AIBU to think shoes off and bare feet at a house viewing is odd?

[Duckrabbit]

I went to view a house today and the estate agent told me to remove my shoes, so I ended up walking around the house in bare feet, which felt very uncomfortable. My shoes were not visibly dirty, btw.

I am shoes off at home, and prefer visitors to do the same, but AIBU to think this is weird for a viewing? I wouldn't want people walking around my house bare foot.

Awful. They should have shoe covers. Like a lot of people, I have arthritis in my feet, and it’s painful for me to walk barefoot anywhere. Some older people find it difficult to get shoes on and off. Not everyone can just kick off shoes and happily walk barefoot anywhere

I think it's time to start taking socks in anticipation of needing shoes off for viewings, just like you do when shoe shopping.

I can see this practice stopping now the housing market’s stalled. It’s a buyers’ market and if people want to sell their house they’re going to have to suck up people wearing shoes for viewings.

I already do but thanks so much for your helpful suggestion

What a bizarre post.

I’m buying at the moment and ask if they want me to remove my shoes when I go in the house. It’s called manners. I would not be happy if viewers were trapsing around upstairs in my house in their shoes.

It’s up to the vendor. If you don’t like it then don’t view the house, simple.

It’s up to the vendor. If you don’t like it then don’t view the house, simple.

It’s up to the vendor. If you really want to sell your house in the current market you can’t afford to put buyers off. Simple.

Apologies, you wrote "Need to know in advance so I can bring socks" so I thought maybe you were needing to be told in advance so that you could bring socks.

I wouldn't want someone walking around my house in their shoes either.

To be fair, the soles of shoes are usually much dirtier than bare feet. Next time, just wear socks! 😊

I’ve been provided with shoe coverings before for rental properties. I’ve always turned these down as I think they would notice every bit of wear and tear and I’d not get my deposit back.

It's very naff to ask people to remove shoes downstairs anyway (workboots and wellies excepted). You can't wear shoes in someone else's bedroom in a private home under normal circumstances, but you can't expect shoe removal if you viewing a house for sale. Sellers wanting to protect carpets for need to put down carpet protectors or supply overshoes.

I'd always assume shoes off and wear socks. I'd never walk into anyone's home with my shoes on unless they insist.

OK, it’s happened once. Just slip a pair of socks in your bag so you don’t get caught again. I get that the vendors want to keep things clean.

Struggling to understand why if you are a shoes off person for your home that you would not give the same consideration at a house you were viewing and anticipate your need for socks!

Though awful in their own way, is the answer for the seller to have available shoe covers for viewers?

I would have thought about this and worn trainers and socks.
All those people viewing the house in total, definitely wouldn't expect them to be wearing shoes.

Why wouldn't you carry socks "just in case"? It's not as if you need a suitcase to carry them. Just pop some in your pocket or bag.

Not in all areas. Some areas are still "hot" for property sales. We've just sold DH's inherited house the week it was put on the market, even before the agent could get the for sale sign put up. And yes, we made it clear to the agents it was a "shoes off" situation for viewing. Didn't put off the guy who bought it, nor the other who made an offer the day after the first guy. Both offered full asking price.

I have been viewing houses recently and always take my shoes off. The poor sellers are working hard to keep their house immaculate, it’s not fair for me to come in in shoes that I’ve worn outdoors and risk leaving dirt or wet marks. Even if my shoes seem clean they’ve still been worn outdoors. I don’t have a problem walking around a clean house in bare feet.

If it was a grimy house that didn’t look like it had been cleaned recently then I’d want to keep my shoes on, but then I expect that kind of owner would not expect shoes off!

I bloody hate shoe covers, like walking in a plastic bag, I’d rather take my shoes off.

Yes, before we put DH's inherited house on the market, we "staged" it and cleaned it to within an inch of its' life, including shampooing the carpets. We were not going to keep going back to clean/vacuum the floors time and time again after people had trampled through it with muddy/oily shoes.

A couple of years ago, we visited the show houses of a huge new housing estate. At every front door were a box of plastic shoe-coverings and a big notice saying to either take off shoes or put on the shoe-covers, so it's not just a "private" house thing either when housing developers do the same.

So you have a shoes off policy at home but don't respect other people's right to do the same? Next time take socks.

Surely you would have socks in your bag, you knew you were house viewing and most houses are shoes off.

Plenty of houses still aren't.

Agreed.

Why didn’t you assume that you’d be taking your shoes off? It’s badic - BASIC - manners and courtesy!