Welcoming Vs. Immaculate--Which Is More Important?

I HATE taking off my shoes and often wear knee high boots and those are really, really hard taking off standing on one foot in a skirt...  I like the bootie idea - if you are going to ask people to take off their shoes booties should be provided.  I can understand why people ask you to do this but even as a guest I feel it is unwelcoming and I have somehow been asked to expose myself.  Heaven forbid I would have a hole in my sock.

Wow...feet can be such a personal thing!  I vote for booties by the front door...but why not stage a friendly place to remove your shoes?  Maybe a foyer bench, a colorful mat to leave your shoes on?  This is not a problem, it's an opportunity!  ;)

The answers here seem to be somewhat regional. We have a friend (in Las Vegas) who always insists everyone remove their shoes. His white carpets and floors are not the only reason. Tommy gets by with it because he has a fantastic accent and we all think his idiocentric behavior has to do with where he grew up. In the few other homes where we have been asked to remove our shoes we have always felt our hosts cared more about their things then about their guests.

One of the "problems" we have with entertaining is that our guests often stay way past the time we had thought they would. It is a joke in our house that when people come they often refuse to leave. We had a BBQ last weekend with the same results. A few of our guests mentioned when they (finally) did leave that they love to come to our home because it is so calm and relaxing, warm and welcoming.

All of that to say this. I've never had a client who asked that shoes be removed. If I ever do I will suggest the booties, I guess. It seems to me that telling people to remove their shoes is pushing real hard on the side of being down right rude. In my house keep your shoes on if that makes you comfortable or take them off if that makes you comfortable. Life is too short.

I'm new to ActiveRain and this is my first post in this group.  

Feet are a pretty personal thing.  Some people have ugly feet, stinky feet, sore feet, unstable feet, etc.   I would rather take a risk in getting the carpet dirty than offending someone.  If it's rainy out, muddy, etc., supply ample rugs to wipe the shoes off outside.  They will understand that better than having to take off their shoes and embarrass themselves.  We are not in a culture that is accustomed to taking their shoes off and so it is a big deal to the majority of people.  I say don't risk losing a potential buyer because they were so worried about their embarrassing feet that they could not focus on what they were there to do.  A friend of mine always has to wear supportative shoes for her ankles are very bad.  Why even put her in the situation of having to explain herself or having to ask if she can leave hers on?  And you know how men's feet are!  Okay, so I'm generalizing.  I had to interject a bit of humour in here.  Now I'll take my size 12's and tiptoe out of here.........tiptoe thru the tulips......

View #1!!!  The Seller should be vacuuming every night or morning as it is.  If its a vacant, they should be going over to check the house regularly.

How about a mat & a sign that says please wipe your feet?  I do like the bootie idea tho too :)

Hi Kim.  I guess it depends on the area.  Here we see the booties on almost every home, especially anything over 800k.  The customs ALWAYS have them.  I actually carry them in my bag for when we Stage,  because we wear them all the time anyway.

Maybe just changing the words on the sign to something nicer? Just an example

"We kindly ask that you remove your shoes or use the booties provided to protect YOUR lovely new carpet"

Explain it's for THEIR benefit too - they're going to be considering this home for purchase do they want it dirty? 

If you want the potential buyer to really look at your home to consider buying it I feel that asking them to take off their shoes at the door would turn them off abit.  Keep a good outdoor but welcoming rug at the door if it is muddy outside the home.  If not taking off your shoes should not be necessary.  Most people will take off their shoes without being asked to.

 I want the buyer to feel comfortable and not unwelcomed.

 

Cynthia Wright-Pollard - Home Staging The Right Way

Kim, I like the bootie idea.  BTW can someone tell me where to pick them up and how much do they cost?  I too, live in Canada and it is the norm (at least here in Calgary) that we take our shoes off.  All the show homes have signs, as do many, many listed homes.  Betty

 Kim I was going to say # 1 in a selling situation, even tho I'm a neat freak and would prefer option # 2 but...

 I think the perfect answer is Laurie's suggestion for booties, now if someone can just come up with a better name than "booties" for the guys.

I am so surprised that in some areas people don't take their shoes off when they enter someone's home! Shoes we wear on our feet are dirty and are not ment to be on carpet.

When an electrician or plumber comes into a house for repairs they carry 'booties' to put over their work shoes or boots, if they don't they get in deep doodoo from their office.

Despite the weather, as a sign of respect shoes should be removed. As a potential buyer and their agent, respect of the home should be formost in their minds despite the fact that it is for sale.

I would not have any problem if I saw a sign asking me to remove my shoes...it would just erk me that there are some who would not do it, requiring the seller to put up the sign.

I guess I got with #1.

If however the place was disgusting...then no, leave the shoes on, turn around and walk back out the door!

I support view 2.  I have gone into many homes that say that.  i wasn't turned off.  It showed a maybe well cared for home.  

View #2,  after a home owner or stager has worked so hard to have their floors in pristine condition that's only common sense, not a turn off.  It's the people that don't even bother to pick up the Cheeto bags or get the grubby finger prints off the glass door that make me cringe.  It's like my mother has always told us, no matter where or what you live in make it clean. Nothing conveys a more welcoming enviroment than a clean, well kept home, especially if you are showing the home for sale.  JMO  With that being said I have some mopping to do, it never ends. 

Oh the shoes or no shoes dilemma...I am originally from Canada so I would say NO shoes! We Canadians seem to have a certain rule with the shoes..or at least everyone I know does. It's an automatic thing to take shoes off upon entering the home. Heels scratch hardwood and shoes dirty up carpet and tile. Perhaps we learned this as we spent winters taking boots on and off, who knows.

Now that I live in Florida almost everyone I meet leaves their shoes on! We had an in-home group and it was the same dilemma. Sound rude and offend people are let them do as they wish one day out of the week? Luckily my hubby is particular about our hardwood and got the idea to leave out slippers. Nobody wore them but some took the hint to take shoes off when we were wearing the slippers.

On the flip side I recently went to a local Parade of Homes where we toured several model homes. One in particular stands out because they made everyone wear hospital booties over their shoes or take off their shoes. I was offended and annoyed but it was a home that would be sold to someone  so I understood.

Long story short, every culture, country and home is different but one thing remains true-The home needs to be sold! Let  people feel comfortable by choosing to keep shoes on or off.

 

07/10/2007

by

I can see all sides of this issue. It's important to keep in mind cultural considerations. I have had the pleasure of working with many families from countries/cultures where it is expected that a visitor remove their shoes. But I agree that if the floors/carpeting are dirty, it's best to keep shoes on. 

Kim, I am with you on this one. A home must always be welcoming when people walk in. I believe that people can over look minimal mess as long as the house feels like a home.

Hi Kim,
Looks like it's all been said.  Remove shoes or booties, I don't object to either.  I prefer warm over immaculate but please not messy.