Community Chat

[Foxxee]

Suggestion:  Look for the house on the realtor's website to see if interior photos are available.  Many are doing that now so people don't waste time going from house to house.

I often look at houses for sale, not to buy, just curious.  I thought to look at the house I grew up in.  It had been up for sale and sold a month before I found it.  Numerous interior pictures.

I couldn't believe the 2-story Cape Cod I moved into at the age of 6 looked exactly as I remember entering the first day when it was new.  

The previous owners kept it the same way I remember, same light fixtures, doors, hardwood floors, same heat registers, wooden garage doors, even the bathrooms that had been redone looked the same. The corner DR cabinets my father made were still there.  The brick fireplace I remember so well.   

Walls repainted, floors redone.  The kitchen had a new stove, refrigerator and dishwasher.  Kitchen cabinets replaced in keeping with the Cape Cod style.  The only other changes were heat from oil to gas, and central AC added.  

The interior and exterior looked new.  What a trip down memory lane that was and sorry I missed the open house.

If you can, try to get inside.  It would be quite an experience.

[suzykee]

First, ask yourself if you really want to see the house with all the changes. If the answer is yes, call the realtor, explain that you used to live in the house & ask if there would be a way you could see it - maybe through an open house? Then, it is in the realtor's hands & at least you tried. Great business people understand that going the extra mile & extending a little kindness can result in free advertising & more business through word of mouth. Who knows , maybe one day you wil lbe in need of a realtor's services. If the realtor is "too busy" then be content with online pictures.

[coffee drinker]

Just to reiterate -- it would not be my intention to waste the realtor's time being a lookie-loo.  If I did call, I would be 100% honest with her.  If she didn't want to bother showing me, it would be OK.  I have seen the internet pics, but just wanted to see the house in person. 

[jannabelle1]

The house I grew up in for 14 years is in a town 400 miles away. I've driven past it a few times when I've been back to visit relatives. "My house" has changed over the years, but I have no desire to ask anyone to give me a tour. I have wonderful memories of that home and I want to keep my memories of it just the way they've always been. I agree with the others that if there is an open house, then check it out, but make it clear that is why you're there. Realtors have a job to do, and showing people their childhood homes isn't one of their jobs.

[ECBG]

I'd get some flowers and visit the cemetery where your mother is and just remember the good memories. 

[Kalli]

On behalf of myself and my siblings, I recently drafted a letter to folks who currently live in our childhood home asking if we could come and take a picture in front of the home standing at the bottom of the front steps. We have an Easter picture with the four of us older siblings standing in that exact spot as grade school kids and we’d love to take this one now. We think it would be a fun trip to our old neighborhood and we want to give a copy to Dad for his upcoming birthday.

For some reason I haven’t sent the letter. Maybe because it would be disappointing to be denied. Yes we could take a picture standing on the sidewalk in front but really would like to duplicate the original. I just haven’t sent the letter yet. 

[manny2]

I would call the agent, and go see the house. They show houses that is their job, and they don't always make a sale. It will also give the agent a story to tell about the house to potential buyers. 

[occasionalrain]

Knocking on a stranger's door asking to tour their home is rude, presumptuous and nothing a person with the most basic manners would do.

Putting a Realtor on the spot asking them to take their time to show a non-buyer a home is unacceptable as well.

[Lindsays Grandma]

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@Kalli wrote:

On behalf of myself and my siblings, I recently drafted a letter to folks who currently live in our childhood home asking if we could come and take a picture in front of the home standing at the bottom of the front steps. We have an Easter picture with the four of us older siblings standing in that exact spot as grade school kids and we’d love to take this one now. We think it would be a fun trip to our old neighborhood and we want to give a copy to Dad for his upcoming birthday.

For some reason I haven’t sent the letter. Maybe because it would be disappointing to be denied. Yes we could take a picture standing on the sidewalk in front but really would like to duplicate the original. I just haven’t sent the letter yet. 

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@Kalli ...Send the letter, you have nothing to lose. 

[Catty2]

Maybe you can find out if there will be an Open House.  That way you can see it and not take up the realtor's time since she'll be there anyway.