Opening viewing - concerns for my house

Heffc · 26-01-2015 1:47pm #1

I hope this doesn't sound too ludicrous but here goes....

Hubby and I are hoping to put our house up for sale in the coming month. Part and parcel of that these days is having a couple of opening viewings.

We've put a lot of money into our home since we bought it, always with a view of making it attractive for a sale. The flip side of that is that I'm VERY protective of it. I have always had a no shoe policy in the house which has had no exceptions no matter who is calling - one of the main reasons for this is a very expensive walnut floor we put down on the ground floor which marks if you so much as look at it, let alone walk on it with shoes (never again). We might get away with mens shoes and runners but any sort of heel at all will mark it, end of.

Has anyone any advice on how I would manage this for an open viewing - the logical side of me questions if i can reasonably expect people to take off their shoes but if we don't the floor will absolutely get destroyed??

I realise this might sound like such a trivial thing to some readers but its genuinely a worry for me...

Triangla · 26-01-2015 1:51pm

I was asked to remove shoes when viewing a house. No problem at all.

Just make sure to let estate agent know in advance so people aren't put on the spot and embarrassed by their mismatched or holed socks.

HeyArnold320 · 26-01-2015 1:51pm

Heffc wrote: »

I hope this doesn't sound too ludicrous but here goes....

Hubby and I are hoping to put our house up for sale in the coming month. Part and parcel of that these days is having a couple of opening viewings.

We've put a lot of money into our home since we bought it, always with a view of making it attractive for a sale. The flip side of that is that I'm VERY protective of it. I have always had a no shoe policy in the house which has had no exceptions no matter who is calling - one of the main reasons for this is a very expensive walnut floor we put down on the ground floor which marks if you so much as look at it, let alone walk on it with shoes (never again). We might get away with mens shoes and runners but any sort of heel at all will mark it, end of.

Has anyone any advice on how I would manage this for an open viewing - the logical side of me questions if i can reasonably expect people to take off their shoes but if we don't the floor will absolutely get destroyed??

I realise this might sound like such a trivial thing to some readers but its genuinely a worry for me...

Why are you worried if you don't plan to live there anymore? I can possibly understand heals causing damage to the floor, in that case, you could politely explain the problem with heels.

Bigcheeze · 26-01-2015 1:51pm

You don't need to have an open viewing. You can say you want no more than 2 couples viewing at any time.

I viewed a house before where we were asked to remove shoes by the EA due to the light coloured carpets. Had absolutely no problem with it.

TrishSimon · 26-01-2015 1:54pm

Heffc wrote: »

I hope this doesn't sound too ludicrous but here goes....

Hubby and I are hoping to put our house up for sale in the coming month. Part and parcel of that these days is having a couple of opening viewings.

We've put a lot of money into our home since we bought it, always with a view of making it attractive for a sale. The flip side of that is that I'm VERY protective of it. I have always had a no shoe policy in the house which has had no exceptions no matter who is calling - one of the main reasons for this is a very expensive walnut floor we put down on the ground floor which marks if you so much as look at it, let alone walk on it with shoes (never again). We might get away with mens shoes and runners but any sort of heel at all will mark it, end of.

Has anyone any advice on how I would manage this for an open viewing - the logical side of me questions if i can reasonably expect people to take off their shoes but if we don't the floor will absolutely get destroyed??

I realise this might sound like such a trivial thing to some readers but its genuinely a worry for me...

Okay so I will be honest I am a house hunter and if I was going to a viewing and I was told to take my shoes off when entering the house I would think that was the most bizarre thing because you are leaving the house if you sell it so won't be there to see what happens to it, no one is going to buy your house based on your flooring more then likely in time they will change it as everyone has different tastes, I get where you are coming from I put down a really expensive floor in my apartment and when I was moving out and renting it I felt like anyone walking in with heels was wrecking it but I don't care now as its not my home anymore I just rent it out.
People buy houses based on the area, garden size and amenities and other such things not the flooring, try relax a little you wont be there the day of the open viewings as owner are asked to leave but if you feel its really going to bother you buy cheap slippers in Pennys and leave at the door for people to put on you can throw them out after.

Personally for me I like nothing better the to be able to relax in a house and if I was going somewhere and I was asked to take off my shoes I would be slightly put out but would oblige a home needs to be lived in and relaxed in to be called home so maybe in your next house choose floors that you wont be so worried about.
Best of luck with your sale

miezekatze · 26-01-2015 1:54pm

I once went to an open viewing of a house that just had new carpet floors laid in all the rooms. They had sheets covering the floors to protect them. would that be an option? Depending on how busy the viewing will be, a no shoes policy might be very difficult to enforce.

Kenno90 · 26-01-2015 1:55pm

I dont think telling them to take their shoes off is a bad idea at all. These people are potentially going to buy your house, the fact that you are protective would be a great indication that the house is well looked after.

Insist on a no shoe policy, and maybe limit the number of people in the house to a few couples.

seventeen sheep · 26-01-2015 1:59pm

If anything, it would make a good impression on prospective buyers that you obviously have taken such good care of the house.

I don't think it would be an unusual thing to ask. Perhaps you could buy a few cheap pairs of slippers from Penneys or similar to have by the door, just in case anyone might be uncomfortable walking around the house in their bare feet.

Riverireland · 26-01-2015 2:01pm

Personally if I wee selling my house again I would not have an open viewing. I think it attracts tyre kickers and is also a lazy way for a estate agent to get viewings. Floor sounds like a nightmare.... Sorry.

Heffc · 26-01-2015 2:31pm

thanks everyone for such quick feedback - it looks like people have different reactions to this issue, but I'm relieved there are so many of you that don't think its entirely unreasonable and have even seen it elsewhere before.

HeyArnold and Trish Simon - regarding not living there anymore and therefore not worrying, its not quite that straight forward. To enable us to buy our next home we need our current home to reach a certain amount for our next deposit. We're hopeful it will but there are no guarantees, especially now with the new CBI rules about to be announced and the general volatility. If the house doesn't make a certain level, we'll have to stay put which will be a big blow in itself, let alone being reminded of it everyday by the marks on that damn floor!!

I'm happy to bulk buy as many slippers as needed to ease the awkwardness. As it is I always have a stash of the hotel type slippers for people when they come to my house. I must have a google around and see if they can be bought in bulk online.

Riverireland - I know exactly what you're saying about nosy neighbours and the like. I guess the hope is that you take the good with the bad and that an open viewing makes it easier in the first instance for those who are genuinely interested to take a first look.

The_Conductor · 26-01-2015 2:46pm

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.

BeatNikDub · 26-01-2015 2:49pm

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.

Most EA's will have some of these already and if not will know exactly where to get them. It is not an unusual request.
Discuss your concerns with your EA and they will make sure to do what they can for you

ted1 · 26-01-2015 3:06pm

If I was asked to take off my shoes so that I wouldn't Mark the floor.
I'd ask my self what kind of person puts a floor down that isn't fit for purpose.
If I decided to make an offer I woyld subtract the cost of a new floor of my offer

Mrs OBumble · 26-01-2015 3:33pm

First world problems.

I wonder how much this floor has decreased the value of your house by. IMHO no one in their right mind would buy a house with a floor they cannot walk on.

lawred2 · 26-01-2015 3:47pm

Heffc wrote: »

I hope this doesn't sound too ludicrous but here goes....

Hubby and I are hoping to put our house up for sale in the coming month. Part and parcel of that these days is having a couple of opening viewings.

We've put a lot of money into our home since we bought it, always with a view of making it attractive for a sale. The flip side of that is that I'm VERY protective of it. I have always had a no shoe policy in the house which has had no exceptions no matter who is calling - one of the main reasons for this is a very expensive walnut floor we put down on the ground floor which marks if you so much as look at it, let alone walk on it with shoes (never again). We might get away with mens shoes and runners but any sort of heel at all will mark it, end of.

Has anyone any advice on how I would manage this for an open viewing - the logical side of me questions if i can reasonably expect people to take off their shoes but if we don't the floor will absolutely get destroyed??

I realise this might sound like such a trivial thing to some readers but its genuinely a worry for me...

Well that's walnut off the list of prospective flooring materials then

lawred2 · 26-01-2015 3:48pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

First world problems.

I wonder how much this floor has decreased the value of your house by. IMHO no one in their right mind would buy a house with a floor they cannot walk on.

It's hard not to agree

mikom · 26-01-2015 3:56pm

Is the floor made out of walnut whips?

percy212 · 26-01-2015 4:01pm

Being asked to remove your shoes is really annoying, unless you are in Japan. If I was asked to de-shoe before entering a house, it would really put me off viewing at all. Seriously. Its just too precious when you are trying to make people feel at home, and generate positive emotions about the house. I would be ok with the blue paper shoe covers but they do remind me of open abdominal surgery. Probably not a good association for most people. Just let the people in, and clean up afterwards. Its part and parcel of a sale.

Nash Bridges · 26-01-2015 4:03pm

I know some people who have "no shoe" houses so I don't think that it is a completely unreasonable request. You can buy disposable hotel slippers for €1.20 a pair on ebay such as the link below, buy 50 pairs of these for who ever wants them and state that it is a "no shoes" house without mentioning the delicate floor. If someone is serious about buying it will give the impression of a well kept home, those who are put off about changing their shoes were never serious anyway.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/1-5-pairs-of-WHITE-TOWELLING-HOTEL-SLIPPERS-TERRY-Spa-Guest-disposable-Job-lot-/281533662675?pt=UK_Women_s_Shoes&var=&hash=item418cb6c5d3

username000 · 26-01-2015 4:06pm

While Id probably be happy to remove my shoes, I know plenty who wouldnt. Also depending on the day my sock could have a hole in it or my socks could be damp from cycling in the rain or something and I wouldnt want to be walking around in public in them. As for barefoot, Id never in a million years put my bare foot on a strange floor that other peoples strange bare feet were on, absolutely no way, Id be afraid of contracting a fungal infection.

But as far as the floor goes, if I was viewing somewhere and told I couldnt walk on the floor Id immediately know Id have to pay to replace that floor with something that could be walked on so Id be counting that into my offer.

Overall I think "no shoes" indoors is quite pretentious unless the person is in mud caked footwear. I did have one friend with a no shoe policy and I just stopped calling there because I always had cold feet in her house while my warm winter boots were sitting unworn in the hall.

lawred2 · 26-01-2015 4:08pm

Nash Bridges wrote: »

I know some people who have "no shoe" houses so I don't think that it is a completely unreasonable request. You can buy disposable hotel slippers for €1.20 a pair on ebay such as the link below, buy 50 pairs of these for who ever wants them and state that it is a "no shoes" house without mentioning the delicate floor. If someone is serious about buying it will give the impression of a well kept home, those who are put off about changing their shoes were never serious anyway.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/1-5-pairs-of-WHITE-TOWELLING-HOTEL-SLIPPERS-TERRY-Spa-Guest-disposable-Job-lot-/281533662675?pt=UK_Women_s_Shoes&var=&hash=item418cb6c5d3

I've been to an open house where the 'blue shoes' were a requirement... They were handed out at the door. Problem was that with an open house there were people falling over each other, leaning on each other, pushing people over in the doorway trying to put these shoe covers on... The people still in the queue outside didn't know what was causing the delay in the doorway and it ended up a total faff... People got pretty pi$$ed off by the whole thing. Hardly the best mood to put someone in before they've even got in the door of your house.

If you want to protect your floor; then forego the public viewing and do private viewings where those viewing are asked kindly to either remove their shoes or wear those blue things so as to protect the floor.

Polo_Mint · 26-01-2015 4:22pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

First world problems.

I wonder how much this floor has decreased the value of your house by. IMHO no one in their right mind would buy a house with a floor they cannot walk on.

This exactly.

I lived in Germany for Years so im used to taking off my shoes going into houses for the only purpose of not walking dirt in from outside.

Your floor is not fit for purpose.

seamus · 26-01-2015 4:23pm

Riverireland wrote: »

Personally if I wee selling my house again I would not have an open viewing. I think it attracts tyre kickers and is also a lazy way for a estate agent to get viewings. Floor sounds like a nightmare.... Sorry.

Yeah, it attracts tyre kickers, but it makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons, not least because it saves you having to get the house ready for a load of viewings. An open viewing when the house first goes up for sale means that everyone who's even remotely interested has a look. Otherwise you're having to polish up the house for the first 2/3 weeks to accommodate random viewings from people who are only half interested.

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.

Builders use them a lot now when working on houses. I'm sure you can get boxes of 50 of them in Woodies or something.

ted1 wrote: »

If I was asked to take off my shoes so that I wouldn't Mark the floor.
I'd ask my self what kind of person puts a floor down that isn't fit for purpose.

Well if you walk around your house with no shoes on (like we do), then there's nothing wrong with such a floor, though personally I wouldn't bother because you will still occasionally drop stuff, and a soft wood floor will look stupid after a year of that.

username000 · 26-01-2015 4:24pm

seamus wrote: »

Well if you walk around your house with no shoes on (like we do), then there's nothing wrong with such a floor, though personally I wouldn't bother because you will still occasionally drop stuff, and a soft wood floor will look stupid after a year of that.

Do you never have any visitors?

TheDriver · 26-01-2015 4:28pm

Reading the OPs post, I would get very concerned that in a months time you will be back complaining that no one wants to pay what you think the house is worth i.e. 20k onto the price because all your prize fittings cost that to put in. The reality is that people put some value into nice fittings but there are probably lots of things in your house that people will turf out. half the people viewing your house will tear out the floor and put down carpet and see no value in your efforts

gubbie · 26-01-2015 4:37pm

people her main problem isn't the dirt, it's her walnut floor. Dirt can be removed but every step a healed person takes on a walnut floor will leave little heal sized circles all over and looks rotten. So the blue coverings aren't an option.

I think the slipper idea is a must. If people think that you're only doing it for these viewings due to so many strangers coming in and get presented with a brand new (get somethibg in a plastic bag so it's obvious), then I can't see how they would object.

lawred2 · 26-01-2015 4:38pm

gubbie wrote: »

people her main problem isn't the dirt, it's her walnut floor. Dirt can be removed but ever step a healed person takes on a walnut floor will leave little heal sized circles all over and looks rotten. So the blue coverings aren't an option.

I think the slipper idea is a must. If people think that you're only doing it for these viewings due to so many strangers coming in and get presented with a brand new (get somethibg in a plastic bag so it's obvious), then I can't see how they would object.

I think everyone gets that...

that's why it's been stated that her floor isn't fit for purpose..

iguana · 26-01-2015 4:42pm

seamus wrote: »

Well if you walk around your house with no shoes on (like we do), then there's nothing wrong with such a floor, though personally I wouldn't bother because you will still occasionally drop stuff, and a soft wood floor will look stupid after a year of that.

My first thought about a floor like that is that it would be utterly unsuitable for children. If the floor can't handle shoes, how would it handle a vigorous game of cars? Or a toddler happily demolishing a wooden block tower. And forget about any sort of mobile pet.

A floor like that would be a drawback to a large section of the market, so it would be best not to draw attention to it.

Bigus · 26-01-2015 4:44pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

First world problems.

I wonder how much this floor has decreased the value of your house by. IMHO no one in their right mind would buy a house with a floor they cannot walk on.

There's a big difference between shoes compared to stilettos with damaged rubbers on the heel and instead of a cushioning rubber have a big cobblers steel nail head putting 8 stone weight over a fraction of a square inch ,

no wooden floor can withstand damaged or sometimes even good stilettos .

ABajaninCork · 26-01-2015 4:50pm

Doesn't bother me either way. When I was selling my flat in London, I had a newish beige carpet in my bedroom. I don't like shoes in the bedroom anyway, but hey! I wasn't planning on living there any more.

Funny - With one or two exceptions, most people removed their shoes as soon as they walked in!

In the West Indies, it's customary to remove your shoes when entering a house anyway, so I'm well used to it!

gubbie · 26-01-2015 4:51pm

lawred2 wrote: »

I think everyone gets that...

that's why it's been stated that her floor isn't fit for purpose..

i don't think everyone does because plenty have been saying use blue covers.

There's not much she can do about her floors. She's not going to recarpet them to sell. Telling her that her floors are not fit for purpose doesn't really help

Opening viewing - concerns for my house

Comments