To think it’s normal to take your kids to a house viewing?

[HouseMover2024]

Friend is trying to sell her house and has taken issue with people bringing their children. In her view, they should arrange childcare and it’s inappropriate for them to bring children. If they do bring their kids she thinks they should be left in the car with parents taking turns.

Friend doesn’t have children. She can’t relate to the fact that childcare outside of work time isn’t particularly easy to find.

Part of her reasoning is she has animals she says it’s not practical to remove and is worried a child might get bitten.

I have an opposing view and actually have taken my young children to viewings. I ensure they are respectful and take their shoes off/don’t touch anything. But it’s not always practical to arrange childcare especially at weekends. When my home has been on the market I remove my pets for viewings.

I don’t think it’s ok actually, it’s not a day out, that said, the last viewers children ran mud all over my house. Maybe well behaved children welcome then if you know your child is too young or a runner then best to leave them with someone for the viewing.

Can you not negotiate with your child? Do you just exclude them, if it's going to be a bit difficult?

Children at a viewing would be normal for us.

It’s not even the cost but the logistics of it. I would (and regularly do) skip a night out rather than use a babysitter. I wouldn’t feel
comfortable leaving the kids with a stranger and they would get upset they’re being left too.

I always ask people to take their shoes off and do the same at other houses. Except one where the outside was cleaner than the inside.

When we viewed this house, the owner asked if we minded viewing the garden first, then she would put the dogs out there while we looked at the house. Perfect compromise.

I'd say it depends very much on how many children, their age, and how well behaved they are!

One or two children who can walk round quietly with the parent(s), absolutely fine. Five who just want to go tearing round the house and garden, not fine.

When we moved to this house, I had a toddler. I took her to viewings because I worked part-time and only had childcare arrangements for the days I worked. Husband was at work, so I did the initial viewing and then when I found something I liked we had a second viewing at the weekend with him present.

This house had a dog who was ushered out into the garden while we were inside and then sent in while we looked round the garden.

I voted UABU but only because I have 5 kids and I wouldn't inflict that on any home owner 😂 in the past we have taken turns to view.

Editing to say that my 5 children are impeccably behaved and very much could view a house with us and not be disruptive, but I don't think it would be fair to bring a crowd into someone's house.

So most people here want to take their kids to house viewings. Ok. And how many of you would let other people's kids into your house for viewings?

As long as they behave.

I wouldn’t be surprised by people bringing children with them.

I would be very surprised by a vendor having a dog with a bite history in the house at said viewings.

Im aware that I’m out of date here having last thought a house 30 years ago but not once did we have an estate agent conduct the viewing - it was always the vendor.

This! Her dog is her problem only. You always take the dog out during a visit. Also, she needs to leave too. There is nothing more awkward than the owner of the house being there while you walk around judging if their house is good enough for you.

Yes - the kids need to behave. If they didn’t, I’d ask the people to leave immediately and the sale would not be to them as I wouldn’t inflict a family like that on our lovely neighbours.

Why would you think they wouldn't! The whole point is us that would take them think it's normal behaviour!

What an odd question, do you have double standards? ,

I wouldn’t ask, and have never been asked, if children are coming or I’m bringing them.

Yes of course, always have welcomed them and never once had an issue

I think the secondary issue is that anyone who makes barriers to an initial viewing is likely to be a difficult person going forwards.

We had a vendor who could only accommodate viewings past 3 on a Sunday because she “ran a business” I said you’re also trying to sell a house. We also run our own business(es) and have a schedule to accommodate plus the time of year meant it would have been dark and we wanted to view in daytime. We were the ones considering handing her a substantial amount of cash. We ultimately decided she was going to be an awkward vendor and wasn’t that motivated to sell. We have withdrawn from sales where the vendors don’t make an effort to progress.

As if!

I think there is generally a time in the process where you'd usually take children to have a look so it's not unusual to expect this and be prepared for it. I wouldn't expect this to be the first viewing ideally as there is a lot for adults to concentrate on and weigh up. I would arrange to go separately initially if that's the way to go childless on the first visit as it seems a bit disrespectful for a whole family to track through a home and then just say no not for us. But with the current climate I guess you need to welcome any potential buyer you can get.

Ok - so you can only do weekends and have no family? Do you block a potential sale or do you grin and bear it (and probably not witness it anyway if you use an agent).

I always want to know how proceedable they are financially, I’m not interested in their kids.

Of course you make individual decisions based on individual circumstances, I am talking generalities and have said vendors need to be prepared for children to visit and at the moment sellers need to welcome any buyer they can get.

I don't like strangers in my home. I don't own but rent, my last LL was selling and I was given less than 24h notice and had to do the viewings myself as otherwise I was seen as "obstructing" their wishes. I never even thought of putting my cat out the way and would have been even more pissed off if viewers brought kids to run around too.

I didn’t see any reason to take children to viewings initially.

You need to focus on the property not supervise children.

A lot of houses aren’t set up to be child friendly - open fires, expensive ornaments etc

I wouldn’t want the buyers distracted by their offspring and make a discussion impossible.

Im not selling at weekend!! People can come during school hours.

That illustrates my point though as ultimately you weren’t motivated to sell. So it’s not in your interests to be accommodating.

Cats are different to dogs.

Im glad none of our vendors had this attitude. We would never have bought.

Im glad none of our vendors had this attitude. We would never have bought

That assumes you gave them the option.