Today I am looking at what is and is not allowed during an open house.
You may have been to an open house before and wondered about what etiquette you should follow. Though often unspoken, there are some rules that you should stick to in order to keep the event civil and productive.
To start with, should you ask to use the bathroom? I will say you probably shouldn’t. However, if the other option is not going to be pretty, then use the bathroom. Generally, though, it is best if you avoid doing this.
Nowadays, it seems like everybody brings their pets everywhere, which brings me to my next question: Is it ok to bring a dog in the house? In my opinion, if it is a small dog that you can carry, that is fine, but to allow your dog to actually walk through the home is inappropriate for an open house.
“It is generally best if you avoid using the bathroom while in an open house.”
Should you take off your shoes? I say that, in general, you don’t need to unless you are asked to do so.
Can you bring food in? I would say don’t eat at the open house.
What areas and objects are you allowed to go through? Generally speaking, you can open the closets. If you are interested in buying the home, you’d want to know about the closet space. However, going through the drawers of the furniture is unnecessary since you probably won’t be keeping the furniture. Going through the medicine cabinet is also not okay, since it’s a private space.
Hopefully, this guide will help you so you know the rules of an open house. If you have any additional questions or are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
