What to Do When You Can't Make a Showing

Every agent hits it eventually: two showings booked for the same hour, a closing that runs long, a sick kid, a listing appointment you can't move. The buyer still wants to see the house, and the showing window doesn't wait.

Here are the realistic options, roughly in the order most agents try them, and what to hand off so the showing actually goes well.

1. Ask to move the showing

The cleanest fix is often a new time. Contact the listing agent or the showing service as early as you can, and give your buyer two or three alternative slots so the reschedule takes one round of messages instead of five.

This works when the buyer is flexible and the property isn't getting heavy traffic. It doesn't work on a hot listing with an offer deadline, or when your buyer is only in town for the weekend.

2. Hand it to someone on your team or in your office

If you're on a team or your brokerage has agents who help each other out, this is usually the fastest route. Your managing broker already supervises everyone involved, the buyer is still working with your brokerage, and you can explain the client over a quick call.

Check your brokerage's policy first. Some offices have a formal process for this, and some expect the covering agent to be paid a set amount or a share of the commission.

3. Trade favors with an agent you trust

Plenty of agents keep an informal "I'll cover yours, you cover mine" arrangement with a colleague. It costs nothing, but it has limits. Favors run out, it's awkward to ask the same person three times in a month, and it depends on one other person being free at exactly the right time.

4. Post it to agents who want the work

A growing number of licensed agents, especially newer ones, actively want paid showing work. Posting a paid showing request means you're not asking for a favor. You're offering a job to someone who chose to take it.

On Shō, for example, you post the address, time, access instructions, buyer details and what you'll pay. Licensed agents nearby (or only agents at your own brokerage, if you prefer) see the request and one accepts it. Your payment is held until you confirm the showing happened.

For more on how paying a covering agent works, see Can you pay another agent to show a property?

5. Ask the listing agent to show it

Sometimes the listing agent offers to show the home to your buyer directly. Be careful with this one. Your buyer may share things in front of the seller's agent that hurt their negotiating position, and it can blur who's representing whom. Run it by your broker before you say yes.

6. Do a live video walkthrough, then follow up in person

For an out-of-town buyer, or as a stopgap, a live video tour can be enough to tell whether the house is worth a second look. It isn't a substitute for an in-person showing before an offer, but it can keep a fast-moving buyer engaged until you're free.

What to hand off to the covering agent

Most showings that go wrong do so because the covering agent was missing one piece of information. Before you hand off a showing, send:

• Address, time and how long they'll have. Include the confirmed showing window, not just the time you hoped for.
• Access instructions. Lockbox type and code (or how they'll get it), gate or alarm codes, pets, and anything the seller asked for, like "leave lights on" or "don't let the cat out."
• Who the buyer is. Names, phone number, how many people are coming, and whether a lender or relative is tagging along.
• What the buyer cares about. Their must-haves, deal-breakers and the questions you'd expect them to ask.
• Disclosures or known issues you've already discussed with the buyer, so the covering agent isn't caught off guard.
• What you want back. Buyer reaction, questions they couldn't answer, and anything they noticed about the condition of the home.

Then tell your buyer who's coming and why. A two-line text ("I'm stuck at a closing, so Jordan from my area is meeting you at 4. I'll call you after.") keeps the client relationship yours.

After the showing

Call the buyer yourself the same day. The covering agent handled the door. You handle the relationship. Pass along the feedback to the listing agent if they asked for it, and pay or thank the covering agent promptly. Agents remember who's easy to work with.

Frequently asked questions

Can another agent show a house to my buyer?

Yes, as long as they're a licensed agent. Covering showings for each other is common, and it's best to give your managing broker a heads-up. Unlicensed assistants shouldn't be paid to show property.

Who is responsible if something goes wrong at a covered showing?

The covering agent is responsible for their own conduct during the showing, and you stay responsible for your client relationship. It's worth asking your broker how your errors and omissions insurance treats covered showings.

How much do agents pay someone to cover a showing?

There's no standard rate. It depends on your market, the drive time, and how much notice you give. On Shō, the posting agent sets the amount up front and the covering agent sees it before accepting.