To take the kids with us to view a house?

[monkeynuts123]

Just wondering what the general opinion is here. We went to view a house and took kids, toddler and 5 year old with us. They were both well behaved and didn't run off around the house touching things or misbehaving but stayed with us as we viewed the house and only asked can they take their coats off and did they have to take their shoes off? The little one had to be watched by the stairs but we took it in turns so we both had a chance to focus on viewing the house. There was no playing about, shouting, interrupting, eating or filling nappies. We arrived at the appointment on time and left on time.

The estate agent said we should have left them outside in the car and that in her day she got left in the car while her dad was in the pub. I said that people don't tend to leave their kids in cars much these days if they can avoid it and she said in her day she was too scared of being hit and that things today have gone too far the other way.

AIBU to think that if children behave themselves they ought to be allowed to look at the house in which they may one day live?! I don't understand why some people have a problem with children just being there, if they're being naughty or inconsiderate I get it but if they're being well behaved what's the problem? I left feeling that we were in the wrong and our kids are a pain in the arse just by existing.

[Viviennemary]

I don't think they should have been left in the car. But it would have been better not to have taken them. If you were seriously considering buying the house fair enough to take them on a second viewing. But all this one has to be watched by the stairs while the other gets shown round. That would have irritated me if I was the home owner I'm afraid. But I wouldn't have said anything. Of course.

[LittleBearPad]

Um, she didn't necessarily have an abusive childhood - it was normal to be left in the car at the pub, with a lemonade and crisps with a salt packet! And you did get a clout if you misbehaved/answered back.

It really wasn't normal Nanny Ogg.

The estate agent sounds odd and she isn't doing her job well. I'd mention it to her boss

[MotherOfInsomniacToddlers]

I was buying a house when I had 2 children under two. If we both wanted to see the houses that we were considering buying then we had to take the kids with us....... Surely both the vendors and the estate agents actually want to sell houses!!!!! If i couldn't view them then I couldn't consider buying them! Idiots!

[MinesAPintOfTea]

I wouldn't take children that age I would prefer not to take DS, but not to the tune of £20-30 for every viewing because we have no family nearby to take him. So unless I do actually leave him outside in the car, which very few parents would do these days, he has to come to a viewing.

If you wish to lose out on a buyer/bidding war because you won't let part of your market even view your property, that's your lookout.

[MotherOfInsomniacToddlers]

I was actually viewing houses with a 6 week old baby too, the estate agent was lovely and actually offered to hold the baby and feed her ( she couldn't as I was bf) so that dh and I could have a proper look round!!!

[FootieOnTheTelly]

I would rather kids didn't come to view a house but if they were well behaved and quiet I think it's ok. It's understandable that it's not easy to find childcare. I wouldn't want older kids coming to first viewings.

[MidniteScribbler]

If you were seriously considering buying the house fair enough to take them on a second viewing.

I'm the opposite. The first viewing gives you a pretty good idea of whether the house is good for you. You can usually tell during a walk around if you get the right vibe about a place. The second viewing is the tapping walls, checking all the cupboards, measuring rooms that determine if your gut instinct is able to be backed up by cold hard facts.

[LittleBearPad]

Why on earth wouldn't people want old or young children to come. Do you want to sell your house

[LittleBearPad]

Why on earth wouldn't people want old or young children to come. Do you want to sell your house

[whatever5]

As a courtesy I would ask the seller if they minded me bringing kids with them and mske it clear to children beforehand of the standard of behaviour expected of them.

I certainly wouldn't ask. It's up to the vendor to request no children if it bothers them that much. I couldn't care less if they were privately seething that I had brought children if they hadn't specified that children weren't allowed. Buyers don't need to impress the vendor or keep on their good side. Its the other way around.

[gorionine]

Always took the DCs for house viewing, never been told by estate agenta no to. After all, they might end up livong there
Although I wouldn't give my children the final say but their opinion is valuable.

[VelvetSpoon]

I do find the idea that either people would object to children in their house, or seek to veto it, a bit bizarre.

Although it might explain why so many houses take AGES to sell...!

[LittleBearPad]

If you are selling a family home it's a given children will be brought to see it surely.

[VonHerrBurton]

If a vendor had made viewing notes to the tune of 'no children allowed' as a potential buyer I would think two things. 1 - you are going to be a nightmare to buy from, a fussy pain in the ass. 2 - Fuck you. I'll take my business elsewhere.

My mum was an estate agent for a long time and said that people who made lots of rules about their viewings very often just didnt sell, and agent-hopped for years.

Get a bloody grip love. Btw, YANBU! Your children sound lovely.

[Pimpf]

I'd be looking at getting a new agent to show you around houses and tell the manager why

[daytoday]

I'd never get a babysitter for a houseviewing? I've often brought kids. It's just not something I'd give any thought to.

I'd be asking to speak to the branch manager and suggest if it became common knowledge that their agency doesn't like viewings with children it would be bad for business.

[LtEveDallas]

Before we bought our new house, I'd say we viewed about 30. Every single viewing we had to take DD (age7/8) and on a few we had to take the mutt as well (she stayed in the car except for one memorable house where the owner told us off and went and got her herself!).

The house we are now buying, DD walked herself around it very quickly when we were in the kitchen with the owner, come back downstairs, said "I'd like the bedroom next to the loo" and went and sat next to the owners son who was playing some GTA type game on the x box. We spent an hour in the house and left there knowing we were going to offer on it.

Maybe the more welcoming and 'normal' the owner is, the more likely they are to sell.

[dannydyerismydad]

When we were selling our last house, one woman brought her dog along to check out the garden! I didn't care. I just wanted to move.

[TheGruffalo2]

I think taking a dog to look at the house is bad manners without checking first. What if the owners have allergies or young children who are scared of dogs? Did the dog just check the garden or did it come in the house, danny?

I know dogs can be a big part of the family and in any move we made I would consider what the dog needs; dog-friendly garden, with secure boundaries, areas for dog beds, preferably kitchen access to garden to avoid muddy paws throughout house; but actually taking the dog ... did the dog get a vote on whether they like the house?

[LifeIsForTheLiving]

I wouldn't say it's unreasonable to take dc.

I would however avoid it if possible.

We took the dc to view a house last year. Although they were well behaved, they're still a distraction and when we left there were a few things we hadn't thought to ask.

[Passthecake30]

We viewed 30 houses with a 9mth old and a 2 yr old. No other choice, and at least it gave the estate agents an idea of our requirements. ..they really didn't understand our need for a "child safe" garden over the phone until we turned up and still thought it ok to show us ones with treacherous steps up to the front door etc

[dannydyerismydad]

I was a bit surprised. They just turned up with the dog. We don't have dogs of our own, but I like dogs, so wasn't bothered, but I can imagine some people being troubled by it.

The poor agent was really apologetic. She made me check the garden for poo, and promised she would come back with rubber gloves to clean it up if there was any. There wasn't!

[MmeGuillotine]

We always take our boys with us when house hunting as we don't have anyone else to leave them with. I usually check that's okay though when I speak to the estate agent.

However, an estate agent once told us a story about how he'd been showing a family (not us, honest!) around a house and one of the children had started 'playing' the piano in the sitting room, whereupon the house owner had burst into tears and had a complete meltdown. It turned out that the piano had belonged to her dead daughter years before and hadn't been touched since her death UNTIL THAT MOMENT.

[LaGuardia]

She must have been the agent when I took my 3yo DD, who managed to lock herself in a wardrobe, fall out of the conservatory door and empty her pockets of precious things crap all over the floor

[manchestermummy]

We took ours (aged 3 and 9 mo at the time) because we had no childcare! I am certain they helped us: the elderly couple we bought from loved them (dug out biscuits for them!) and I am sure they accepted our rather cheeky offer because they liked the idea of young family in what had been their family home.