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Old 10-12-2013, 08:34 PM
 
Location: Texas
44,256 posts, read 64,122,228 times
Reputation: 73915

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My parents brought us to the final contenders...to see what we thought.

I thought it was fun. I was 13, my brother 11.

24 years later, it is still the family home, and I bought a home two streets over (fabulous area).

I don't see the problem.
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Old 10-12-2013, 09:03 PM
 
10,181 posts, read 10,211,880 times
Reputation: 9252
There are several reasons why I have or have not brought my children to look at houses.

Reasons I have: Babysitters (mine) are HS students or college aged and aren't always available during the day. My husband's business allows him a schedule in which some days he is home for most of the morning or afternoon, other days he isn't. If he's on call, and not "off", things can change in a second. I don't want to look at a property in the dark, so when I schedule an appt it's around his availability AND the realtor's availability it's always during daylight hours.

Drop in day care? No thank you.

Reasons I have not: Had a babysitter available (usually one of my parents, but they have their own lives and don't always want a last minute phone call asking if they can watch the kids for a half hour). House is a fixer-upper and although I might go along for the ride to see the house, I won't bring my kids inside it. I'll sit in the car with them and when my husband is done looking around and IF he thinks we should make an offer, he'll tell me I need to take a quick run through - and he'll sit in the car with the kids. Realtor wants the sale? He or she won't have a problem with it. I don't need to see the basement or the attic or the crawl space, just a quick look at cosmetics b/c that's what I'm in charge of. My husband takes the time to see the "bones" and ask questions.

Also - I've never been in the market for a house for us to move in to when we had children. The first two we had none, the house we live in was being built while I was pregnant with my first. Moved in when he was 2 months old.

However, I have sold two properties that I lived in, and as a seller and a little bit of a perfectionist, I still couldn't have cared less if potential buyers brought their children.

We sold both without a realtor, so I was home for all showings of both places. You either KNOW how to deal with kids that aren't yours touching things they shouldn't when their parents aren't paying attention or you don't. Some little guy puts his hand on the stainless steel fridge/dishwasher/oven you just cleaned? You clean the hand print when they leave. Not a big freaking deal.

Some little guy pulls a fork out of his diaper that he smuggled in from home, knowing he was going to see a house for sale, and sticks it in a non-child proofed outlet in said house, you say "Hey buddy! That's not a good idea! That's going to hurt".

Toddler picks up the cat or ankle biter dog and grabs a chair to get him high enough to put cat/ankle biter dog in microwave? You say, "That's going to be one big mess you're going to have to clean up. And how to you like your cat/dog cooked? Well done? Me too, but not in my microwave".

Kids running around all over? Licking electrical outlets, smelling your wife's needing to be washed panties in the laundry room, riding down the bannister, digging through your porno collection? SAY something to the parents. Like, "hey, I don't want them to get hurt, have gay porn images burned in to their brain for life or catch a disease". Easy.

Don't want your kids toys broken by some prospective buyer's kid? Put them away. You don't leave your diamonds out on display, do you? And what kind of ****ty toys do you have for your kids that some other kid can break it in two seconds?

Other than that?

Get over yourself.

Kids as distractions? Who doesn't know within the first 5 seconds of stepping one foot in to a house if they like it or not? I do. No need to see the bedrooms if the foyer & kitchen suck.

If I were EVER to be in the market to buy a "used" house, and I was told "no kids allowed during showings"? I wouldn't bother seeing the home. On to the NEXT one who didn't have such a stick up their behind.

Last edited by Informed Info; 10-12-2013 at 09:31 PM..
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Old 10-12-2013, 09:57 PM
 
10,104 posts, read 19,320,940 times
Reputation: 17437
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
It's rude.

If they aren't old enough to be left alone in the car for the 30 minutes you go in
then leave them home.
whaaaa.......let me think this through......not old enough to be left in the car 30 min, so, leave at home........by themselves? Surely you're not a parent, or you'd realize how ridiculous that statement was.........you can't just find a sitter for odd times, it costs money, the buyers aren't trying to impress the sellers, its the other way around

sometimes while house hunting my dh and I would take turns in the van with the kids while the other looked around, but only if the kids were getting cranky, out of hand, etc, but usually the agent preferred we all go in together, less time, better communication.....our kids really never did touch anything, because we kept ahold of them the whole time..........
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Old 10-12-2013, 10:16 PM
 
Location: Southwest Louisiana
3,087 posts, read 3,205,354 times
Reputation: 915
Really dmk31088, it's not that serious!!!! It's really not. I remember going to house showings w/ my mom as a kid. I was along for the ride. I never tried to make the decision on the house to buy or where to move, however it was nice to get a feel for several potential homes that I could be residing in. My mom also liked looking at model homes when we were out of town, and I went tagged alone for most of those as well. Again, nice to look at but knew I was not living there as the folks had no plans on moving out of town.
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Old 10-13-2013, 04:06 AM
 
Location: Hernando County, FL
8,488 posts, read 20,564,373 times
Reputation: 5397
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
It's rude.

If they aren't old enough to be left alone in the car for the 30 minutes you go in
then leave them home.
Rude? If someone is selling their house they should expect people to be going into the house, people of all ages. The kids are going to be living there also and having their input is important to many parents. I don't see how it is in any way rude.
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Old 10-13-2013, 04:18 AM
 
Location: Hernando County, FL
8,488 posts, read 20,564,373 times
Reputation: 5397
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
Perfect analogy and a perfect example of a rude imposition by alleged adults.
Don't push others into accepting your rudeness.

Third attempt:
People with kids young enough that they can't safely be left to themselves for 30 minutes
--whether that is in the car at the curb in front or at the neighborhood playground down the street--
need to recognize their social responsibility when these adult activities come up: Get a sitter.
Writing the same thing over and over does not make it right. It is just your opinion.

Some of us raise our children letting them know that their input is valuable. My kids were raised right and know how to behave in someone else home, whether or not it is someone they know. Expecting someone that is thinking about buying your home to change the way they act as a family to suit your needs is what is rude.

If someone is expecting to sell a family home then expect to have families coming through.
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Old 10-13-2013, 04:41 AM
 
Location: Hernando County, FL
8,488 posts, read 20,564,373 times
Reputation: 5397
Quote:
Originally Posted by Siobjuan View Post
IMHO you are giving your kid too much power in your family. Are they buying the house? no. You are. Grow up and make adult decisions. This is WAY too much stress for kids. What happens if you buy the house because the kids love it and it ends up being a money pit? Then your kids feel responsible for talking you into that house. Think about it. You are the parents, you make the big decisions, they live with your decisions. This is how life is supposed to work.
Giving a child the space to have an opinion and give input is not giving them too much power. I don't really see people saying they are bringing kids so they can make the decision.
How you now flipped that into the kids feeling responsible if someone buys an overpriced house is an extreme stretch.
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Old 10-13-2013, 04:44 AM
 
Location: Hernando County, FL
8,488 posts, read 20,564,373 times
Reputation: 5397
Quote:
Originally Posted by twingles View Post
I don't see how you can possibly get a good look at or feel for a house with kids along with you. If they aren't old enough to leave home by themselves, they aren't old enough to leave YOU ALONE while you look at such a large purchase/investment. In a million years I would not have brought my kids along to look at houses. Find a drop in day care or hire a sitter - for your own sanity.
If you aren't mentally stable enough that children around distract you enough to not be able to view a home then you should not be buying a home.
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Old 10-13-2013, 04:52 AM
Status: "Made the Retirement Run in under 12 parsecs!!!" (set 6 days ago)
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,083 posts, read 76,642,306 times
Reputation: 45397
The fascinating thing about real estate is that sellers don't have to sell, and buyers don't have to buy.
Another fascinating thing is the reasons people conjure up to disqualify the other party.

"They have money, credit, and urgency, but they have children! No Way can they buy MY home!"

"That house is perfect! It has the huge 4th bedroom for the twins, a home office and a short commute to work, the best schools in the state, a 3 car garage. The neighborhood has the swim and tennis club with low dues! Quiet cul-de-sac but close to all shopping and conveniences.
It is everything we ever wanted in a house, and the price is great!

Oh. Wait. They aren't embracing our perfect kids properly. Ain't no way we are buying THAT dump from THOSE oafs!"
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Old 10-13-2013, 05:01 AM
 
Location: Hernando County, FL
8,488 posts, read 20,564,373 times
Reputation: 5397
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJaquish View Post
"They have money, credit, and urgency, but they have children! No Way can they buy MY home!"
I guess the Fair Housing Act was not explained to those people that don't want a family with children to buy their home.
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