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I've had former residents drop by our house in northern VA. and also our house in California. Both situations were a little different than what the OP is describing. They weren't total strangers; I knew their names and that they were genuinely former residents, since I'd been getting their junk mail for years. I've always been amazed how mail for former residents keeps showing up, even if I go to the post office myself to file the forwarding address, and even after 20 or more years.
The woman who stopped by the California house enjoyed the tour and shared some really interesting bits of information with us. She stayed about 15 minutes, and I later saw her a few times in the grocery store.
The couple who stopped by the northern VA house didn't enjoy it as much. The moment they walked in the door they noticed we had taken down some wallpaper and I think they found that disturbing. Then they were embarrassed about being disturbed (because, after all, you should expect to see things like that).
I tried to make them feel comfortable, but they were embarrassed and wanted to leave, so it ended up being a very short peek in the house, handing over some mail, and that was about it. I actually was a little sad to see them go, there were things about that house I would have loved to have explained (like what certain outlets were for; never did figure all of them out, LOL).
I suppose things have gotten more dangerous in recent years and it probably isn't a good idea to let people do this anymore. Although I might, depending on the situation. I've stayed in touch with the former owners of our newest house and am Facebook friends with them. If they want to stop by, I'd be ok with it.
I got to see my father's childhood home in the Hudson Valley when I was in college. My grandparents had sold it a good 35 years before and the buyers were still there! I was with my uncle and he pointed out a lot of neat things.
I visited my childhood home in Southside Birmingham AL in the early 90s, about eight years after we moved out. The people who bought it from us were still there and kindly showed me around. I told them how the cracks got into my old bedroom window (boiler explosion in Bessemer) but decided not to tell the ghost stories. They were far better off financially than we had been in the 70s when we lived there and they had remodeled the house top to bottom. I was glad it got the TLC it deserved even though it looked like a Laura Ashley store had exploded in there. I believe they have since sold it and now I have no idea who lives there, although I was thinking of painting a small portrait of the house and mailing it there when it turns 100 in two years. Would that be weird? Yeah, probably.
I visited my childhood home in Southside Birmingham AL in the early 90s, about eight years after we moved out. The people who bought it from us were still there and kindly showed me around. I told them how the cracks got into my old bedroom window (boiler explosion in Bessemer) but decided not to tell the ghost stories. They were far better off financially than we had been in the 70s when we lived there and they had remodeled the house top to bottom. I was glad it got the TLC it deserved even though it looked like a Laura Ashley store had exploded in there. I believe they have since sold it and now I have no idea who lives there, although I was thinking of painting a small portrait of the house and mailing it there when it turns 100 in two years. Would that be weird? Yeah, probably.
I don’t think that would be weird - it would be cool!
I have no idea who lives there, although I was thinking of painting a small portrait of the house and mailing it there when it turns 100 in two years. Would that be weird? Yeah, probably.
Wow, what a cool thing that would be to receive in the mail. To minimize any possible weirdness I would keep it just a simple rolled piece of paper, nothing too fancy. And don't ask for payment, of course.
In the past, people would ask the current owners/renters of the homes they grew up in if they could visit and think and talk about the past, for nostalgia.
I doubt that happens often today.
If a stranger shows up at your doorstep, young or old, and tells you he/she grew up in the house you are occupying now, would you let that person in and reminisce?
No. You don't open your door and let people in without a prior appointment. Otherwise they could come in and commit a crime. Or you don't worry about that in Texas because every member of the household including the dog is armed?
No. You don't open your door and let people in without a prior appointment. Otherwise they could come in and commit a crime. Or you don't worry about that in Texas because every member of the household including the dog is armed?
Hahahahah.
I am with you on this one! So strange to me how many people complain about having strangers in their house when its for sale but will invite everyone in when its not. And as someone says in this thread if I was intending to rob you I know just what tale I would tell. I think people throw caution out the window if they have a chance to show off.
Wow, what a cool thing that would be to receive in the mail. To minimize any possible weirdness I would keep it just a simple rolled piece of paper, nothing too fancy. And don't ask for payment, of course.
I would paint it on a 5"x7" card and keep it simple. Glad other people like the idea! As the Miranda Lambert song says, it's "The House that Built Me" so I'd like to do something special for it's 100th year. I'll include a pic in the card from the 70s so the current owners can appreciate the old paint scheme. It was...well, not as attractive as it is now.
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They were far better off financially than we had been in the 70s when we lived there and they had remodeled the house top to bottom. I was glad it got the TLC it deserved even though it looked like a Laura Ashley store had exploded in there. I believe they have since sold it and now I have no idea who lives there, although I was thinking of painting a small portrait of the house and mailing it there when it turns 100 in two years. Would that be weird? Yeah, probably.
