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AIBU?

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Original poster

Taking children to a house viewing?

136 replies

Bubblegumfan · 19/01/2018 15:15

In your opinion lovely mumsnetters? As either the buyer or seller, is it ok to take young children along to view a house for sale?

OP posts:
GlitterBurps · 19/01/2018 19:28

@allthegoodusernamesaretaken and @tentative3 I was far from impressed and if I had been the seller, even less so. I was mortified. We had discussed expected behaviour and reminded prior to each viewing, no touching, inside voices, wipe your feet, take shoes off etc. Also had planned for me to hold DS1's hand but had to swap as baby wouldn't settle with DH. It was a 2nd viewing at the 'box bed' house and DS1 had previously been perfectly behaved and charmed both E.A and lady owner and wanted to walk close to them so DH was not so vigilant with hand holding. DS1 suddenly ran towards the E.A then ran into opposite bedroom, I tried to grab him but missed. Obviously we apologised profusely.

Easilyflattered · 19/01/2018 19:29

The children who been with parents to view mine have been well behaved.

Mine have been ok when taking them to viewings, except for when my dd mentioned a funny smell in front if the vendor. We did have to have a chat with her after that. Although the house did smell to be fair to her.

If I was doing a second viewing with serious consideration to buy I would definitely get someone to mind my kids so I can look carefully without being distracted watching what my two are upto.

Apocalyptichorsewoman · 19/01/2018 19:31

I took Apocalptic boys to see our house when we bought it. The seller had her two children there too. The boys behaved really well and gelled with the sellers children!

MrGrumpy01 · 19/01/2018 19:39

We have been viewing and I prefer not to as they fall in love with it, decide who's room is who's and then it doesn't happen.

We did take them round a new build though, which as a 4 bed had a smaller upstairs than our 3 bed.

We took them to another and the vendor was a bit grumpy when dd open the wardrobe slightly. These were integral wardrobes so part of the fabric of the property, people would want to know the size so she should have expected people to want to look in them. (I certainly did with mine that are the same)

We had 3 viewers, the ones that made an offer brought the children, the first 2 came in the day and the children were at school.

Draylon · 19/01/2018 20:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Crumbs1 · 19/01/2018 20:43

How can you tell whether house fits you all in properly without the children. Our current house was sold to us at reduced price because we were a nice family who wanted to live in it rather than weekenders. It was our brood that charmed the elderly woman selling into lowering price to our budget.

lynmilne65 · 19/01/2018 20:50

Nike
poor cat 😿

MrGrumpy01 · 19/01/2018 21:15

She never got the door open more than an inch.

I didn't need to ask - I knew that they were going to be roughly the same size as mine (both houses on same road)

Slowtrain2dawn · 19/01/2018 21:21

This has brought back such memories of my childhood! My parents hobby for a while was to go to house viewings. We’d all go and kids were instructed not to speak or touch anything. I used to love it. They had no intention of buying really. Bit odd now I think on it.

BrewUpAudrey · 19/01/2018 21:45

We've just gone through this with selling our house. I don't mind if people bring their kids as long as they're behaved.

I'll be taking DS with me to look at any houses but he's just shy of 14 months and fairly portable still.

If anyone had opened any wardrobes they would have died in the ensuing avalanche of shit so would have been unable to put an offer in, and I'd have had to clean up. So it would have been doubly annoying.

GlitterBurps · 19/01/2018 21:52

BrewUpAudrey Snap! I said to DH thank fuck we don’t have built in wardrobes as people seem to think it’s ok to open them as they please. Our wardrobes are carefully packed with all our crap. God help the nosey buggers who open them Grin

dragonslair · 19/01/2018 21:55

If they behave! I am selling and prefer to let the agent do the showing. When I came back after a viewing last week, three out of four beds had been "slept" in. It's not Goldilocks's sodding cottage! I was furious (and still am - so much, that I am changing agent).

MyKingdomForACaramel · 19/01/2018 22:07

Years back I was an estate agent - was totally usual for people to bring their children - however - one woman turned up at a new build place - her son threw every cushion off the sofa- took all of the brochures and ripped them up - at that point I politely intervened (I was only about 20 so really not sure what to do) - at that point - he BIT MY BUM -literally ripped through my trousers - and left bite marks - I actually had to go to hospital - so - IME - as long as your kids don’t do that - they’re fine Smile

steppemum · 19/01/2018 22:12

I had to take dd2 a lot when we were house hunting.

At one house she did a wee on the floor. (age 3) Very unlike her and she had just done a wee before we left home, and I was mortified!

grumpy4squash · 19/01/2018 22:13

If they are selling a family home, they would surely expect you to bring the family.

PoshPenny · 19/01/2018 22:16

I took my daughters age 3 and 4 to a second viewing, I didn't have anyone I could leave them with. The vendors who were early 70's loved them and had them "testing the beds" in what would become their bedroom and generally having a great time. The sale didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped due to my buyers son throwing spanners in the works holding things up for a couple of months whilst trying to get PP for a house in his mums garden and I really think that what made them hold out and wait for for us was they really wanted us to have it. They had moved there when their daughter was tiny and we must have reminded them of their younger selves....

MyKingdomForACaramel · 19/01/2018 22:17

@glitter - it would be rather fun to set “wardrobe traps” so that perhaps a bag of glitter or glue and feathers lands on anyone cheeky enough to open your wardrobes

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 19/01/2018 22:18

If I was selling it wouldn't bother me providing they were well behaved and didn't touch anything.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 19/01/2018 22:27

I once found my two cosied up in the owners bed!

He also ran into a bedroom and dived on the bed which unfortunately was loads of boxes stacked up with sheets and a duvet and fell apart

I wouldn't have found that amusing at all and would probably have asked you to leave even if it meant losing a sale.

As for the children who cornered the cat, I would have gone ballistic if they did that to mine. I wouldn't care about selling the house, they and their excuses for parents would have known exactly what I thought of them and would have been out of the door before they could draw breath.

HPandBaconSandwiches · 19/01/2018 22:33

We did this with over 20 house viewings (over several weekends!). Of course take DC.

Agree one of you will take out the kids if they’re messing about, then swap if the staying parent really likes it.

Have snacks and electronics in the car. DC got iPads between houses if they were good inside. Exercise before you go - play at the park to burn off energy. It’s difficult at times but not impossible. Our DC managed a max of 4 houses a day before they burned out.

MeadowHay · 19/01/2018 22:52

I remember going to a fair few when I was younger, with my younger brother and sister. We were all very well behaved though, we weren't allowed to leave our parents' side or touch anything. I used to enjoy it, just the curiosity of it.

I am Shock at some of the stories on here about badly behaved children though! I can't think how some PPs didn't ask them to leave, unless you desperately needed to sell the house as quickly as possible I suppose. Shocking behaviour (particularly the abuse of the cat, I definitely wouldn't have been able to keep quiet about that!!).

MotherofaSurvivor · 19/01/2018 23:04

Miaow You didn't buy a house because a THREE YEAR OLD said she didn't like you?!

I take it you don't have kids?!

GlitterBurps · 19/01/2018 23:05

@PinkSparklyPussyCat the owner found it amusing as they had seen our DS1’s previously perfect behaviour and had established a relationship with us. They got that sometimes despite perfect preparation toddlers can be spontaneous and act out.
I think that most people who have raised their family in the house want to ‘pass the home onto’ people with kids as it reminds them of how they began and raised their family and filled the house with love.

GlitterBurps · 19/01/2018 23:16

@MyKingdomForACaramel I would love to set a booby trap but it would cause more clear up for me of glitter/ feathers plus too small clothes and other shot that I had accumulated over the years Grin

FluffyWuffy100 · 19/01/2018 23:16

it would be rather fun to set “wardrobe traps” so that perhaps a bag of glitter or glue and feathers lands on anyone cheeky enough to open your wardrobes

I always open any built in cupboards and wardrobes.

Want to see what the space is like, if there is any damp smell, in the kitchen if the doors are falling off their hindges etx