What does your agent think? Are they really interested or just seeing what you have or don't have. To me 5 times is a bit too much withougt making an offer. Of course I am a very suspious person and wonder what they are really looking for.
Hope you get the answer? Is this more than one buyer?

I would be suspicious, too. Maybe have your realtor ask their realtor if they are looking at other houses that often, too. Maybe I would consider refusing to show them again after this time without an offer.

They could be people who just have a hard time making decisions. Could they be checking out the house during different weather conditions to see if you have a leaky roof or basement, maybe? There are times when I've looked at houses I'm interested in that I wish there was a downpour outside to see how it handles storms. I don't think I'd say anything that could upset them.

I know it is hard to not worry, but there is no use getting upset about someone wanting to see you home again. There is also no point in trying to guess at someone's motivation.

Besides, who cares home many times they come by? They are either going to make an offer or they aren't. Unless you have another offer on the table, there is nothing to gain by pressuring them.

Plus, if they've already been there four times, I wouldn't go nuts cleaning the place. I doubt having a glass or two in the sink is going to sway them one way or the other. If they do end up making an offer, I would make sure that it is clean and iron-clad.....

I'd see if you could find if they are (or have been) bringing other people with them - like extended family or a contractor who is giving them an estimate on something they think they want to do if they buy your home.

I think 5 times is above the norm. And, I'm sure its disruptive but I would read it positively.

"And, I'm sure its disruptive but I would read it positively."

You could always piss them off at this point and have then just forget about your house. (not recommended though)

You are selling your house.

The more interest a buyer takes the better.

I purchase, remodel/refurbish houses on the side for profit.

Those usually get 3-4 visits before a contract, there will be no inspection contingency (and sometimes no appraisal or financing contingency).

For the house I live in it often takes at least that many visits, and sometimes more.

I would not be doing the "showing cleaning" for them any more. The house would be straightened up; toilets flushed. I might leave some dishes in the sink; not sure; it depends on if it would take away from the kitchen. We used to hide the drainer.

As for what they're doing so many times; who knows; they could be building a house & like what you have; they also could be interested in buying.

If it was me; I may actually stay home for the next showing & others if it applies; just to see what they're actually doing. I also may leave but park up the street to watch who comes; how long they stay & if they linger; I would walk in.

I'd be doing the opposite of roselvr. I'd do at least the amount of cleaning that I did the first four times and make sure I add or keep using great staging touches. Since it seems they haven't yet made up their minds, this is the time to "wow" them if you want to sell your house.

I would ask my agent to ask their agent if there was anything in particular they were interested in/looking for info on, etc. Maybe you could get some info that would be helpful.

FWIW, the last 3 houses we sold to buyers who looked at the house one time. We did have someone visit 3 times (twice was apparently they husband only, the third was with his wife -- they were from out town -- who didn't like it).

I think we looked at our current house 3 times. The first time I went through, the second time I brought my husband through all of the houses that I had narrowed my choices to and the third time was just to be sure that this was the one! (and I am not a picky person. My wedding planner was shocked at how quickly I made up my mind about my dress, flowers, etc.!) My mother is a person who has so much anxiety about making a decision. We currently have our house on the market and she keeps telling me that someone who has already been through could likely be the buyer. She drove by her current home for months before she even went inside of it. I would shop with her (but she would not come around to buying anything) in the same furniture stores for months. I got embarassed going back with her into these establishments, because they were small, pricey places that I knew recognized us. I really think it is just the nature of the person and this current buyers' market/uncertain economy just adds to everyone's skittishness. My mother is independently wealthy and ended up buying her very expensive home and filling it with very expensive furniture. She is just one that takes a lot of reassurance and hand holding. That being the case, don't expect an easy closing with people like this. My mom once almost refused to close on a house she had built because workers had gotten a couple of dirty footprints on the carpet. Good luck!

Kelly is right about if they do end up buying it, they're probably going to be tough ones. My girlfriend is like that--very, very careful and slow about her decisions. She will go out and get a dozen different quarts of paint and put it on the walls and then agonize over which one is the right one. She's been half-heartedly house hunting for years. I'm sure her real estate agent is pulling her hair out.

Me, I normally look twice. But I only looked at this one that I have now one time and I made a deal with the woman without my husband even being here! He was in the hospital. She was a FSBO and she wasn't prepared so I got out a piece of paper and wrote down the terms, we both signed and then the next day I got hubby to sign, we brought it to the lawyer and it was a done deal. So I would say it depends on the person. I would definitely take it as a good sign. If they weren't interested, why bother coming back? Why don't you just ask the agent? What's the secret?

Thanks for all the input.

I have considered not cleaning quite as well with these last couple of showings, but then at the end of the day I relent and clean the h-e-double-l out of it just like always. It's a big house and it takes a long time. It was slightly easier this time because we've mostly moved out of it.

I forgot to add that I have told them "no" on 2 occassions simply due to scheduling conflicts. This has been going on over a period of 6 months with these same buyers. Now that a lot of the furniture is out no doubt they want to look at the floors and walls, etc.

I drove by when they were there and there were lots of cars in my driveway--so I think this time they must have brought others with them to look.

The good news is that my agent thinks they are going to make an offer now.

The elderly couple who BOUGHT our last home, made 4-5 visits over an 8-10 week period.

First visit, wife and Realtor, 2nd visit wife, husband, husband's friends and Realtor, 3rd visit wife, wife's friend and Re, 4th visit wife, husband, wife's relatives and Re.

For the 5th visit-they wanted to check out the porches, front courtyard etc again as were considering an outdoor kitchen. We had plans to be out of town and gave permission for them to walk around the property to the hearts content.

Our house had been on the market for 10 months. This couple showed a lot of interest in a slow market. We had requested at least an hours notice so we sucked it up and kept our home in 'show' condition, never turned the Realtor down. We were grateful that someone could afford to buy it!

We looked at the house we bought last year 3 times before making an offer. I know it gets lame and it is inconvenient etc but I would take it as a positive. Most normal people don't just go looking at the same house, unless maybe it is some fancy model or display house, just to get ideas. They are probably comparing your house to others they are considering. This is very likely if they are out of town buyers. We made 3 house hunting trips to the area (new state). Each trip we looked at houses and narrowed now the choice. Two houses kept coming up as possibilities and we looked at both at the end of each trip. Although there was so much inventory on the market it was amazing how difficult it was to find a house that suited our needs. 5 is a bit much though but hang in there. One thing though is that sometimes when people come back and forth so often they might think that the house will be there for them when they are ready to make an offer. Remember it is a buyers' market.

Can we at least assume they are qualified buyers? Are they getting financial help from family -- need to get everybody's uncle's approval? (An impossible task.) I'd be more worried that they will eventually talk themselves OUT of buying.

Does your realtor know theirs? Is the buyer's realtor new to the business, or...oh, no, not a relative of the buyer!

I hope someone new will pop up and you'll have a lovely bidding war! LOL

"The elderly couple who BOUGHT our last home, made 4-5 visits over an 8-10 week period."

I don't think 5 times is too many to look when your spending this kind of money. Especially when you consider how long it might take to sell if you discover you made a mistake after the fact.

We went to at least 3 open houses and then had the realtor show us our place twice before we made our cash offer. We wanted to see the yard/neighborhood at different times of the day. We also wanted to check in with the utility companies to find out what type of development might be coming. New cable company, new water lines at the street and a new highway exit nearby. All plus's.

We'd looked at places that had smelly factories, meth labs, sex offenders, and other unsavory things that you wouldn't see at first glance.

One house we looked at butted up against a highway. We didn't know this until we went to an open house. We went out back and could hear the highways sounds but that wasn't what caught my eye. There was crime scene tape strung along one side of the back yard! I asked the realtor about it but he said he didn't know. I asked him why the present sellers were moving. He said they needed a bigger place for the kids. I checked the owner's name at the auditor and found that the house they had moved to was smaller than the one they were selling.

We didn't bother to check with the police department to see what might have happened.

I fell in love with a house that had a location that made us worry. We were ready to start a family, and this house sat at the top of a deep cliff overlooking one of the Great Lakes, with riparian property along one side. I worried about child safety, but I just loved the house. We toured it several times before we finally decided the safety factor was too great a concern. I still think of that old beauty 40 years later, but I am glad we passed on it.

Hello, I am curious.....how did the 5th showing go? Have you heard any feedback?

Whao! The 5 showings have been over 6 months?!! I could be dead wrong, but to me that says they really like your house but haven't got their financing in order. Perhaps?

When I go shopping for a house, I'm ready to buy. I can't imagine dragging it on for 6 months. I guess that is real sign that is it a buyers market - that they can take their time finding the perfect property and making up their mind.

They had to sell their home first...which they have done now. From what my realtor is telling me they are going to offer, but are waiting until they are confident their home sale is going to go through. I woudln't be a bit surprised to hear they want to come back again, though!! Keeping my fingers crossed for an offer soon!

I hope they come through with a good offer. Be prepared for a long list of 'give backs' they want for every little detail they have noted as a defect during their many inspections of your house. I think they will be dogged bargainers.

Is your realtor a skilled negotiator? Also, remember that the realtors get paid when *any* deal closes. Dollars off the price mean a lot more to you than the loss of 5% of them means to the realtors.

Chiuse... we agents negotiate the best deal for our clients... we can not make their mind up for them if it is a workable deal for them or not. That is thier decision.

Ahhh....That makes sense now. They probably started shopping 6 months when they first listed their house (or even before). That would make me even more annoyed about the 5 showings. Yeah they can look once before they have a buyer for their house. But I don't think they should've come back until they had a buyer. (In your shoes, I still would've let them in though.)

The people who bought our house toured it 5 times before making an offer. I think they just wanted to make sure it was the "right" house in comparison to others on the market in my neighborhood. I think the wife wanted her parents to see it one time, and once she brought a landscape designer. I absolutely did NOT go lazy on any of their showings...in fact, I think I REALLY stepped it up a notch for the last few (fresh flowers on the counter, etc.) It was my personal goal that even if they made an offer on another...I wanted them to always regret not getting my gorgeous, spic and span house! ;) But they did! Keep the faith...and keep cleaning!

Congrats! And thanks for the update.

Yay!!!

"They haven't done any inspections yet which I think is weird. "

You're kidding, right? They've done FIVE inspections! ;-)

Congratulations!

Thanks for the update. We're all hoping they don't come up with some last minute 'nit', hoping to sweeten their deal.

I'm sure once they get their inspection they are going to nit pick us to death. We have gone through and fixed 90% of all the little bitty things we know of. There are a few cosmetic things I'm leaving alone, like one bedroom needs repainted and I'm not doing any of the touch up paint on trim. I am anxious to get their inspection over with so I can see what the bottom line is going to be.

have you had a lot of other interest in the property (other than them)? Are you still showing it?

Just in case.....

Congratulations! Hope all goes smooth!