Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik
House showings are low-key encounters that most people don’t think much about — until something goes wrong. A buyer says something they shouldn’t have within earshot of a camera. A seller hovers awkwardly while buyers try to have a real conversation about the home. Small things that affect impressions, negotiations, and occasionally the transaction itself.
Here’s the practical version of what both sides should know going into a showing.
This is the most important thing a buyer needs to know about showings today. Ring doorbells, Nest cameras, Wyze cameras, baby monitors with microphones — a large percentage of active listings have some form of audio or video recording running during showings. In Florida, it is legal for a homeowner to record video and audio in their own home without informing visitors, as long as there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in the areas being recorded.
What this means practically: don’t say anything during a showing that you wouldn’t want the seller to hear. No “we’d never pay that much.” No “this is their best option in this market.” No discussion of your maximum budget, your timeline pressure, or how motivated you are. Save those conversations for outside the house or in the car after you leave. Your negotiating position should be shared only with your agent, not announced to the listing.
A seller has to prepare their home for every showing — cleaning up, getting kids and pets out, leaving the house for an hour or two. Canceling last minute or arriving significantly late wastes their time and signals to the listing agent that you’re not a serious buyer. If something comes up, cancel with as much notice as possible. If you’re running late, let your agent know so they can communicate it.
Cabinets in the kitchen, closets, garage space — opening these to assess storage and condition is completely appropriate. Going through medicine cabinets, personal dresser drawers, or handling items on countertops and shelves is not. It’s someone’s home. The goal is to understand the property, not inventory what they own.
Most sellers are fine with buyers taking photos and video during a showing — but not all of them are, and not all of them want their home’s interior circulating on social media. Your agent should check when scheduling. If there are no restrictions, a quick heads-up to the listing agent before you start recording is a professional courtesy worth extending.
Some sellers leave a note at the door asking buyers to remove shoes or use shoe covers. Follow it. If there’s no note but the home has light-colored carpet or hard floors in obvious pristine condition, offering to remove your shoes is a gesture that costs you nothing and communicates respect for the property. It’s not required, but it’s noticed.
You’re entitled to a thorough look at a home you’re considering purchasing. Take the time you need to evaluate it properly — don’t rush yourself out because you feel awkward. That said, if there’s a back-to-back showing scheduled, your agent will let you know and you can plan a second visit if needed. Don’t park yourself in the kitchen for 45 minutes on a busy Saturday when three other parties are waiting.
This is the single most important thing a seller can do during the showing period. Buyers need to be able to walk through the home and talk openly about what they’re seeing — what they like, what concerns them, how they’d use the space. They can’t do that with the owner standing in the kitchen.
Sellers who insist on staying for showings consistently get fewer offers and weaker feedback. Buyers feel watched and rush through. The conversation you want them having about how much they love your home gets replaced by polite small talk while they try to find the exit. Leave. Take a walk, run an errand, sit in a coffee shop for an hour. Let your home do its work.
Dishes in the sink, laundry on the floor, a kitchen that smells like last night’s dinner — these things stick in a buyer’s memory in ways that aren’t fair but are real. The home should be in show-ready condition for every appointment, not just the first few days on market. It takes consistent effort but it’s directly connected to how quickly you sell and at what price.
In Florida, you may legally record video in your home during a showing without notifying buyers. Audio recording has different standards — Florida is a two-party consent state for audio communications, but courts have generally held that conversations in a home where parties have no reasonable expectation of privacy may be recorded. The practical takeaway: video cameras in common areas of a home during showings are generally permissible. Hidden audio-only recording devices in spaces where someone would reasonably expect privacy are more legally complicated.
If you have a security system with audio, it’s worth disclosing it in your listing or leaving a visible notice at the door. Some sellers do this as a deterrent against theft. It’s also simply the professional thing to do — buyers who know they’re being recorded behave accordingly, and you avoid any ambiguity about the legality of what you’re capturing.
Your listing agent and the showing agents who bring buyers through your home are licensed professionals with ethical obligations, and the overwhelming majority of buyers are honest people touring a home they’re interested in buying. That said, common sense applies: jewelry, prescription medications, financial documents, car keys, and anything with identity theft risk should be locked up or removed before the first showing. It’s not an accusation — it’s just basic security practice.
If a buyer or their agent approaches you directly about price, terms, or anything related to the sale, direct them to your agent. Any direct conversation about the transaction — even casual and well-intentioned — can create misunderstandings, implied agreements, or weakened negotiating positions. Your agent handles that communication for a reason. Let them.
Your agent will follow up with buyer agents after showings and collect feedback. When you hear the same comment from multiple parties — too dark, strong pet odor, the kitchen feels small — that’s market data. It’s not personal criticism. It’s buyers telling you what’s getting in the way of an offer. The feedback that stings a little is often the feedback most worth acting on.
Most of this is common sense that’s easy to forget in the middle of an active transaction. If you’re buying or selling in Central Florida and want an agent who’ll walk you through what to expect at every stage, reach out.
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