Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

When no one asks I leave them on. When asked I remove them but am grossed out. It's not even about the dirt...more about safety. In my mind I feel like I might step on a shard of glass or nail-especially in the basement. So to view mechanicals we take them with us but even some owners say it is not necessary to wear shoes even there Needless to say years ago with our first house I learned never to wear Uggs barefoot or flipflops. Sneakers and socks to be safe or socks with Uggs Is it rude to ask the buyer to take of their shoes in your opinion?
As you can tell the last house we saw made us very uncomfortable.Socks went straight in the laundry after the viewing. What do you think as a buyer/seller/agent?

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

Personally, I do not like having to take off my shoes. Sometimes I've been asked to when I show a house. I do think it's a bit off-putting and can make people feel uncomfortable. But obviously I do respect the request when I get it (as it's still their home), and I know sometimes it is a cultural issue as well.

When it's just a cleanliness issue of people not wanting visitors to track the outside in, or not wanting people to mar their carpets or floors with dirty shoes, sometimes I've seen people provide those surgical booties that you can wear over your shoes. I think that's a bit more reasonable -- not as inconvenient and potentially embarrassing to unwarned buyers/agents (people can have really gross feet, holes in socks, etc.), and it eliminates your safety concerns, too. Plus, if cleanliness is the issue, I am not sure I would be happier having a stranger's bare feet all over my house than having their shoes all over it.

As an agent, when I have a listing, I am of the mindset that you really want to put potential buyers at ease and make them feel as if the home can be theirs, not as guests who have to walk on eggshells (barefoot! ). If you turn them off at the outset, it's really hard to get them to see the house in a positive light after that. But I confess that I recently had a listing where the homeowners kept insisting on shoes being off for showings, despite my advice, and needless to say I felt awkward asking people to remove their shoes!

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

I asked people to take off there shoes because I didn't want them tracking in dirt and debris from outside since I have a 11 month old who is crawling.

I really don't think it is that big of deal .

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

I hate taking off my shoes. So much so that I don't go to one of my friends house too often simply because they ask people to remove their shoes. IMO it is rude. I respect that it is their home so I will abide, but it does deter me from seeing them more often.
I can't even imagine going to look at a house and going to the basement barefoot!

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

I think it's rude and if I were buying I'd be very turned off - if I were selling I wouldn't want to offend my buyers so I would never do that ya know?

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

so far I was not asked to remove my shoes, I wear socks all the time, so I don't really mind. I would mind however if the home is dirty.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

WOW, no one ever asked me to do that when we went to look at houses. How awkward.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

I am really surprised, when we looked at houses majority of the sellers requested it and it wasn't a big deal.

Actually now that I think of it, every buyer that came to my house, if I was home asked if they needed to take off there shoes. That was there first question to me.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

Message edited 3/2/2012 9:14:42 AM.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

I'm so glad we were never asked to take our shoes off! I wear uggs with no socks and I would have felt very uncomfortable if someone asked.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

I was never asked to take shoes off, but one house we looked at asked us to wear disposable booties (that they supplied) because they had just installed new carpet. I didnt mind wearing the booties.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

When I was looking at new homes (in NC), it's a norm to remove your shoes because they are typically all hard wood floors & dont want the scuffs & dirt tracked in. Often booties were supplied so you don't have to remove the shoes.

I have never had to remove for older homes. If I was selling, I think I'd buy a box of booties, so not to turn off a buyer, but it shows respect for the home.

I dont like shoes worn in my home. This was something I started after having kids, when I learned of all the crap people track in on their shoes (dirt obviously, but chemicals, fecal, etc) on my hard word floors I hate the scuffs too.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

i personally would be put off and thats coming from someone who asks people to take their shoes off when they visit me

if you feel that strongly about people not wearing shoes, then the homeowner should provide these blue disposable slippers you can put over you shoes so as not to track anything in the house, my dh has to wear them on jobs whenever it is in a very nice home, (he is in construction)

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

Wouldn't bother me a bit, but then I generally don't wear boots or shoes without socks or some foot covering on.

I remember the topic of taking ones shoes off in another's house came up before, and I'm amazed at how rude people consider this request to be--personally I think it's rude to not do it if asked or offer to do it, especially if your shoes are wet or dirty.

Message edited 3/3/2012 2:41:44 PM.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

We were only asked once, it was an open house and it had snowed that day. It was actually the first house we had ever looked at and i am glad we were never asked to do it again. It makes things uncomfortable and it is rude.

I think if you want to sell your house you have to get over the fact that you might get dirt on your floors.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

When we were looking for co-ops/ condos before we got married, many people asked us to take our shoes off. We didn't think anything of it even though neither of us came from families where we took shoes off.

We're in a co-op & have a 2 year old with a newborn on the way & when it's time for us to sell, I'll most likely provide those booties to go over shoes as Christine suggested. My DC crawls & lays all over our floors so there is no way people are coming in here with shoes on.

Re: Question about taking off shoes when viewing a home

We were never asked to remove our shoes in NY but when we started looking at houses in Canada, every house required that we remove our shoes.

The funniest thing is that after we moved into our current home (a rental) the owner stopped by, removed his shoes, and asked if it was normal to do so where we were from. When we told him no, he said it was not the custom to do so in Australia either, where he was from I think that it was the REA who wanted us to remove our shoes, not the owner!