Anonymous
04/11/2026 19:25
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
Anonymous wrote:My grandmother died in 2000. My father, my brother, and I brought her body back to Chicago to be buried next to our grandfather.
While there, my father drove my brother and I to the house we had both been born in, but moved away from at 1 and 3 when my dad (an FBI agent) got transferred to the WFO, where we all settled for good.
He knocks on the door and a young woman with a ~6 month old baby opened the door. My dad introduced us very politely, showed her his credentials, and asked if he could show his sons the house they had been born in.
The lady welcomed us in, offered coffee and escorted us through the entire house.
When we were leaving, we thanked her profusely and my father turned to her and said:
"By the way- please don't ever again let three unknown men into your house while home alone."
She nervously smiled but I'll never forget the look on her face. It was fear.
In 2000 there was essentially no internet , so someone flashing an FBI badge would seem reliable.
Your dad was trying to teach her a lesson, but the one she got was not to trust badges.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 17:10
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
Anonymous wrote: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.
I would like to strangle the previous owner handyman repairs with duct tape on the electrical wiring.
Lol same. And I will raise you tromp de'oill plumbing. So, no, I would not let them in.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 16:37
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
Absolutely not. The prev owner does come and visit with our neighbors occasionally but has never spoken to us. Our neighbors daughter (who is our age, lives nearby, and we know from the kids' school) has told us she's a nasty piece of work who regularly comments on the improvements we've made to the exterior of our home like "I can't believe they took down that gorgeous elm tree" about a tree that she damn well knew was dying but refused to remove when we asked her to.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 16:21
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
My grandmother died in 2000. My father, my brother, and I brought her body back to Chicago to be buried next to our grandfather.
While there, my father drove my brother and I to the house we had both been born in, but moved away from at 1 and 3 when my dad (an FBI agent) got transferred to the WFO, where we all settled for good.
He knocks on the door and a young woman with a ~6 month old baby opened the door. My dad introduced us very politely, showed her his credentials, and asked if he could show his sons the house they had been born in.
The lady welcomed us in, offered coffee and escorted us through the entire house.
When we were leaving, we thanked her profusely and my father turned to her and said:
"By the way- please don't ever again let three unknown men into your house while home alone."
She nervously smiled but I'll never forget the look on her face. It was fear.
While there, my father drove my brother and I to the house we had both been born in, but moved away from at 1 and 3 when my dad (an FBI agent) got transferred to the WFO, where we all settled for good.
He knocks on the door and a young woman with a ~6 month old baby opened the door. My dad introduced us very politely, showed her his credentials, and asked if he could show his sons the house they had been born in.
The lady welcomed us in, offered coffee and escorted us through the entire house.
When we were leaving, we thanked her profusely and my father turned to her and said:
"By the way- please don't ever again let three unknown men into your house while home alone."
She nervously smiled but I'll never forget the look on her face. It was fear.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 16:00
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
I did it! But a little differently. My childhood home was on the market and my dad wanted to see it. I'm a Realtor so I made an appt 
but we lucked into seeing the seller and she and my dad walked through the house together sharing stories. It was really nice.
but we lucked into seeing the seller and she and my dad walked through the house together sharing stories. It was really nice.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 15:58
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It's where she grew up. The house where she grew up. Do you not understand -at all- about this? Sure, you can/should do what you want. You don't need to invite her but don't be such an odd human being that you can't imagine her sentimental interest.
There is sentimental interest, and then there is obsession. Unfortunately I have a couple relatives who seem to be obsessed with the houses they grew up in, to an unhealthy degree and can't understand why the new owners don't want to give them guided tours every few years.
My relatives are harmless, but I can understand why the new owners are perplexed and not interested in having them tour. At some point you need to move on and it's not your house anymore.
I have a relative with personality disorder who was codependent on their parents and misses the old days when she lived at home.
She has already visited an aunt and refused to leave for weeks.
Once someone is inside your house, and if they are emotionally unstable, a lot can go sideways.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 15:47
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
Anonymous wrote:I allowed the previous owner to tour our home, but I remembered her from
when we bought it. I don’t think I’d allow it otherwise.
+1. Ours were great at closing and no weird red flags them. Otherwise no. We are also lazy and haven’t changed much.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 14:33
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
I would not mind giving a former owner a tour, but I do think some former owners make pests of themselves.
One relative tries to tour their childhood home every few years; they do have some mental health issues they are trying to work through.
One relative tries to tour their childhood home every few years; they do have some mental health issues they are trying to work through.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 14:32
Subject: Would you let a previous owner tour your house years later?
I allowed the previous owner to tour our home, but I remembered her from
when we bought it. I don’t think I’d allow it otherwise.
when we bought it. I don’t think I’d allow it otherwise.