Opening viewing - concerns for my house

cpoh1

iguana wrote: »

This is way off topic but I have a two year old who spends most of his life on the floor with his cars and as I want him to have a functioning immune system I don't go overboard on the cleaning. Kids who live in overly sterile environments have hugely higher rates of allergies and childhood infections. While obviously you don't want your child to live in filth, getting dirty is an essential part of childhood growth.

Offtopic again also and apologies - I completely agree with your viewpoint and have a similarly aged fella at home. In my house personally if ive been out walking the dog I take my shoes off inside, its easier to keep the place clean and avoids me traipsing muck around the place. People wanting to keep their floors clean (not sterile) by asking people not to wear shoes inside is not crazy unreasonable in my book.

by the seaside

lawred2 wrote: »

Sure.

But they want the house to become someone else's house.

So I'm guessing they want to keep it as immaculate as they can so they can get best price.

lawred2

by the seaside wrote: »

So I'm guessing they want to keep it as immaculate as they can so they can get best price.

of course

iguana

cpoh1 wrote: »

In my house personally if ive been out walking the dog I take my shoes off inside, its easier to keep the place clean and avoids me traipsing muck around the place. People wanting to keep their floors clean (not sterile) by asking people not to wear shoes inside is not crazy unreasonable in my book.

Sure and my winter dog walking boots go on and come off in the porch as I don't want to be flaking mud about the house. But most prospective house viewers don't turn up fresh from a muddy walk with mud falling off their boots. They come in cars or walk on pavements and at worst will walk a few wet footprints in if the weather is very bad and very few won't automatically wipe that wet off their feet if there is a doormat. They aren't going to bring anything into the house that will make anyone ill or destroy a floor that's fit for purpose. I very much doubt people at a viewing will ruin a walnut floor, my old oak floor was always fine after viewings and while I know oak is stronger than walnut, the OP will shoot herself in the foot if she makes prospective buyers feel uncomfortable.

NyOmnishambles

K.Flyer wrote: »

So say someone goes to look at a buying a new Landrover Discovery from someone and its sitting there all nice and shiney in mint condition. Can they tell the seller that its not "fit for purpose" because the seller won't let them test drive it down through a river and into a forest in case it gets damaged or scratched?

If someone was selling a landrover and wasn't willing to let you try it off road then yes it would raise serious question marks

Same with the OP being worried about shoe marks on the floor

I don't have an issue taking my shoes off going to a friends house if that is their thing, I take mine off at home, as much for comfort as cleanliness and don't require others to do the same but if I was asked to take them off for a house viewing then as illogical as it might seem I would get the hump over it, it wouldn't put me off buying the place but you are giving people an extra reason to question the house and the sale price

You want people to feel comfortable in what might be their own home, making them take their shoes off does not achieve this imo

K.Flyer

The main crux of the O.P.'s concern is high heel marks.
If someone walks onto the floor with high heels it will get marked. The marks do not just wipe off with a cloth, they are permanent unless the floor finish is redone which can be expensive.
If enough people mark the floor then that could be off-putting for someone who likes the floor, but not if its marked.
The seller doesn't care if you have a Flamenco session on the floor after you have bought it, until then, its still theirs and if their wishes offend or perturb you then don't bother with it.

realdanbreen

realdanbreen wrote: »

How much are you looking for the house?

So?

witchgirl26

The only time I've been asked to wear covers for a house viewing was when I was looking at some new builds & the area around was still in building-site state (paths only half down etc) and once otherwise where it was a particularly horrible day out and there were cream carpets.
I'd never wear high-heels when going looking coz generally you're looking at a few different houses in the one day & I'd want to be comfortable. Also if the estate agent was to say that shoes had to be removed because they might damage the floors (& it wasn't either of the 2 scenarios mentioned above) then I would be reducing what I'd look at offering by the estimated cost of redoing the floors.
There's also the question of if you then have to carry your shoes around with you while trying to view the place or do you leave them by an open front door where they could go missing? Long shot I know but strange things do happen.

The_Conductor

Lets keep ontopic folks.

by the seaside

witchgirl26 wrote: »

The only time I've been asked to wear covers for a house viewing was when I was looking at some new builds & the area around was still in building-site state (paths only half down etc) and once otherwise where it was a particularly horrible day out and there were cream carpets.
I'd never wear high-heels when going looking coz generally you're looking at a few different houses in the one day & I'd want to be comfortable. Also if the estate agent was to say that shoes had to be removed because they might damage the floors (& it wasn't either of the 2 scenarios mentioned above) then I would be reducing what I'd look at offering by the estimated cost of redoing the floors.
There's also the question of if you then have to carry your shoes around with you while trying to view the place or do you leave them by an open front door where they could go missing? Long shot I know but strange things do happen.

How much would you reduce your offer if the floors had already been damaged by the last lot of visitors?

witchgirl26

by the seaside wrote: »

How much would you reduce your offer if the floors had already been damaged by the last lot of visitors?

But I wouldn't know if the damage was from the last set of visitors or just the state of the house. Everything you see in a house-viewing, you assume is what the owners currently live with & is not a direct result of a previous lot of viewers.

And if it was pointed out that the floor had been damaged by previous viewings, then yes, I would also reduce the offer because I would recognize the need to replace a floor if a number of viewings had led to that damage as opposed to people actually living there over a period of time.

mfceiling

by the seaside wrote: »

That's fine for living in a house, but you might want to keep it smart looking if you want to sell it.

Well we sold our house and we had solid walnut floors in the living room, hall and dining room. They were down 8 years and had been scraped and had marks everywhere. The wife wanted to re-sand them and varnish them. I said no as I thought it would be a waste of money and let the new buyers do it if they please.

The estate agent agreed with me and said we wouldn't get that money back for 3 shiny floors. The house sold and I went back about 2 months later to collect the old post and......they'd painted the floors white!!

I don't believe a buyer will base a house purchase on a floor with no marks on it tbh - location, price, neighbourhood, postcode, schools, transport links, size, bedrooms, parking, garden and storage would all be more important than a shiny living room floor.

skallywag

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

IMHO no one in their right mind would buy a house with a floor they cannot walk on.

Exactly the first thing that also occurred to me.

OP, would you not be at all concerned that placing emphasis on the fact that the floor cannot be walked on with shoes could severely limit your amount of potential buyers?

mrmitty

username000 wrote: »

People masturbate, use the toilet, handle animals, handle animal poo, blow their nose, dont wash their hands, handle money, you get the money as change in a shop.

At least you dont use your hands on the floor and unless you are eating your dinner off the actual floor the hygiene argument just doesnt stand up.

Your desire to live in unhygienic conditions in your house is your prerogative.
Insisting that you show respect for my home when you're in my house is my prerogative.

username000

mrmitty wrote: »

Your desire to live in unhygienic conditions in your house is your prerogative.
Insisting that you show respect for my home when you're in my house is my prerogative.

Its nothing to do with my desire for anything and everything to do with acknowledgement of the fact that you cannot live germ free if you want to interact with the world around you. Floors get walked on.

Removing your shoes in someones home exposes you to whatever germs and fungal infections they have transferred from their feet to the floor - id rather pavement dirt tbh.

Ask people to remove shoes if you want, but dont be basing it on nonsensical notions of hygiene or it just comes across as, well, stupidity.

mad m

The_Conductor wrote: »

I've been at a few viewings where protective shoe liners were supplied. These are the blue disposable shoe liners that you'd wear into an ICU ward type things. No idea where they got them from- but I imagine they only cost pennies.

4 euro for a box of 100..

mrmitty

username000 wrote: »

Its nothing to do with my desire for anything and everything to do with acknowledgement of the fact that you cannot live germ free if you want to interact with the world around you. Floors get walked on.

Removing your shoes in someones home exposes you to whatever germs and fungal infections they have transferred from their feet to the floor - id rather pavement dirt tbh.

Ask people to remove shoes if you want, but dont be basing it on nonsensical notions of hygiene or it just comes across as, well, stupidity.

I understand now why we are known around the world as "dirty Irish".

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

username000

mrmitty wrote: »

I understand now why we are known around the world as "dirty Irish".

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

No problem, pleased to assist.

mfceiling

mrmitty wrote: »

I understand now why we are known around the world as "dirty Irish".

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Yep, everywhere i've travelled people have referred to me and my family as the "dirty irish" on account of us not taking our shoes off going into a house!!

mrmitty

mfceiling wrote: »

Yep, everywhere i've travelled people have referred to me and my family as the "dirty irish" on account of us not taking our shoes off going into a house!!

It's not just the shoes that has earned us the reputation.

mfceiling

mrmitty wrote: »

It's not just the shoes that has earned us the reputation.

Care to expand on this? I've never in all my life heard or been referred to as "the dirty irish" and i've travelled to well over 20 countries.

Mrs OBumble

mfceiling wrote: »

Care to expand on this? I've never in all my life heard or been referred to as "the dirty irish" and i've travelled to well over 20 countries.

I've also heard it. You won't hear it as a tourist, you'd need to be living there, or visiting for a longer time.

There are a range of reasons, including washing machines in kitchens (yuck!), cultural acceptability of sitting on surfaces where foodstuffs may be presented (tables, packing benches), etc.

The_Morrigan

Folks this is A&P, cut out the 'dirty Irish' discussion.

cerastes

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I've also heard it. You won't hear it as a tourist, you'd need to be living there, or visiting for a longer time.

There are a range of reasons, including washing machines in kitchens (yuck!), cultural acceptability of sitting on surfaces where foodstuffs may be presented (tables, packing benches), etc.

Sitting on kitchen work surfaces, no, but why the washing machine in the kitchen is a problem? I consider myself fairly fastidious, although my washing machine isn't in the kitchen due to the layout of the house.generally dont wear shoes in the house, but will walk hall and kitchen in them so as not to have to be taking them off to an insane level.that said no shoes upstairs or in the living room.
What's with the kitchen and washing machine? I'd be only concerned about high heels if they were those really pointy damaging ones or mostly the crud people walk through being ground into the carpet, which can be difficult or impossible to remove.

April 73

I have a solid oak floor. We had my son's christening party in our house & someone was obviously wearing a pair of unheeled stilettos. I didn't notice it on the day but my floor in the dining room was destroyed by nail holes.

If I had to remove my shoes for a house viewing, I would like to know in advance to make sure I wore respectable socks & would like the option of hotel-type slippers.

We had our house on the market recently & endless single viewings get tiresome if you are house proud & like to present your house immaculately.

realdanbreen

realdanbreen wrote: »

How much are you looking for the house?

OK, forget about removing shoes etc. Have you a house for sale? How much are you looking for it?

Weyhey

You could request viewings by appointment only - less people than a fully open viewing....

If I went to view a property and was asked to take off my shoes I wouldn't mind but would have liked to know before hand so my feet weren't too smelly or I had shoes that come off easily etc. I would completely understand if EA said the floors were recently done and would think that the owner took great care and pride in their house and the quality of the renovations.

I've gone to viewings where the blue shoe covers were handed out but reused which is pointless and as mentioned no good with stilettos or if you have a stone stuck in the sole of your shoe etc. Free slipper idea is a lot better.

I could imagine some people refusing to take off their shoes either for embarrassment or they physically can't (elderly, heavily pregnant, those with sore back etc) or if they have kids with them and worried about them slipping or time it takes etc.

cerastes

Weyhey wrote: »

You could request viewings by appointment only - less people than a fully open viewing....

If I went to view a property and was asked to take off my shoes I wouldn't mind but would have liked to know before hand so my feet weren't too smelly or I had shoes that come off easily etc. I would completely understand if EA said the floors were recently done and would think that the owner took great care and pride in their house and the quality of the renovations.

I've gone to viewings where the blue shoe covers were handed out but reused which is pointless and as mentioned no good with stilettos or if you have a stone stuck in the sole of your shoe etc. Free slipper idea is a lot better.

I could imagine some people refusing to take off their shoes either for embarrassment or they physically can't (elderly, heavily pregnant, those with sore back etc) or if they have kids with them and worried about them slipping or time it takes etc.

Not so convinced about that, they could be reused a few times, assuming most peoples feet arent that dirty, any dirt will be on the inside. Most of those shoe covers are sturdy enough to last a few uses. Most people turning up to do a viewing you'd expect would be clean enough, although some will think nothing of walking across some grass and it'd be just their (your own too) luck they'd step in something, mud or worse.

Id prefer people just took off their shoes really, if they slipped down the stairs wearing shoe covers, I can see that going wrong, being informed you have to take off your shoes for cleanliness/not trodding in what might be underfoot, you could be reasonably be expected to be able to manage walking around in your own clean socks, although hotel type slippers might be better.

realdanbreen

realdanbreen wrote: »

OK, forget about removing shoes etc. Have you a house for sale? How much are you looking for it?

Sigh!, ?

chopper6

Being asked to remove my shoes before entering a bog standard house is annoying and pretentious.

This is not Thailand and your house is not the Golden Temple.