Problem Parent

I am a regular on here but have logged out for this. Our home is currently for sale and went on the market last week. They have started to call for showings. I have asked our relator to please try to make showings after 5pm or on weekends due to me having kids during the day. She said she would try but couldn't promise all the showings would be done then. I let my families know and one parent flew off the wall. She told me that if our house is for sale I shouldn't be watching kids. That is not a choice for me and I dont see the problem at all. She informed me that she does NOT want open houses on days her child is here. I asked her why since he is here 5 days a week. She told me she doesn't want strangers around her child. I told her that I would be here and the strangers were coming to look at the house not the kids. I do not travel with my kids so if there are showings during the day kids will be here. All of the other families were ok with it but her. She told me that I need to find other care for her child if there are showings on the days he is here. I told her that it was "her" responsibility to find another sitter and I couldn't promise her anything. I told her that she is more than welcome to find other care for him and even gave her names of other sitters in the area.

Has anyone else had this problem when selling their house? I guess I dont see what the big deal is. The kids will be in one room while the people look around and if the weather is nice we can go outside during that time. It's not like I am going to leave the kids alone with strangers.

[CedarCreek]

I know you won't be leaving the children alone with strangers but I can kind of see how Mom is uncomfortable.

However, I agree that if she is uncomfortable it is HER responsibility to find alternate care while people are touring the home.

[countrymom]

I have to agree with mom, I would hate to have strangers come to my house and have the kids here. I would really stress to the realator that they can't come during daycare hours, for saftey reasons.

[blandino]

I would very politely tell her that you will call her once a showing is scheduled during daycare hours, and she can come and take her child for a drive while the showing is going on, and then come back once the potential buyer has left.

She doesn't get to dictate what you do with your own house, as long as it doesn't affect the children. I'm sure you have families come over for daycare interviews while the children are there - and those families are still strangers. As long as your are there, and the children aren't unattended, to me it is fine for them to be there. Obviously I would have the children contained in one room, and hopefully that would keep the children private from the potential buyers.

The DCM can't dictate who comes in your house as long as you are supervising. I mean what if you had cleaning people, or a repair man ? Would she be uncomfortable with them also ?

[MNMum]

I would just let your realtor know that showings need to be evenings and weekends. If someone is that interested in your home they will work around it. Plus, I can't imagine being home during a showing, especially with kids. It would be so uncomfortable for both parties. Are you in a warmer climate? Maybe you could be outside if a showing had to happen during this time?

[Willow]

I'm sorry but I too agree with mom.

As an aside, does licensing allow that in your state? It wouldn't be allowed here because anyone on the premises has to pass a background check first. UPS can drop off a package and leave immediately but my own parents can't come into my home during daycare hours unless they've had one run.

[Little Star75]

Originally Posted by Willow

I'm sorry but I too agree with mom.

As an aside, does licensing allow that in your state? It wouldn't be allowed here because anyone on the premises has to pass a background check first. UPS can drop off a package and leave immediately but my own parents can't come into my home during daycare hours unless they've had one run.

So true, and I agree with mom too. In California everyone visiting during daycare hours must have fingerprints on file.. I know it's a bummer but.....

[SilverSabre25]

on the one hand, I'm wondering about the difference between open house and showing. In my book, an open house is on the weekend and it's open and advertised for anyone to come tour it, where a showing is just one family/group/couple/person with their realtor going through the house.

I wouldn't do an open house with dcks, and for a showing I would think you'd take the kids out for a walk or something, amiright?

but while I refuse to say how I'd feel in the situation as a parent, as a provider i'd say "Sorry, realtor, really--NO SHOWINGS BEFORE 5 PM"

[Country Kids]

1. I wouldn't want strangers in the house during the day with the kiddos. Especially if it was pretty consistent you would need fingerprints, background checks, the whole 9 yards. Also, what if someone wants to come during naptime, lunch, things like that. What a madhouse that would be!

2. Trying to sell a house and being there at the same time isn't the best idea. The last two houses we looked at the owners were there while we were there and we were so uncomfortable. We didn't feel like we could look very good in cupboards, closets, linen closets. Also, the owners basically followed us around by being in other rooms and it was just ackward.

My husband and I have decided if we are ever going to move, we will move and show our current home while empty. It would look alot bigger without all the childcare stuff here and I wouldn't run myself even more ragged trying to keep everything up.

[cheerfuldom]

it is YOUR house for sale and YOU are employing your realtor. if they cannot accept your terms regarding showins/open houses, then find a new realtor. there is no reason why they cannot work within the confines of your home business. trust me, i have worked for years in real estate, it is not that big of a deal.

i agree with mom.

having strangers coming in and out of the house is a huge issue for me. there is no way i would stay with a provider that was allowing it and i am very surprised no other parent has an issue with it.

but the other parents dont care and you have informed them. so it is within your right to tell this mom that you will be having showings during daycare hours so if she is uncomfortable with that, she can find a new provider.

[blandino]

I guess I wasn't thinking about it being a frequent/consistent happening. I just thought that any appt that could be booked on a night/weekend would be, but if there wasn't another option - then it would be done during the day. I was thinking less than a handful of times AT MOST.

Whenever we have had a house most of the showing are at night or on a weekend, since most people are also working around their own work hours.

Originally Posted by Little Star75

So true, and I agree with mom too. In California everyone visiting during daycare hours must have fingerprints on file.. I know it's a bummer but.....

This is innacurate. You can actually have volunteers in your home for up to 15 hours per week without a background check.

OP....I agree with Mom.

[SquirrellyMama]

I personally think mom is making a bigger deal than is necessary. The people coming in will be with a realtor and you will be with the kids.

I don't think it is a good idea for other reasons. I think that it would be awkward like others have said to have the owners of the house in the house. Is it possible to have your house as clean and nice as possible with the kids in it while the realtor is showing it? What if kids are yelling or crying? That might affect how they see your house even if it has nothing to do with your house.

I didn't think you could be in your house while a realtor was showing it. Is there a library near you or a park? What is your weather like right now?

K

[wdmmom]

I wouldn't say I'm with mom but for many reasons, I think doing open houses after hours makes more sense.

I would simply tell your realtor that they need to accommodate your schedule. If they have an interested buyer, I would suggest a 3 day notice. That way you can notify your families that perhaps an earlier pick up time is in order.

Four years ago we toured several homes and not a single homeowner was there. I think it would be super uncomfortable to have people touring my home while I was there. Not to mention but the noise level can get pretty crazy in here with a group full of kids. With the unpredictability of the kids and the safety/liability, I would just opt to doing it later in the day or weekends unless advance notice is provided by the realtor.

I think what dcm needs to keep in mind is that MANY people work during the day. The chances of having an open house during business hours are slim.

[bunnyslippers]

I think I agree with the mom, too, although it sounds like her approach could use some work. I would not want people coming in and out of the home my child was in. There are just too many things that could go wrong...you just never know who these people are, kwim?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Originally Posted by Willow

I'm sorry but I too agree with mom.

As an aside, does licensing allow that in your state? It wouldn't be allowed here because anyone on the premises has to pass a background check first. UPS can drop off a package and leave immediately but my own parents can't come into my home during daycare hours unless they've had one run.

Yes, this exactly. I'm sorry she is being rude about it, though!

[e.j.]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I have asked our relator to please try to make showings after 5pm or on weekends due to me having kids during the day. She said she would try but couldn't promise all the showings would be done then.

As the home owner, I would think this would be your call, not the realtor's. She's working for you, not vice versa. I would look for another realtor who would promise me that all showings would be scheduled for nights/weekends.

We sold our home while doing day care and our realtor was very respectful of our needs. She scheduled appointments for nights and weekends and called to give as much advance notice as possible so we could tidy up and plan to be out of the house when someone was interested in seeing it. I would have felt very stressed out if I had people walking through the house while I was trying to do child care.

[daycarediva]

Originally Posted by MNMum

I would just let your realtor know that showings need to be evenings and weekends. If someone is that interested in your home they will work around it. Plus, I can't imagine being home during a showing, especially with kids. It would be so uncomfortable for both parties. Are you in a warmer climate? Maybe you could be outside if a showing had to happen during this time?

I agree with Mom too.

Also, per licensing, all guests to my program have to sign in and out and have a valid reason for being there. I'm not sure a potential buyer is a valid reason, kwim? I would also be uncomfortable with it as a parent (not that I would fly off the handle).

[seebachers]

our house is currently on the market and there are no showings before 6p during the week. Weekends are available. There will absolutely be no one here during daycare hours for showings.

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by cheerfuldom

it is YOUR house for sale and YOU are employing your realtor. if they cannot accept your terms regarding showins/open houses, then find a new realtor. there is no reason why they cannot work within the confines of your home business. trust me, i have worked for years in real estate, it is not that big of a deal.

i agree with mom.

having strangers coming in and out of the house is a huge issue for me. there is no way i would stay with a provider that was allowing it and i am very surprised no other parent has an issue with it.

but the other parents dont care and you have informed them. so it is within your right to tell this mom that you will be having showings during daycare hours so if she is uncomfortable with that, she can find a new provider.

I was a realtor for several years as well, and our house is currently on the market. Our realtor knows not to show the house during the day. It was made clear when I hired her.

Homeowners should not be there when a tour happens. It's likely to turn off buyers bigtime.

After all of the houses I showed, my house has to be VERY clean and neat for a showing. No way I could do that while the kiddos are here. I'd have a heart attack. I hide most of my dc stuff, because they are not comming here to buy a daycare. I want them envisioning themselves living here. It looks inviting, it smells good, and it doesn't look like they have to start by scrubbing the floors.

[Starburst]

Originally Posted by Little Star75

So true, and I agree with mom too. In California everyone visiting during daycare hours must have fingerprints on file.. I know it's a bummer but.....

Tell the realtor that it is illegal to have people other than daycare parents in the home that are not fingerprinted or TB tested. Also tell her that if licensing comes you will get written up and that some of your DC parents have threatened to leave and call licensing if you allow strangers in the home during daycare hours. And if you get written up over that you will be looking for a new real estate agent. Also most people work before 5 on weekends and If they cant respect your home and your business than you don't want to sell to them anyway.

[cheerfuldom]

Originally Posted by Heidi

I was a realtor for several years as well, and our house is currently on the market. Our realtor knows not to show the house during the day. It was made clear when I hired her.

Homeowners should not be there when a tour happens. It's likely to turn off buyers bigtime.

After all of the houses I showed, my house has to be VERY clean and neat for a showing. No way I could do that while the kiddos are here. I'd have a heart attack. I hide most of my dc stuff, because they are not comming here to buy a daycare. I want them envisioning themselves living here. It looks inviting, it smells good, and it doesn't look like they have to start by scrubbing the floors.

yup/ being home during a showing is a bad idea. buyers want to feel like they are walking into THEIR house....not your house. seeing kids is extremely overwhelming for other people and absolutely a turnoff for many buyers....even parents that are buying. they dont want to know that you have 15 kids in that house for the past however many years. they start thinking of all the diapers that have been changed in that house instead of how great your house is. if they walk into a room where kids are fighting or crying or the place has a diaper smell....total turnoff.