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Rainmaker
1,661,936
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

Some kids are great.  Other kids well...... They're kids that should be left at home. 

May 11, 2015 11:48 PM
Rainmaker
1,683,912
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Children are not a problem when you include them in the conversation.

May 11, 2015 01:12 PM
Rainmaker
2,443,250
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

Most of my Clients don't bring children.  When they do they are pretty well behaved and stay with their parents.

May 11, 2015 01:02 PM
Rainmaker
5,868,544
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

With our young families nap time is pretty important.   We are lucky, in the $450K and below, they need to be out of the house for one or two days and we get multiple offers.

In previous years, we had to work around those times! 

May 11, 2015 11:24 AM
Rainmaker
443,220
Cindy Davis
SD Home Source Realty - San Diego, CA

No guidelines hard and fast. I watch first, to see whether the parents are monitoring the kids. Some do, and some don't. I say something only when the parents aren't minding the store. In general, I don't want kids touching things, running in the home, or jumping on anything!

May 11, 2015 09:52 AM
Rainmaker
7,836,134
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

It is best to encourage prospects not to take children with them when looking at homes. Kids can certainly be a distraction.

May 11, 2015 09:49 AM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

They certainly can be. I had one over the weekend at an open house turn on the disposal, then became so distraught over what she had done the buyers left abruptly.

May 12, 2015 12:10 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

some should be muzzled and shackled....

May 11, 2015 11:38 PM
Rainmaker
115,432
Jeanne Feenick
NextHome Premier - Basking Ridge, NJ
The Agent you choose REALLY does make a difference

Most of my buyers do arrive with children in tow - generally they are well-behaved, but when they are not, I think you've got an obligation to remind the parents to keep them in order. After all, you have been entrusted with the showing of someone's home.  Can be an awkward moment for sure, but I think you've got to do what's right.

May 11, 2015 11:26 PM
Rainmaker
4,572,183
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hi Paul - I don't consider children to be the problem but I do question their parents at times.  I've been pretty fortunate to have clients who are quite respectful of the home showing process.  

May 11, 2015 11:03 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Paul S. Henderson at times, I also play a role of babysitter when that happens....

May 11, 2015 02:01 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

No I do not have guidelines but do suggest that maybe they would like to get a sitter. When we find the right home we can come back with the kids.

May 11, 2015 12:23 PM
Rainer
104,153
Cece Blase
Paragon Real Estate Group - San Francisco, CA

I tell them that it is unusual to bring children along on showings because they can slow the tour down and make us less efficient. In the back of my mind, I'm also worrying about the impression the kids might make on the listing agent. Ill-behaved children can be a strike against a buyer in a competitive market. 

May 11, 2015 10:21 AM
Rainmaker
1,770,282
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

Not only during showings! j/k ... My approach is similar to Cindy Davis.

May 11, 2015 09:59 AM
Rainer
9,601
Russell Alton
Seattle, WA

Sometimes hard to control the situation without sounding like a jerk, try bringing  an iPad with cartoons ready and waiting. The kids will sit and watch while you show your buyers around the house.

May 11, 2015 09:52 AM
Rainer
67,454
Charlene Hammontree
616 Realty LLC - Rockford, MI
Meeting the needs of Buyers and Sellers in MICH

I always bring a goody bag with treats and toys without parts. I also have extra flash lights and tape measures. I try to teach them about being a real estate agent so they will be our future agents!

May 11, 2015 11:53 PM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Paul S. Henderson I don't have to worry about children with commercial real estate, but I would recommend they leave the children at home with a sitter.

May 11, 2015 11:01 PM
Rainmaker
4,882,355
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

If they really get out of control I will remind the buyers we are guest in the sellers home.

May 11, 2015 10:17 PM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Children seldom present a problem for the BUYER AGENT. However, as the agent representing the seller they ARE a problem. Little skipper bolts to the back of the house to the family room and leaps on the staged bed in the boy's room. Mom and Dad go left to the master suite, and tiny toddler Tina is mesmerized by the sparkling pool through the open sliders to the lanai.  

I DO SEE TROUBLE.

So I must do the buyer agents job. Herd the folks up, and have them join hands. Of course they are offended. I encourage them, "When you own this house you can do whatever you want."

One such stampede resulting in someone opening the dresser, removing a pouch of jewelery and dropped it on the floor then schooched it beneath the dresser.. Nothing was missing. But just think about that. And when the owner found the pouch....what do you think happened?

Buyer agents, it's your job to instruct your buyers regarding proper behavior.

May 11, 2015 10:16 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I have not had that problem. If the kids touch anything I advice them not to touch anything and the parents get a clue.

May 11, 2015 09:47 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

I can't say I remember when children became a problem at a showing. I don't have guidelines, as I've found that parents typically set those when they walk into a house with their children. The real issue is not having too many houses to look at in one "go" with kids, as they don't have the patience for it.

May 11, 2015 09:40 PM
Rainmaker
3,340,443
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Yes....if the children are "adventurous" the rule is stay with a parent and hold hands...nothing gets broken and no one gets hurt.

May 11, 2015 09:19 PM
Rainmaker
2,538,633
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Paul. We run our own open houses for homes we flip. We ask each person or couple to make sure everyone stays together as they are being shown the home. Most will immediately get the message.

May 11, 2015 07:07 PM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

They can be.  I will mention if it becomes an issue.

Dec 02, 2018 07:42 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

They might be - it's been years since we've worked with a Buyer who brought children with them...

Nov 22, 2017 03:59 AM
Ambassador
2,323,825
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

Nothing in writing.. This is part of the reason that Don and I show together.  Sometimes it's a group with small children or in-laws and out-laws that scatter like a covey of quail.. Having a team to do the showing allows us to split up if we need to.  

May 12, 2015 08:56 AM
Rainer
15,145
Victor Quiroz
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties DTLA Regional Office - Los Angeles, CA
Top of the line service, bottom line results!

Sometimes people of any age can be a distraction but it all depends on the individual situation. Most people, children included, will not be a distraction as long as they are quiet and respectful while buyers are touring the home. Pets on the other hand should be moved to a different area of the home while buyers are touring because some buyers have allergies or fear of animals that may take their attention away from the property itself. I hope this helps!

May 12, 2015 02:14 AM
Rainer
112,947
Vera Gonzalez
RE/MAX Suburban, Inc. - Sterling Heights, MI
Gonzo For Real Estate

Paul this is a great question, last weekend I had a home multiple offers, They had 30 plus showings  on Friday alone, Sellers left the home to find candy wrappers, peanut shells and their grandkids bike that was hanging in the garage, in the backyard and their toys from spare bedroom in the living room. My sellers question was where was the agent? Rightfully so.  I thought where was the parents and the agent, and who took down the bike? Not an easy thing to calm the seller down from. 

May 12, 2015 12:13 AM