08/08/2026
Yesterday I encountered something during a showing that I've never experienced before, and I think it's worth talking about.
My client and I arrived at a tenant-occupied home for a scheduled showing. The person who answered the door appeared very young, so I asked if it was just her that lived there.. She told me it was her & her mom, I asked how old she was, she said 13 years old.
At that point, I ended the showing and we left.
I share this not to criticize anyone, but because I believe it's an important safety issue.
Allowing strangers into a home while minor children are there alone puts everyone in an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe situation. It creates unnecessary risk for the child, the prospective buyers, and the real estate professionals involved. We don't always know the people walking through a home personally. Many times, we're meeting clients for the very first time at the property.
As parents, I would encourage you not to leave children home alone during scheduled showings or inspections.
As real estate agents, if you know minor children will be home alone, I believe the appropriate decision is to reschedule or require that a responsible adult be present.
Thankfully, I've never had an issue during a showing or at one of my listings, and I hope I never do. But when it comes to the safety of children—and protecting everyone involved—I believe it's always better to err on the side of caution.
Sometimes the best decision you can make is to simply walk away.
