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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:

HoraceTheLlama · 14/09/2023 12:43

I think at that age they are fine. My friend sold and a couple with a toddler came in, and the toddler proceeded to try and terrorise their elderly cat.,parents didn’t say a thing! My friend asked them to come in one at a time and one stay outside with the toddler. Parents were not impressed apparently!

ImustLearn2Cook · 14/09/2023 12:47

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.

Exactly this.

RedHelenB · 14/09/2023 12:50

Of course you can as long as they behave themselves.

Aquamarine1029 · 14/09/2023 12:51

Take watching them in turns so you and your husband and both carefully look at the house. Obviously, you must ensure your kids stay right with you and don't touch anything. I'd have a brief chat with them about your expectations before you get to the house.

Favouritefruits · 14/09/2023 12:55

of course you can take children, just don’t let them rummage through drawers and cupboards, it’ll be nice for the kids to see their potential new home and have a say. When we last sold I enjoyed having children come with their parents, they give honest views… look at the horrible carpet 😂

Appleofmyeye2023 · 14/09/2023 12:58

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.

If it’s got lots of land, be careful. Do not allow kids outside and then back onto house- they’ll likely be walking dirt through and that’d really piss me off .

erikbloodaxe · 14/09/2023 12:59

Can't they wait in the car? If you've had an offer accepted then you can go back to show them.

I had a couple with a child of 10/11 who kept opening kitchen cupboards and wardrobes. They looked rather proud of him as if it was his place to do this. They offered but I went with another buyer.

Roselilly36 · 14/09/2023 13:01

Our EA was very unhappy when viewers bought children with them, I would definitely let them know before hand.

Watchthedoormat · 14/09/2023 13:07

I'd definitely take my children.
They are going to be potentially living there and I'd like them to feel a part of the whole looking for/moving house process.

shutterup · 14/09/2023 13:08

Fine to take them, let them have a quick look round, or let them sit in the car - assuming it's not really hot where you are :)

PerspiringElizabeth · 14/09/2023 13:11

Ifailed · 14/09/2023 11:51

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

😂ridiculous. Classic Mumsnet.

And I don't earn anything but bloody well went to view all the houses we've bought. Make it make sense!

Appleofmyeye2023 · 14/09/2023 13:13

I’ve bought and sold houses a fair bit. I’m not wild about kids around 2-7 turning up. They need a lot of supervision, tend to be hard in their excitement to stop them bouncing on beds, touching stuff etc. and that’s not acceptable.

babes in arms not an issue
over 7s usually can do what they’re told and I’d expect the parents to reiterate as they come in, to their children, do not sit on anything, touch anything and stay with us in same room. If they don’t, I have said it myself politely.

I would have no issues at all, telling a parent to leave and stop the viewing if a child started wandering around, running, touching stuff and bouncing on stuff. I’d put it that one parent needs to take child out. And then switch over. As other have said a parent needs to focusing on the kids at all times to ensure they’re in control.

years ago (50 odd) my mum had a shorthand code for her 3 kids under 5 to come to order, and that was “put your hands in your pockets”. It’s hard to touch stuff if you’re not allowed to take your hands out of your pockets, or for that matter run around and jump on stuff. It was a good system, and an easy thing for her to say all the way through childhood when visiting people’s houses, shops, or stately homes etc and we knew that meant we could look, not touch, stay close and not wander off, no running, jumping etc.

The last house I sold the parents came seperately for first visits, with their Dad/FIL. Then they came togther the next day, during the day, when kid was in nursery. Sometime after I’d accepted their offer, they asked very nicely if it was ok to bring child as he was so excited, and I was happy for that. Child was well behaved- but then the visit was all about showing him around, so parents focus was on him and it was easy to ensure he was under supervision. I went out to garden with them to show child the newts and frogs in the Pond which he loved seeing.

So, yes kids should and can see property before completion- but preferably not on first viewings when parents are going to be distracted by looking around themselves. And especially not if 2-7 years until sale agreed.

TokyoSushi · 14/09/2023 13:14

Yes, totally fine, but perhaps a small bribe to make sure that they're on their best behavior and don't touch anything might help! Also a reminder that if they don't like it, say nothing!!

House sounds lovely!

PurpleBananaSmoothie · 14/09/2023 13:19

We took DD with us to house viewings unless we viewed in the week and she was at nursery. She’s a toddler though and so was mostly carried around and if she’d been expressing her… independence, one of us would have taken her for a walk.

The viewings for our house, one brought kids and they ran riot through the house, which had 2 more viewings directly after them. One of them also picked up something of my DD’s but wasn’t noticed until after. I doubt it was done maliciously but honestly the parents just needed to tell their kids to be good and not touch stuff because it’s not theirs.

CatOnAHotShedRoof · 14/09/2023 13:22

Depends if you're going to keep a close eye on them. We were selling a house a few years ago and had left the EA to do the viewing. We came home to find the viewers had brought their kids with them, who they left unsupervised and they managed to pull a heavy radiator off the wall, causing a lot of damage.

Ladyoftheknight · 14/09/2023 13:32

Yes! They should get to see their potential new home too! They can say what they like about it, as long as they do no damage

TheNoodlesIncident · 14/09/2023 13:37

I think it's best avoided for first viewings as far as possible. Second and third viewings are more likely to be serious ones where the viewers have become buyers. Obviously at that point children should still behave well, and not touch anything or voice negative opinions. I think I would have my dc look at the online listing, watch the walkround video if there is one, and comment freely at that stage when it's not going to hurt feelings.

It's awkward but it just can't be helped sometimes.

I know someone who gave their child a questionnaire to do as they went, with things like How many stairs are there? Are there any pets? How many doors in total? What colour is the back door? Stuff like that, kept him quiet and busy

crosstalk · 14/09/2023 13:41

Absolutely fine providing they're under control, happy to take their shoes off if it's that sort of house, don't need to use the loo - this seems to upset some sellers - and you can concentrate on the house for long enough to make a judgement.

GuanYinShanxi · 14/09/2023 13:43

I’ve always taken my DC to house viewings. They’ve always been part of the decision process of picking a home to live in from when they could walk and talk. No one has ever batted an eyelid. I’ve never asked or forewarned estate agents.

DiscoBeat · 14/09/2023 13:48

You can but I'd advise against it - ours were similar ages when we viewed a house with a swimming pool and they grumble that we didn't buy it, 5 years later!

irregularegular · 14/09/2023 13:57

Yes you can, and you may need to, but I'd avoid if it possible. Not so much because of the risk of bad behaviour (though obviously set some clear rules) as that children might form strong feelings for or against a house that are based on irrational things like decor, toys, pets....that might cause trouble later if you go against their views. Or they may be perfectly rational views, but they are outweighed by other factors.

StillWantingADog · 14/09/2023 13:59

I have done. But tried to schedule most when they were at school or I could get easy childcare.

Monkeybutt1 · 14/09/2023 14:03

We took DS who was then 2 and it wasn't an issue. We didn't let him run around or touch anything. In fact the main reason we chose our current house was how much he loved it, the owner played with him in the garden and he looked so happy and comfortable we bought it.
Just to add we did check before every viewing it was OK to take him.

mumtotwox · 14/09/2023 14:05

I would take turns to go in with your partner and the other watches the kids - that's what we have done a few times and it's much less stressful 😊

user1477249785 · 14/09/2023 14:10

I find some of these responses bizarre. Of course you can take children. They are allowed to exist in society - I don't know where this idea comes from that they need to be hidden away. You just simply set clear expectations for behaviour. This is how kids learn, not by being hidden away until at some point they miraculously emerge butterfly -ike as the fully formed article.

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