I visited my childhood neighborhood and had my friend park in front of my old house and I just looked at it from the sidewalk. It seemed so much smaller! And has been repainted in a different aesthetic.

I didn't feel the need to go inside as I still remembered it vividly and of course it would now be redecorated.

The owner is the same who bought it from my family 4 decades ago. So the people living there might have recognized my name.

An older man knocked on the door one day and said he was moving out of the neighborhood (probably to assisted living) and said he'd always loved the house and might he look inside. It's unlike the center hall colonials around.

I was home alone and showed him around. He was so polite and impressed, and when I offered to show him up upstairs he declined.

Here to tell the story.

I would but the timing didn’t seem good in your circumstances. I have driven by former homes and don’t really want to see the inside. In my mind they should look the same as when I was there, and I don’t want to see changes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The previous owners of our beach house still live in the neighborhood and they have been in our house several times for social events. We have done quite a bit of renovation but given that they moved to a much fancier, more modern house I don't think they are offended that we updated the house. But of course these are events where we know they are coming - they aren't just knocking on the door.

Personally I don't feel any attachment to houses and have no interest in going to see a former house. Our last house, where we lived for 10 years, has since been torn down.

I wonder if this has a part in the overall equation?
There is a big difference between a house that a person has lived in for 10 or so years as an adult and a house a person literally grew up in from babyhood to college age.
It is what the house represents. A place you lived for some time or the very home you associate your entire childhood with.

We moved quite a bit when I was a child - 3 countries, 2 different houses in the DC area, so don't feel an attachment to any of them. My adult kids are more grounded - we moved to our current house when they were 3 and 5. But interestingly neither of them are particularly sentimental about the house at this point. To me a house is a building.

Anonymous wrote:No. So weird. What’s the purpose of her seeing it?

If you don’t understand why, you are very inexperienced in life. Maybe you are in your 20’s? Teens?

Your particular situation not withstanding, I would and have let a prior resident (always sees to be a daughter who grew up there) walk around. I knew they were legit because she talked about details of the home. It was quick and fine. But it also wasn’t at a bad time. If it were, I’d likely invite them to return another time if possible.

Anonymous wrote:Happened to us. Previous owner stopped by (they moved locally). I let him walk the outside- showed off the new deck, landscaping we put our blood/sweat/tears into, and how nice the tree trimming looked.

Then I back handedly mentioned all the things that needed work and are in the process of doing (your taste in paint sucked so we are repainting, you were a cheapskate with XYZ so we plan ABC)...type.

Why would you be so mean and petty? I don’t understand people like you. As if you are in a competition with the prior owner? Weirdo

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. So weird. What’s the purpose of her seeing it?

Nostalgia? I think it is a normal thing to want to see it.

Yes it’s normal to want to do. It’s however, not normal to ask.

Meh. It's benign.

I’d be happy to welcome prior owners, just as I hope I’d be welcomed in the future. Our home was built in 1905 and each owner family put a lot of work and care into it. I’d love them to see where we are now.

I did. We knew the previous owner. We met them during inspection and closing. The husband built the house himself because he owned a construction company. He gave us his cell phone number in closing to reach out if any issue or question.


We removed all carpets and wall paper, put in new paint, hard flooring and new chandeliers.
After six months, they stopped by and we invited them in to see the house. The wife loved it.

Anonymous wrote:The previous owners of our beach house still live in the neighborhood and they have been in our house several times for social events. We have done quite a bit of renovation but given that they moved to a much fancier, more modern house I don't think they are offended that we updated the house. But of course these are events where we know they are coming - they aren't just knocking on the door.

Personally I don't feel any attachment to houses and have no interest in going to see a former house. Our last house, where we lived for 10 years, has since been torn down.

I wonder if this has a part in the overall equation?
There is a big difference between a house that a person has lived in for 10 or so years as an adult and a house a person literally grew up in from babyhood to college age.
It is what the house represents. A place you lived for some time or the very home you associate your entire childhood with.

Great question OP. I can see both sides:

My sister and I and our families were once near the town where my sister and I grew up so we drove over and knocked on our childhood home - the home we were brought home to as babies and lived in until after college. The current owner answered and we explained apologizing for the suddenness of our showing up at her door. She was nice enough but declined our request to come in to the house. We were disappointed, of course, but understood ...

I myself would want a heads-up if the previous owners of our house come asking to tour inside. I would happily have them come inside but at a pre-scheduled date and time.

I would but I’d prefer advanced notice. My house isn’t always in a state where I’d like strangers to see it. (Looking at you, pile of teen’s laundry with underwear spilling out and also at you, unwashed pots and pans.)

I would be open to it but would not feel obligated to accommodate a drop in/drive by visitor. They would have to come back at an agreed time. And if the vibes were off in any way, it would be a no go.

The previous owners of our beach house still live in the neighborhood and they have been in our house several times for social events. We have done quite a bit of renovation but given that they moved to a much fancier, more modern house I don't think they are offended that we updated the house. But of course these are events where we know they are coming - they aren't just knocking on the door.

Personally I don't feel any attachment to houses and have no interest in going to see a former house. Our last house, where we lived for 10 years, has since been torn down.