They may be prone to revealing too much information about the home, their motivation for selling, and inhibit buyers from truly experiencing the home and expressing their feelings.

In our area, we normally don't have buyers and sellers meet at all.  There is always the exception to the rule.  

People get nervous when the home owner is there during showings.

So they don't shoot themselves in the foot by their presence. We also don't like sellers at home when we do appraisals, too distracting to the entire process. If there are questions about the home, that is what the Realtor is there for, they can answer or get the right answer later from the Seller. 

Buyers don't like it and Sellers often talk way too much, which can hurt their negotiating position.

Personally when I am with buyers, I LOVE it because sellers usually run their mouths to their disadvantage. 

Have you ever gone shopping for shoes or a car? You walk in and are pounced on by some salesman when all you want to do is have fun shopping.

Well that is the same feeling a Buyer gets when the Sellers remain in the home.

Buyers feel uneasy and can not relax and take in what the home offers. They feel they are imposing and want to get out as fast as they can.

That is not the way to get a home bought or sold.

Buyers feel more free to poke around a home, and make comments freely when sellers are not present.

So that buyers get privacy to preview the home.

Bruce nailed this one!

Sellers should leave their homes during showings so that the buyer will be honest to their agent and can talk freely as well as prevent them from revealing too much information.

Simple. As professional realtors we are the professionals the Cients are Not. The Sellers almost ALWAYS say things or do things that Do Not help their house sell.

Consider under what circumstance would any other profession allow there client to be present without them in front of another professional in the field. I do not even like my clients waiting across the street staring...watching intently during a home showing...lol

Sharon Parisi - so that they don't see the buyers opening the drawers of kitchen or see what's in fridge!

Actually, the idea is to give buyers time to 'feel' the home! With sellers around, they may not be able to preview the home and will be worried if some eyes are constantly looking at them.

Allows buyers to talk freely with their agent and they don't feel like they are being watched.

I would encourage sellers to leave when their are showings on their home.  The Buyers are more relaxed and can talk more freely when there is noboy there.

I overheard once the buyer asked probing questions. Why don't you let go your listing I will buy it direct w/o her. You save your commission money.

So buyers will stay in the home longer and speak freely with their agent.

So the buyers can look freely and not feel like they are being watched. Also the seller feels uncomfortable seeing a buyer opening doors and cabinets. A seller likes to talk too and could give away too much information. The buyer may do the same and lose their negotiating edge.

There are so many reasons for this. One of the big ones is so that buyers don't feel like they are intruding on the sellers. With an empty house, the buyers can feel free to really look it over and openly discuss it. 

So they don't open up their mouths and start singing like a canary!  I have heard sellers give away the farm to the buyer's agent telling them why they are selling and what distress they are under.  It also makes it more comfortable for buyers to be able to look without feeling uncomfortable with a seller around.

I personally do not mind the seller staying.  But listing agent ask the seller to take a walk during showing so the buyer feels a little more comfortable looking through your home.

Because in most instances they will hover over the buyers and make them very uncomfortable.  Just their presence can make buyers feel uncomfortable.

Buyers rarely feel comfortable with the seller lurking around or worse yet following them around trying to be "helpful"

Buyers tends to feel more comfortable viewing the home and trying to visualize themselves living there.  A Seller can sometimes seem as though they are a child in the playroom, helicoptering around say, "mine, mine, don't touch!" . 

If a Seller is in the backyard and the Buyers want to talk to them and ask questions, by all means.  However, I would suggest staying out of the house so the Buyers have free reign to go about the rooms at their own pace, open closets, etc..

Hello Sharon i dont care if they stay or go, but i do tell them that talking can get them in to saying thing they later regret, example i will leave the bbq gril and then they end having to do it . any ways most seller dont want to be at the home on showing they feel awkward. great question have a great month

they don't need to leave, but they should remain out of the way....sit outside or in one room, if it's bad weather out....most of our sellers leave....

Even on caravans where there are only agents, you can feel the uneasiness and the agents can't get out of there fast enough. Why? Because they don't feel they can ask the hard questions or express their true opinions.

Sharon Parisi I think buyers feel more comfortable if the seller isn't at home. When sellers are at home, they usually bird dog the buyer with all those helpful selling points.

Like everyone else the sellers do not need to be there.  Their intention is good but they often get irritating to the buyers

I think its because things that are said may hurt the seller, and this could affect negotiations if the buyer makes an offer