep them to yourself, and bring them to the inspection negotiation — which is the point in the deal where a list of real problems actually carries weight. Said out loud in the kitchen, the same list costs you goodwill. Said in writing after an inspection, it is a negotiating position. Two other things worth knowing before your next showing. Assume you are seen and heard in an occupied house. Doorbell cameras, indoor cameras and pet cameras are ordinary now, and plenty of sellers watch showings in real time. Whether audio can legally be recorded during a showing is a genuinely separate question and it belongs to an attorney, not to me — but you do not need that answered to change what you say. And the driveway and the garage are still the house. So is the backyard, and so is the street out front. The car with the doors shut is the first place that is actually yours. This one runs with my earlier reply about being watched during a showing — if you missed that one, it covers the 3 things buyers say that cost them the most. Kelsey Earl, journalist turned Realtor, born and raised in Utah, Salt Lake to St. George, 801-419-8917, [email protected], Your lifelong friend in real estate 🌟 #HomeBuyingTips #MultipleOffers #HomeShowing #UtahRealEstate #BuyingAHome