1. Objective
This SOP defines how a Virtual Assistant (VA) receives, processes, confirms, and logs every showing request for an active listing — so no showing falls through a scheduling gap, no seller is caught off guard, and the agent has a clean record of every visit without having to manage the calendar themselves.
Showings are the mechanism by which listings turn into offers. Every showing that is delayed, declined in error, or poorly communicated is a buyer who may move on. The VA's job is to make showings frictionless: fast confirmations, correct information, sellers notified, and every request logged regardless of outcome.
Where this SOP starts: The listing is active on the MLS and the showing platform is configured.
Where this SOP ends: Each showing request is received, processed, confirmed or declined, communicated to all parties, and logged. The showing log is maintained and shared with the agent on the agreed cadence.Success looks like: Every showing request is processed within the agreed notice window, every party receives the correct information, and the agent can see the full showing history at any time without having to ask.
2. Your Role & Boundaries
2a. What you handle independently
- Configuring the showing platform per agent's instructions at listing launch
- Receiving and logging all showing requests
- Confirming or declining requests per the agent's standing approval instructions
- Notifying the seller of all confirmed showings
- Sending access instructions to the requesting agent upon confirmation
- Maintaining the showing log with all requests, outcomes, and agent names
- Escalating same-day, short-notice, or out-of-hours requests to the agent per Section 6 and 7
- Sharing the showing log with the agent on the agreed weekly cadence
2b. What requires agent approval before acting
- Any deviation from the agent's standing approval settings (approving a showing the agent would normally decline, or declining one the agent would normally approve)
- Any showing request that conflicts with a seller blackout period not already in the platform
- Same-day or short-notice requests when the protocol says to escalate (see Section 6)
- Out-of-hours exceptions (see Section 7)
- Any direct communication to the requesting buyer's agent beyond standard confirmation templates
- Escalation decisions when a seller repeatedly declines or restricts showings (see Section 8)
2c. What you never do
- You never negotiate on the agent's behalf under any circumstances.
- You never provide pricing, legal, or strategic opinions to any party.
- You never sign or initial any document on behalf of the agent, client, or any party.
- You never communicate directly with the other party's client.
- You never share the lockbox code or access instructions with anyone who has not received a confirmed showing approval.
- You never approve a showing without notifying the seller if the property is occupied and notice is required.
- You never tell the requesting agent that a showing was declined due to the seller's personal reasons — use "not available at that time" language only.
- You never modify showing hours, approval settings, or access instructions in the platform without agent authorization.
When in doubt: Process the request with the closest match to the agent's standing instructions and immediately flag to the agent if you're uncertain whether the decision was correct. A confirmed showing later declined is more disruptive than a brief hold while you confirm.
3. Schedule & Trigger
Trigger: Listing is active on the MLS and the showing platform is configured and receiving requests.
Response time standard: Showing requests should be acknowledged and processed within 1 hour of receipt during normal business hours. Default business hours: 8:00 AM–7:00 PM local time, 7 days a week while the listing is active. Same-day requests require faster response — see Section 6.
High-volume note: For listings with high showing demand (common in the first 48–72 hours of a new listing), the VA should check the showing platform more frequently than usual — every 30 minutes is appropriate in the first weekend. Confirm with the agent at launch if they expect high initial volume.
Sequence context: This SOP activates alongside Listing Launch Day Checklist and runs for the entire active listing period. It feeds into Showing Feedback Collection & Reporting — every showing logged here becomes a feedback follow-up task in LIST-13.
If you are unable to complete this task: Notify the agent at the start of your absence or as soon as possible. Flag any open or time-sensitive items. The agent will determine whether to delegate or defer. Never let a recurring deadline pass without flagging it to the agent in advance.
4. Showing Platform Setup
Before the listing goes live, confirm the showing platform is fully configured. The platform must be set up before launch day — not after the first request arrives.
Confirm with the agent during listing setup:
| Setting | What to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Platform in use | ShowingTime, Aligned Showings, CSS, or manual coordination — confirm which |
| Notification recipients | Who receives showing requests: VA, agent, seller, or combination |
| Approval type | Auto-approve, VA approves, agent approves, or seller approves |
| Showing hours | Days and times showings are permitted |
| Advance notice required | Minimum notice window (typically 1–2 hours, sometimes 24 hours for occupied homes) |
| Access instructions | Lockbox type and location, entry instructions — these populate in the confirmation to the requesting agent |
| Showing instructions | Must match the MLS showing instructions field exactly |
| Blackout dates | Any dates the seller has confirmed as unavailable |
After configuration: Test the platform by reviewing the listing's showing settings and confirming a test notification routes correctly to all intended recipients. Do not launch without confirming notifications are working.
5. Receiving a Showing Request
When a request comes in, process it in this order:
Step 1: Log the request immediately
Add to the showing log (Section 9) before doing anything else:
- Date requested
- Requested showing date and time
- Requesting agent name, brokerage, phone, email
- Confirmed buyer representation (if available in the request)
Step 2: Check against seller restrictions
Before approving:
- Verify the requested time is within the approved showing hours
- Check against any seller blackout dates or confirmed restrictions
- If the property is occupied, verify the advance notice requirement is met
Step 3: Confirm with seller if required
If the approval setting requires seller confirmation:
- Contact the seller via their preferred communication channel immediately
- Use only this message format:
Hi [Seller Name] — a showing has been requested for [Address] on [Date] at [Time]. Please let me know if this works. If I don't hear back within [X time window], I'll [approve / decline] per the standing instructions.
[VA Name]
The standing instruction for what happens when the seller doesn't respond should be confirmed with the agent at setup — do not assume.
Step 4: Approve or decline
Approve or decline per the standing instructions from the agent. Send approval or decline to the requesting agent through the platform.
6. Confirmation Communication
After approving a showing, send the following communications:
To the requesting agent (via the showing platform's confirmation — most platforms auto-send; confirm format during setup):
Confirmed: [Address] — [Date] at [Time]
Access: [Lockbox location and code / other access instructions]
Point of contact: [VA Name] at [VA phone] — [Agent Name] at [Agent phone] for questions about the property.
Please note: [any showing instructions, e.g., "seller requests lights left on, please lock up on exit"]
Thank you — we hope your client enjoys the property.
[VA Name] on behalf of [Agent Name]
To the seller (for occupied properties):
Hi [Seller Name] — showing confirmed for [Address] on [Date] at [Time]. The buyer's agent will arrive at [Time].
Quick reminders before you step out:
- Tidy up and make beds
- Turn on all lights (interior and exterior)
- Open blinds and curtains
- Set a comfortable temperature
- Remove or secure pets
- Plan to be out of the home for approximately [estimated duration]
If anything comes up and you need to reschedule, please reach out to [Agent Name] at [agent contact] as soon as possible.
[VA Name] on behalf of [Agent Name]
To the agent (brief visibility note — only if the agent has requested notification on each confirmed showing):
Showing confirmed: [Address] — [Date] at [Time]
Requesting agent: [Name] / [Brokerage]
[VA Name]
Confirm with the agent at onboarding whether they want individual showing notifications or prefer to see the weekly showing log only.
7. Same-Day or Short-Notice Requests
A short-notice request is any request inside the minimum advance notice window the agent and seller have set (typically 1–2 hours, or 24 hours for occupied homes).
If inside the notice window:
1. Do not auto-approve — short-notice requests require seller and/or agent confirmation
2. Attempt to reach the seller immediately via their fastest communication channel
3. If the seller cannot be reached within 15 minutes, notify the agent before making any approval decision
4. Decline if you cannot confirm within the requesting agent's needed response window — a declined short-notice request is better than a confirmed showing where the seller is still home
If seller confirms they can accommodate:
Process as a normal confirmed showing per Section 5–6.
If seller cannot accommodate:
Decline with a non-specific response: "Unfortunately [Address] is not available at that time. Would an alternate time work? Next available: [suggest next open slot if known]."
8. Out-of-Hours Requests
Out-of-hours requests are requests received outside the approved showing hours (e.g., a request for a 6:00 AM showing, or a showing request on a blackout day).
Default rule: Out-of-hours requests require agent authorization — do not approve independently.
Process:
1. Log the request immediately
2. Notify the agent via the urgent channel:
Hi [Agent Name] — showing request received for [Address] outside approved showing hours.
Requested: [Date] at [Time]
Requesting agent: [Name] / [Brokerage]
This is outside [approved hours / a seller blackout date]. Please advise how to respond.
[VA Name]
- Wait for agent direction before responding to the requesting agent
- If you cannot reach the agent within 30 minutes and the requesting agent needs an answer, decline the out-of-hours request politely and note in the log that the agent can follow up directly if they choose to make an exception
9. Occupied Property Protocols
For listings where the seller is still living in the home, additional care is required.
Notice requirement: Confirm the minimum notice time with the seller at listing setup. Record it in the showing platform. Do not approve showings inside the seller's required notice window without confirming.
Pets: If the seller has pets, confirm the plan for showings — are pets crated, removed from the property, or does the seller leave with them? Record the plan and include the relevant note in the requesting agent's confirmation.
Security: If the seller has a security system, confirm the code management plan with the agent. The lockbox access should handle entry, but a security alarm that goes off during a showing is a serious problem. Confirm the protocol.
Sellers who repeatedly decline showings: If a seller declines three or more showing requests within a short period, or if there is a pattern of declining showings without explanation, do not continue managing these individually. Escalate to the agent with a summary:
Hi [Agent Name] — flagging a showing availability issue for [Address]. In the past [X days], I have received [X] showing requests and the following have been declined by the seller:
- [Date/time request] — declined
- [Date/time request] — declined
- [Date/time request] — declined
This may be affecting our ability to generate offers. I wanted to flag it for your awareness before it becomes a pattern that's harder to address.
[VA Name]
The agent has the relationship with the seller and will determine how to address it — this is not the VA's conversation to have.
10. Showing Log Maintenance
Maintain a running showing log in the transaction file. Update it after every request — confirmed, declined, or cancelled.
| # | Date Requested | Showing Date | Showing Time | Requesting Agent | Brokerage | Phone | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirmed / Declined / Cancelled | |||||||
| 2 |
Log location: Google Drive → listing folder → 05 - Showings
Share with agent: Send the agent a showing summary on the agreed cadence — typically weekly, or as part of the seller report per Weekly Seller Update. The summary should include: total showings confirmed, total declined, total pending feedback, and any patterns or flags.
Cancelled showings: If a confirmed showing is cancelled by the requesting agent, log it as cancelled and notify the seller if they were prepping to leave. Do not count cancelled showings in the confirmed total.
11. Checklist
Platform Setup (at listing launch)
- ☐ Showing platform confirmed active and receiving requests
- ☐ Notification recipients confirmed — VA, agent, seller as instructed
- ☐ Approval settings confirmed
- ☐ Approved showing hours and advance notice window configured
- ☐ Seller blackout dates entered
- ☐ Access instructions populated and correct
- ☐ Showing instructions match MLS exactly
Per Showing Request
- ☐ Request logged immediately (date, time, requesting agent info)
- ☐ Request checked against approved hours and seller restrictions
- ☐ Seller notified if required by approval settings
- ☐ Request approved or declined per standing instructions
- ☐ Confirmation sent to requesting agent with access instructions
- ☐ Seller notified of confirmed showing with prep reminders
- ☐ Agent notified (if agent wants per-showing notifications)
- ☐ Showing log updated
Ongoing
- ☐ Short-notice requests escalated per Section 6
- ☐ Out-of-hours requests held for agent authorization per Section 7
- ☐ Showing log shared with agent on agreed cadence
- ☐ Repeated seller declines flagged to agent if pattern emerges
12. Tools & Access
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Showing platform | [ShowingTime / Aligned Showings / CSS / manual — confirm during onboarding] |
| Platform login | [Confirm access method — agent login, delegated access, or shared credentials per brokerage policy] |
| Seller contact method | [Preferred channel for showing notifications — text, phone, email — confirm during listing setup] |
| Agent urgent channel | [Confirm during onboarding — for same-day and out-of-hours escalations] |
| Transaction file / Google Drive | [Confirm folder structure for showing log storage during onboarding] |
| Lockbox code storage | [Confirm secure storage location — never in this document or in email] |