What's so creepy?

The owner just doesn't want to be sued by the parents if 'precious' gets hurt doing something they should not be doing.

Adding this unfriendly verbage to the public listing doesn't protect this owner from such liability. There can be a private instruction to agents instead. It is off-putting - and I don't even have children.

I own a business, and can relate to what those people were trying to convey, an absolute horror of the lack of control some parents seem to exert over their children. I've had families come into my structures, and immediately put their children down and put them out of their minds at the same time, as their kids destroyed merchandise, picked up objects and tried to ram them past the guards on fans into the blades, wander off outside, and explore my private property.

I finally had to institute a policy that children could only come into the buildings if they were physically attached to the parent. I only lost a few patrons, because the parents who watch their kids knew what I was talking about and the headaches I had with the other ones wasn't worth the profit I got from them.

That being said, I agree with Gina, that the lister can have this out with the realtor setting guidelines about what conditions the viewers adhere to when visiting the property. Just denying responsibility for accidents is probably not going to hold water in any court.

When we listed our first home back in 1980 I had one young toddler at home. A young couple with a child had scheduled a showing, I said hello to them as I walked out the door with my own toddler and they continued inside to view the home. I watched from the next door neighbor's house for the agent and clients to leave, they stayed about 15 minutes. When I returned home, my son's bedroom looked like a tornado had hit it. All the toys were off the shelves, books off the shelves, stuffed animals etc. The small child had torn apart the room in a matter of 15 minutes! Where were the parents and agent? I was ticked off but marked it up to the price you pay for being on the market. I would have never issued a warning like that in the listing, but really do hope that realtors keep a tighter reign on what clients and their children do in someone else's home.

I agree it could be done better.. but it is not "creepy" to me.

Not creepy. TV is full of commercials of Lawyers tooting their services, sue sue sue!!

I cannot put a word to describe it, but it was very unwelcoming. I don't have small children either but the ad makes it sound somewhat dangerous. I was picturing steep stairs, missing floorboards, dark basements with bottomless pits......

You know, if I were a realtor, hoping for a large commisssion, it would be hard to phrase it when asking a potential sale to reign their kids in. If the people with whom you are dealing are courteous and responsible, you wouldn't have to even ask. If they're not, then no matter how you phrase, it the client would be offended, because you were picking on their kids. It's a no-win.

I stopped worrying about mincing words with clients like that, because they certainly don't worry about anybody else's sensitivities. I've even caught the little blighter down by my koi pond, picking up decorative stones,and trying to see who could bean the most twenty one dollar fish. And you know, I like kids.........at the end of the day, it's not their fault they are like this.

I don't think it's creepy, I just think it's not the kind of thing you put in a listing. It would better serve the seller to have it posted in large letters on the door of the home so both the agent and the buyer are aware of what the sellers sentiments are regarding kids.
In a perfect world there'd be no need for this type of warning. Parents would automatically keep their kids under their control when shopping for a house or better yet leave them at home where they belong. House hunting is not an activity most kids like nor need to be apart of.

Loved this sign I saw in a store or restaurant which read something like this: "Unattended children will be given an espresso and a puppy"

I see it a lot here. More than likely it is an unfinished house that the Bank now owns. Probably has no handrails.

"I see it a lot here. More than likely it is an unfinished house that the Bank now owns. Probably has no handrails."

Good thing it has no legal weight in almost any state.

Good thing it has no legal weight in almost any state.

And sadly, no effect on the people who need to hear it.

My kids have always gone house hunting because we have always house hunted out of state because we haven't had a babysitter. I don't let them run wild either. If there is something kid unfriendly about a place the kids being there increases the chance we'll find it before we buy the house. I think a sign at the front door and any 'caution areas' would be more appropriate.

I wonder if they know it has no legal weight but figured it was their best shot at warning people to monitor their children. I agree it would be better to put at the property vs. the listing.