"Please Take your Shoes Off"......Make Me!!

By Nancy Pav

Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Redwood Realty License # 0225028579

August 04, 2011 01:35 AM

Recently, I was working with a buyer client who just didn't want to take his shoes. We went into a home one Sunday that just happened to be open and the listing agent insisted he take his shoes off. Long and short of it, he didn't go in to see the house.

The listing agent said he was missing out. Maybe

The listing agent said many cultures take off their shoes in their homes. No doubt....I take my shoes off at home.

My thought though is that the person who was missing out was the seller. The listing agent had a ready, willing and able buyer get turned off and turned away because he didn't want to take his shoes off.

I think the listing agent had forgotten that we weren't selling a home any longer...it was now a product. Would you expect to have to take your shoes off in a new home? Builders understand what they're selling.

The really unfortunate part of this whole thing is that if the listing agent had thought it through, she would have realized that there is a really easy solution to this dilemma. Run up to Home Depot or Lowes and buy those throwaway booties that workers use when they come in your home so as not to bring in dirt.

Now that would have been a win-win!

Re-Blog

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Jill Sackler

Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY

LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

Yes, that would have been the answer. Maybe the house had all white carpeting and the homeowner had requested this, but it's still an imposition to some.

Aug 04, 2011 01:42 AM

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573

MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME

Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Get those blue booties like you wear in the delivery room when a stork is flying over, a new baby is about to arrive. Videos are the best open house and you can leave your shoes on for every one. They can be seen round the clock, over and over and sent to the grandparents who are going to buy the place for the grandson if they like what they see andhear about with real full motion video.

Aug 04, 2011 01:42 AM

Liz and Bill Spear

Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH

Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Nancy, It's a catch-22. You'd like to think all buyers have enough sense to make sure they're not tracking dirt or WORSE across the sellers carpets & floors, but they don't always exercise that common sense, and you can't count on the buyer's agents to make sure they do. And the booties can be a bit of a slip hazard in themselves if someone has wood stairs. Sounds like this became a contest of wills and would suspect there's another reason the buyer wouldn't take off their shoes. Holes in their socks?

Aug 04, 2011 01:43 AM

Joy Mengeringhausen

Century 21 Sunbelt - Cape Coral, FL

Realtor - Cape Coral, Greater Fort Myers

You are absolutely right, booties should have been offered. I'm particular about my shoes... I don't like to take my shoes off (especially shoes used for business) for the sole reason of dirtying my feet while walkling around barefoot collecting little particles of dust on my feet, then having to put my dirty feet into clean shoes.

It's a shame the listing agent didn't have the foresight to provide them.

Aug 04, 2011 01:45 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

A roll of brown paper to make paths across the carpets works too.

Fact is. If a propsective buyer doesn't want to remove their shoes and walk around in their bare feet or stocking feet,

I DON'T WANT THEM TO.

Aug 04, 2011 01:46 AM

Howard Weiss

Fathom Realty - Arlington, TX

Arlington & DFW, TX

It's really a shame on both sides. The buyer might have missed out on a really great house and of course the seller might have missed out on a good buyer. Too bad there wasn't some kind of compromise there over such a small thing.

Aug 04, 2011 01:49 AM

Daniel H. Fisher

www.FisherHermanRealty.com (704) 617-3544 - Charlotte, NC

MCRP - Charlotte Real Estate, NC or SC

If the Sellers wanted shoes off, THEY should provide shoe covers or place rich looking red runners throughout the home.

Aug 04, 2011 02:59 AM

Alan Gross

PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company, Equal Housing Lender - Bethesda, MD

Loan Consultant

It's hard to believe that some people don't understand when they list their property it goes from their home to as was stated in the article a "product." You never know where the buyer is going to come from and anything that prevents potential buyers from seeing the property could delay the sale.

Aug 04, 2011 03:08 AM

Margaret Goss

@Properties - Winnetka, IL

Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

I always keep a basket full of booties by the front door of home sellers that are fussy about this. They sell them very cheaply at our local Board so there is no reason not to have them.

Aug 04, 2011 03:21 AM

Nancy Pav

Century 21 Redwood Realty - Ashburn, VA

Nancy Pav, Your "GottaHave" Realtor

Jill~the seller probably did request it but must understand not everyone likes taking their shoes off

Andrew~videos are great but sometimes don't quite capture a house...especially if there is an odor!

Liz and Bill~ I don't doubt there was a contest of wills...the problem is they were ultimately both losers

Giovina~ I didn't even talk about homes that ask for shoes off and are nasty...a topic for another post

Lenn~ I've not yet seen the roll of brown paper but I'm sure I will soon enough

Greg~maybe the buyer could have kept one shoe on?? :)

Daniel~ shoe covers would have been an inexpensive win-win

Alan~so true

Margaret~everbody would be happy that way...either shoe covers or take your shoes off...either way it's a win for everybody and doesn't put either party on the defensive

Aug 04, 2011 07:55 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Nancy- I can remember looking at a house in Leesburg, VA when we moved there. The seller had a very nice sign that said she had just refinished her floors for the new owner (whoever that was going to be) and provided little booties for us. As a buyer I found that very nice and thoughtful of the seller.

Aug 06, 2011 02:50 PM

Nancy Pav

Century 21 Redwood Realty - Ashburn, VA

Nancy Pav, Your "GottaHave" Realtor

Kathy~that was very thoughtful of the seller.

Aug 08, 2011 03:07 PM

Marcie Sandalow

Marcie Sandalow, Compass 301.758.4894 - Bethesda, MD

Bethesda Chevy Chase DC real estate

Nancy- I love the bit about the house no longer being a home but a product. So spot on. The sellers should have provided booties... no doubt about it!

Aug 11, 2011 12:55 AM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Seems like there would have been a painless and easy solution if only the seller and the listing agent provided booties. They're so cheap and inexpensive and would have been hassle-free for everyone concerned.

Aug 13, 2011 08:07 PM

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD

Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Thanks to Lenn for reblogging this...here is my solution... No need to take Your Shoes Off.

Margaret

Aug 18, 2011 02:30 PM

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