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Yes this is absolutely the best thing to do then by the time you done looking at the house the Police can feel free to arrest you and take your children and put them with social services for leaving them in the vehicle unattended.
It is not rude, it is normal. The children are going to live there as well and as long as they don't touch or break anything I see no problem with it at all.
And there's the deal. Once touching and/or breaking has happened, the genie doesn't go back into the bottle. Whatever is broken, is broken.
It seems so nice to have the kids along, so "family."
Often that 3 year old has two vigorous educated parents out-flanked and out-numbered. All too often.
I am working for a possible listing where I will need to be present for showings, as the owners will not be able to kid-proof the house. I am contemplating not allowing kids into the house, based on behaviors I have witnessed. And, I know that will cost the sellers showings. What to do?
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.
I don't understand what your problem is. Shopping for stuff is not an adult activity. It's not like the parents are taking the kids to a strip club, or fancy restaurant. There is no social obligation to make sure that kids are never seen by people who hate kids.
Children should not be left unattended in cars. Children should not be left unattended at playgrounds. It is much more appropriate for a parent to bring a child into a house showing than it is to leave them in the car or on the playground, unattended.
When sellers put their house on the market they open their house to buyers. Some buyers are going to have children with them. That's just part of selling a house.
I'm sorry, but my HUSBAND and my CHILDREN aren't nearly on the same level. My HUSBAND is partly responsible for the mortgage, my children aren't. My HUSBAND is going to be helping pay the bills, my children won't. EVER.
My husband is an adult... my kids? They're not. To that extent, why not bring the in laws, his twin sister, the rest of the family... why not have a BBQ over there first to see how it feels?
At what age exactly do we start to take the kids opinion to heart? 5? 10? 3? The analogy of the child liking the room because the walls are purple was the PERFECT reason why you don't listen to your kids. I can change the color of a room with a day and $50 and the simple fact of the matter is whether it's pink, purple, pea green, black or pumpkin orange, you'll lay your head where I say you will and NEVER will you have an opportunity to have input on adult finances. Even when you're 40.
Having an opinion and having the ultimate say in whether to buy a house are not the same thing. One thing I learned is that my kids see things differently than I do and often they see things that I don't see. There were a few houses that I liked initially that I took them to see later. They pointed out things that I didn't notice that were pretty important in the long run.
One time my son (11 at the time) didn't like a house because one of the bedrooms was pink. I was able to quickly explain to him that it was inexpensive and easy to change the color of paint on the wall. He accepted that but then pointed out that the sun would always be in our eyes if we ate dinner outside on the patio (we were seeing the house around dinnertime). I had not noticed that because I had initially seen the house in the morning when the kids were in school.
I don't need my kids approval to buy a house, but they often see things that are important to consider.
And there's the deal. Once touching and/or breaking has happened, the genie doesn't go back into the bottle. Whatever is broken, is broken.
It seems so nice to have the kids along, so "family."
Often that 3 year old has two vigorous educated parents out-flanked and out-numbered. All too often.
I am working for a possible listing where I will need to be present for showings, as the owners will not be able to kid-proof the house. I am contemplating not allowing kids into the house, based on behaviors I have witnessed. And, I know that will cost the sellers showings. What to do?
I think rather than lose the showing possibilities, especially if the home is likely to be a family buying it, I would greet the family and agent outside and tell them the house isn't child proofed so the seller has requested that children be carried while in the house (for younger ones), or that a parent hold the hand of their child the entire time in the house. Then remind the kids to not touch anything.
I think it is okay to tell them your expectations before allowing them in the house.
I don't see a problem with taking the kids when you look at houses. It's going to be their house too. Let them look at what might be their room, the back yard where they can play with friends, see how many other kids are in the neighborhood. A move to a new house affects the whole family, not just the adults.
I don't understand what your problem is.
Children (not old enough to be) should not be left unattended in cars.
Children (not old enough to be) should not be left unattended at playgrounds.
Agreed. They should be left home.
Quote:
Shopping for stuff is not an adult activity.
Looking for a house to buy is not shopping for stuff.
This isn't going to WalMart for Corn Flakes where you're given a cart with a kid holder built into it.
Looking at homes... is nearly always the single largest financial transaction that the buyers have
ever been engaged in. It is ABSOLUTELY a very serious and quite ADULT activity.
The buyers don't need the distraction and the sellers/agents don't need the worry.
And there's the deal. Once touching and/or breaking has happened, the genie doesn't go back into the bottle. Whatever is broken, is broken.
I'm sure I could dig up a few threads about adults who caused damage to houses or did things the seller's were aghast about. Maybe only allow video tours.
You would leave a one year old home with a stranger for an entire weekend while you looked at houses? Do you have children?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
Looking for a house to buy is not shopping for stuff.
This isn't going to WalMart for Corn Flakes where you're given a cart with a kid holder built into it.
Looking at homes... is nearly always the single largest financial transaction that the buyers have
ever been engaged in. It is ABSOLUTELY a very serious and quite ADULT activity.
The buyers don't need the distraction and the sellers/agents don't need the worry.
I have no problem looking at a house without kids being a distraction. I just don't see this as a big deal. How hard is it to see a house with kids in tow?
As for the sellers worrying, I just can't be responsible for their worry. If they worry about something then they worry about it. That's not the buyer's problem.
An agent has hired me and works for me. If I need to bring my kids and they don't like it then I will find someone else.
Maybe our house shopping experience is not the norm for most people, but it went something like this:
We see house on redfin or similar and email agent. She says, "how's tomorrow noon?" I text DH at work to check his schedule, I check my schedule; he can't do noon, I ask agent for 3 pm, she can't do 3 but can do 4, I text DH again and we all settle on 4, meeting there - I'll bring the kids to give them to DH so I can go straight to work after and he can take them home. We walk around the house for 15 mins with a nod to the SA and then stand outside to talk, then all go our separate ways. Repeat dozens of times over the next 2 months.
I can't fathom tossing in phone calls to a sitter to find out if she's available for 30 mins every other day. We never would have seen a house! Or spending a few hundred dollars to have the sitter watch them for 2 solid days straight so we could see everything on weekends - the amount of horrible (for us) houses we slogged through would have made me LIVID if I was spending money to look at them just so my kids didn't make some stranger uncomfortable for 15 mins.
I am hyper-conscientious of my children's behaviors in public, so they're not even allowed to walk around a house that's still lived in (must be carried or hold hands), and I don't think allowing kids to run rampant is ever acceptable, but I think it's ridiculous and unrealistic to suggest people get a sitter for every showing. Once you're getting serious and discussing numbers, sure, then the outlay of Sitter Cash is worth it, but for first impressions? Wouldn't even occur to me.
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