When it's time to show your home, it's understandable to want to make sure your property is only being viewed by serious buyers who are able to make an offer. Otherwise, showing your home can feel like a hassle and a waste of time. How can you make sure of this?
You may require pre-approval documentation from a potential buyer before confirming a showing, or request it with an offer to purchase. Some owners prefer to show their home to people who have already spoken to a mortgage lender. This requirement can be advised in ShowingTime (or whichever showing service your MLS uses) and into the confidential agent notes section of the MLS. For unrepresented buyers, you may ask them directly for this when they inquire about viewing the property.
Most showing requests come from real estate agents. Agents prefer to work with qualified buyers and most will have done some screening prior to setting up showings to ensure their clients have the means to make an offer.