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Original poster

Can you take children to a house viewing!??

101 replies

Cathbach · 14/09/2023 11:49

I have never done one before (first time buyers and first viewing!) so no idea what the etiquette is.
We have no childcare because the house is a few hours away, and no one where we now live who could take them for 14 hours ish.

Would it be ok to take them? 11, 10 and 7. All fairly sensible.

OP posts:
FoodFann · 14/09/2023 11:50

Yes

Ifailed · 14/09/2023 11:51

It's not usual, unless they contribute to the mortgage?

pinkyredrose · 14/09/2023 11:52

Not ideal. Will.they stand quietly with you and not touch stuff?

YukoandHiro · 14/09/2023 11:53

Yes we had to loads last time we were looking as it was during the pandemic and there was no childcare/school

YukoandHiro · 14/09/2023 11:53

It is not ideal, I would add. If you have anyone to take them, use that

AllotmentTime · 14/09/2023 11:53

Yes as long as they're with you and know not to touch things!

lassingd · 14/09/2023 11:54

It's not ideal to take them to the supermarket either, but sometimes it's easier than the alternative

CatsOnTheChair · 14/09/2023 11:54

Yes, you can. I suggest one of you is primarily responsible for the kids, and the other looks carefully at the house.

We had several viewings with kids when selling. The only disastrous one was with feral kids who ran riot.
We also took our kids to the viewing if the house we bought.

CatherinedeBourgh · 14/09/2023 11:54

Of course you can, I would never buy a house my dc hadn't seen, so at least at a second viewing they would need to be there! My dc have been to lots of house viewings.

mindutopia · 14/09/2023 11:55

Yes, you can. It was technically 'not allowed' during COVID due to infection risk, but there were times when we had to as no alternative childcare and we couldn't just abandon them at home. We did go in in turns though, with one of us outside with the dc and the other in to view. It's not ideal because they are distracting, and if you have the option not to take them, I would try to get some help.

Ostryga · 14/09/2023 11:55

Yes it’s fine. Make sure they’re very sensible rather than fairly though.

ClaudiaWankleman · 14/09/2023 11:55

It's pretty common. Best thing to do is to stick them in the garden to sit/ play sensibly. Make sure they're wearing easy on/ off shoes.

justwantsomesun · 14/09/2023 11:55

Yes we've taken children at various ages. No issues at all. Children should be able to cope with adults doing important things without them being the centre of attention.

Blackblueandgold · 14/09/2023 11:56

Yes it's normal around here

Phos · 14/09/2023 11:57

We took our daughter to one. She just followed us around and didn’t say much then chatted to the vendor’s daughter for a bit.

Severe · 14/09/2023 11:57

We always viewed with our parents (I moved several times as a child). Not sure what is “not ideal” about well behaved children that age at a viewing?

My only concern would be how to manage the DC’s expectations - what if they fall in love with a place you can’t/don’t want to buy? That was the reason we didn’t take ours.

YouveGotAFastCar · 14/09/2023 11:58

I'd never really thought about it. I've never seen children at any of the viewings I've done or been to; so I don't think it's standard, but we'd also not have anywhere to put our toddler if we needed to view somewhere so he'd have to come with us.

To be honest at those ages; I'd probably leave them in the car with iPads if the parking is okay. I can't imagine they'll want to traipse around after you in a house and the owner/EA probably won't want them left in a room by themselves.

wineandmaltesershappyme · 14/09/2023 11:58

If they can be trusted to behave and not touch i'd say it's fine.
We had children come with parents to view our house and we were fine with it, they all behaved really well

Original poster
Cathbach · 14/09/2023 12:00

Thank you so much!! This has really put my mind at rest. I do know it’s not ideal, but as a PP said neither is the supermarket and I have to take mine there, and everywhere else really.

Its a large house with lots of land so hopefully that will help. There really isn’t anyone I can ask, especially without telling them why, which I really can’t do.

We will go for it, but I’ll tell the agents first. The vendors are doing the viewing which I hope won’t change things.

OP posts:
AlltheFs · 14/09/2023 12:02

Completely normal to take children, but you must control them eg no touching anything. At those ages they can stay in the car for most of it!

We had children present when we sold our last few houses and we took DD to viewings.

It’s only mumsnet that thinks this is unusual. But in the real world children are perfectly capable of behaving for 10 mins in a house.

TheShinmeister · 14/09/2023 12:05

Your kids are a bit older OP but I had a toddler brought to view my house who chucked loo rolls in the toilet

weegiemum · 14/09/2023 12:30

We took ours when viewing this house, they were 12, 10 and 8. They wanted to come and they were going to be living there too. They chose their own bedrooms (with no arguing!!) on that first viewing.

When we went I'd just got out of hospital (when I was diagnosed with my long-term neuro disability) and couldn't climb the stairs so had to leave it to dh and the kids. The first time I saw upstairs was on moving in day!!

PerfectMatch · 14/09/2023 12:34

Yes, we took DC when viewing our house. It is a bit harder though as you can get distracted.

smilesup · 14/09/2023 12:37

Of course you can. DSS chose our house based on the fact he liked the cat. Slightly put out the cat didn't feel the same about us and strangely left with the old owners. 😁

TWOTWT · 14/09/2023 12:38

There aren’t any rules stopping you.
We will be doing the same when we start looking for the same reasons as you.
If the sellers don’t like it we will go in separately while the other watches the DC outside. Depends if they would rather children with us or taking longer to view their house!