How many of You take off your shoes when viewing a house to buy?

**bee9984** · 07-12-2007, 08:33 PM

I am going absolutly insane as dh and I put our house up for sale 2 weeks ago and anyone who has viewed our home so far has not taken off their shoes. Not even our real estate agent!

I dust,sweep and mop everyday, sometimes I slack and it is every other day but still. I have no carpet in my home, only ceramic and hardwood throughout.

My cats are outdoor cats and we have a dog which sometimes when the kids let him out they don't always pick up the "doo" right away, we all try but we can miss the odd one lol. For all I know someone could walk on a wad of gum from out on the street somewheres and track it in my house.

My family and I either go in bare feet, socks or slippers in our home, we never wear our shoes through the house. If the floors looked unkept or dirty I could understand why they would keep their shoes on.

Oh My, I could go on and on about this lol.

I think I found a new pet peeve lol.

**sixfreds** · 07-12-2007, 08:45 PM

I never took off my shoes when looking at a house when we were buying.
If it bothers you tell your agent and leave a note on the door asking people to please take off their shoes.
I don't expect people to take of their shoes when they come to my hosue so I wouldn't expect them to if I was selling.
BUT if I was asked to take off my shoes before going into a house I would and wouldn't mind.

Eileen

**coltsmama** · 07-12-2007, 08:55 PM

We don't wear shoes in the house either and it drives me crazy when someone comes n wihout removing theem or at least asking if they should. Unless they are elderly and then I wouldn't expext them to. We have put alot of time and money into remodeling our home and I want my floors to last.

**Sari** · 07-12-2007, 09:09 PM

No offense, but I think it's unrealistic to expect strangers to take their shoes off, especially when house hunting. Nothing against removing shoes (DH's family is Asian so they all do) but it's not the "norm" in Western culture and to expect people just to "know" that is asking too much.

**bee9984** · 07-12-2007, 09:54 PM

No offense taken

I already planned today to talk to my real estate agent about it after seeing 5 people come in with their shoes on and I will have a sign on the door as well

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**YankeeMom** · 07-12-2007, 09:56 PM

Nope.
I take my shoes off in my house, but I am beyond uncomfortable taking my shoes off in other people's houses. You might as well ask me to get nekkid

**Michelle68** · 07-12-2007, 10:02 PM

I'm with you, Heather. Sometimes I have holes in my socks AND I wouldn't want anyone, other than my family, exposed to my foot odor.

--Michelle

**Katybird** · 07-12-2007, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by YankeeMom

Nope.
I take my shoes off in my house, but I am beyond uncomfortable taking my shoes off in other people's houses. You might as well ask me to get nekkid

I feel the same way.

I guess it just depends on how motivated you are to sell your house whether you make people take their shoes off or not. I probably would not even view the house if I was told either by the realtor or a note on the door that I could only do it barefooted. Sorry, JMHO

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**Amanda W** · 07-12-2007, 10:19 PM

I agree that it might turn off a lot of prospective buyers.

**bee9984** · 07-12-2007, 10:38 PM

After reading all of your replys maybe I should reconsider putting a sign up lol. I guess that I am still attached to my house and all of the work we put into it.

We wouldn't even consider moving but it would be more convenient as we tend to be driving our dds in that area quite a bit as that is where their friends, school and sports are. It is only a 15 minute drive away but I find it hard when dh is away and I have to drive around the river in the winter time as we live on a snow belt. Just one round trip is 30 minutes and then I will have to go and get them so another 30 minutes added of driving.

**jamie79** · 07-12-2007, 10:42 PM

When we sold our house 2 yrs ago we had new carpet installed thru the entire house. When the realtor would tell prospective buyers about the new carpeting most took off their shoes without even being asked. If they were uncomfortable with it then I wouldnt expect them too but as sellers we wanted the house to look good

**Grayce** · 07-13-2007, 12:20 AM

I always took my shoes off when looking at homes. Actually if you go look at builders homes, most have signs asking you to removed your shoes. I really think it is a "Canadian thing" to remove your shoes in someones house. My sister now lives in Texas and her friends laugh at us weird Canadians because we take our shoes off when we go in their homes. I'm surprised that people looking at your house aren't taking their shoes off. I'd let it be though, you do not want to alienate any buyers. Besides it's summer right now so no snow lol.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 07-13-2007, 12:44 AM

At home or visiting friend's home's I would take my shoes off... But going house hunting, I wouldn't...honestly wouldn't have even thought of it. And I hate wearin' shoes!

**Neeley** · 07-13-2007, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by YankeeMom

Nope.
I take my shoes off in my house, but I am beyond uncomfortable taking my shoes off in other people's houses. You might as well ask me to get nekkid

ITA with Heather. However, I do not even walk bare footed at home. But that is only because of a medical condition I have.

I would just have to mark a house off my list if I was asked to remove my shoes.

Around here if a builder does not want the carpets walked on they put down plastic sheeting to protect the floors.

**justpeachy92** · 07-13-2007, 12:58 AM

When we have looked at houses once I saw a sign to remove shoes because new carpet was installed, and I remember a couple of houses that had boxes of the cover things doctors put over there shoes with a little sign that said please protect the flooring (those houses were brand new houses.)