{"id":12792,"date":"2019-10-31T17:09:39","date_gmt":"2019-11-01T00:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=12792"},"modified":"2019-11-13T14:10:37","modified_gmt":"2019-11-13T22:10:37","slug":"buyer-should-you-bring-kids-to-an-open-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-should-you-bring-kids-to-an-open-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Bring Kids to an Open House or Just Hire a Sitter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As parents themselves, top-selling real estate agents Matthew and Jenny Cannon<\/a> of Sarasota, Florida, sympathize with a common dilemma: should bring kids to an open house?<\/p>\n

With their unique perspective on both real estate and the challenges of raising kids, plus a deep dive into open house etiquette and parenting advice online, we\u2019ll cover why leaving your kids at home is often the easiest decision for everyone, strategies to make bringing your kids with you go as smoothly as possible, and how your kid\u2019s age influences whether they tag along or you bite the bullet to hire a sitter.<\/p>\n

The case for both sides<\/h2>\n

On the one hand, 37% of all home buyers have children<\/a> living at home, and 66% families are dual-income<\/a>, according to data from the Pew Research Center. In many scenarios, it\u2019s just easier to bring the kids with you than try to schedule child care. 55% of homeowners with children also say they factored their child\u2019s opinion into the decision to buy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, sellers aren\u2019t going to childproof a house on your kids\u2019 behalf.<\/p>\n

Nobody wants a youngster to tumble down the stairs while they\u2019re checking out closet space, or start a pot-and-pan symphony while their parents are admiring that kitchen island. It\u2019s also tough to focus on the property when you have one eye (and ear) on whatever the kids are doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can kind of see it coming in the door if they\u2019re kinda wild,\u201d Matthew Cannon said, noting that they pull the adults aside for a quick chat in those instances. \u201cWe do it in a not- confrontational kind of way, just saying, \u2018Hey, you\u2019re in another person\u2019s house. Could you please be mindful of that and have your kids treat it accordingly?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hear the disaster stories for yourself<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s no shortage of parents out there ready to warn others about how they learned to leave the kids at home\u2026 the hard way.<\/p>\n

One recalls cringing with embarrassment<\/a> during an open house as her 2-year-old daughter climbed onto a child\u2019s bed and snuggled with a stuffed animal while her 4-year-old son kept hiding in the closets.<\/p>\n

Another recounts other hair-raising open house moments<\/a>: children who climbed on on window sills, touched homeowners\u2019 belongings, made scuff marks on the walls, and crowded into rooms with other prospective buyers.<\/p>\n

The Cannons said that children ages one and a half to about seven tend to be the most rambunctious, raising concerns both about liability should someone be hurt as well as the current homeowners\u2019 privacy.<\/p>\n

Open house etiquette if you have kids in tow<\/h2>\n

If you must bring children to an open house, bring a spouse, partner, or friend with you<\/a>. That way, one adult can take the kids outside to check out the yard and the neighborhood while the other focuses on the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good opportunity for them to get a feel for who lives in the neighborhood, how well the homes are kept, and then switch off,\u201d Jenny Cannon said.<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s not an option, prepare your children in advance about how best to behave with some basic ground rules:<\/p>\n