To say yes to someone who has invited themselves to my house?

[PrinceHaz]

This is someone (not a potential date, just someone I may become friends with) who I’ve not met before but have exchanged a few texts with. We’d agreed to meet up but hadn’t said where. They’ve texted suggesting spending the evening at my house and they’ll bring wine and snacks.
I’ve thought about it and said yes as it’s no skin off my nose, will just tidy up a bit.
im just wondering, as it’s most definitely a no no to invite yourself unless you typically do this/know one another well, why would someone do this? I can’t imagine ever inviting myself to someone else’s house, let alone someone I’m meeting for the first time.
They seem lovely and definitely not a CF so am just a bit fascinated about the psychology behind them making the suggestion.

They want to look at your piles of mail and see what’s in your bathroom cabinets.

Just meet them at the pub in the first instance to check they’re not a complete weirdo.

I’d an absolutely not invite a total stranger to my home. No. I’d do first meeting on neutral territory.

Are there any other adults in your house? I wouldn't have someone I'd never met before in my home, from a safety point of view. I'd meet them in a public place first.

You're going to host a complete stranger at your home? Be sure to take proper precautions, including arranging for a friend to call over/phone you at a pre-arranged time. Send an email to someone you know well with the persons full name, address, phone number etc. on it, everything you know about them. You may have exchanged texts, but you don't know them.

It’s definitely a safe person. It’s the mum of daughters friend. I’m not concerned about safety just intrigued about how she felt comfortable with the suggestion.

My partner will be home.

So it's a mum from school? Not a stranger off the internet? I think it's a fairly normal suggestion if you both have kids and don't want a babysitter.

Very unwise to allow them to come to your home, particularly if you're going to be alone.

Tbh, it's an extremely weird thing to do to just invite yourself to someone's house that you've never met before.

Meet them in a public place where there will be other people around.

Our children are older teenagers so it’s not a childcare issue. We’re free to meet wherever.

Ah, just seen your update.

That puts a different light on things.

Sounds okay.

Still a bit cheeky for her to invite herself though.

What's the saying 'when someone shows you who they are ' 😉

It'll be fine.

Ok so a drip feed of quite important info there!!

Not a complete stranger
you don’t live alone
partner will be there
kids already friends

totally normal, maybe a tad cheeky.

Work out an exit strategy in advance, could still be a weirdo.

Well that’s a drip feed, lol, yeah that’s fine,

I have to say that I wouldn’t invite myself for drinks at someone else’s house-I would invite them to me or wait to be invited to theirs.

Sounds ok. We were pursued quite strongly by a dc’s mum from school. Found it a bit odd that she was really determined to be friends but she invited us to her first.

That's normal. She's just asked if you fancy a night in with wine and snacks and offered to bring them.

I don't really think it was a drip feed... the post was about whether it was cheeky, not about whether it was safe. That's irrelevant to the purpose of OPs post.

I personally don't think it's cheeky. They might feel cheeky asking you to make the effort to go to theirs. If I ask people to my home I always feel as if I'm putting them out as opposed to graciously hosting.

I think it's a bit cheeky for a first meeting.

Is she skint? Tbf, it saves having to dress up and do your hair etc.

Thanks for useful perspective. I think it’s entirely possible she thought I might not like to come to hers (although I would be happy to).
Also as you noted, my post wasn’t about safety, just perspectives on etiquette. I only drip fed in order to move the conversation back to the point of my OP.

I would say it’s more ‘normal’ for someone to invite you to their house. However there could be a reason why she offered to come to yours. When my dcs were little parents used to invite me over in the hope of making friends.

Not impossible. Ironically I bought boots a 2 tops to choose from for the light out that won’t be a night ‘out’.

Excuse typos

I think it’s strange for her to invite herself over. Especially for first meeting, or really anytime unless there’s a reason. Invitations are usually to host, not to be hosted. A little weird.