Open House Invitation: Take Off Your Shoes!

It doesn't take much to scare off homebuyers these days, especially when it comes to open houses. The New York Times reports that New York City apartment sellers who ask buyers to remove their footwear before touring a property sometime risk turning them off before they even have a look around. Open houses gain most of their power from first impressions, and many buyers simply don't like the idea of having to bare their holey socks or ripe-smelling feet before considering what, after all, may be a multimillion-dollar purchase. Typical reasons cited for wanting open-house attendees to take off their shoes? Soft wooden floors susceptible to heel marks, and young children who crawl around on the rugs where people walk. Step off!