How do showings work when one of us is still living in the house?
With rules — written ones, agreed before the first buyer walks in. Scheduled windows only, with real notice, so the person living there is never surprised mid-dinner. One shared calendar both spouses can see, so showings never become a tool for friction. And a plan for where the resident goes during showings, because nobody should sit in their own kitchen while strangers evaluate their life.
Then there's the staging problem nobody warns you about: the half-departed house. One closet empty, one nightstand gone, picture hooks with no pictures — buyers read that story instantly, and it whispers "discount." We solve it deliberately: redistribute, stage the gaps, make every room read whole. The house should look like a choice, not an aftermath.
One more ground rule that keeps the peace: the non-resident spouse doesn't drop by unannounced — visits run through the same calendar. Structure is what keeps this civil. Bring me the constraints and the rules get built around them; that's a one-conversation setup.
I wrote this answer, and I stand behind it. I'm Chris Deutsch, a Minneapolis Realtor (MN #20382264). Twenty-five years of walking these neighborhoods, checking basements, and sitting across kitchen tables from people making exactly this call. I re-check every answer and date it — this one was last verified .
If your situation is more specific than the market, that's the one worth talking through. Email me at chris@lakesarearealty.com.