Has Your House Been on a Tour?
Have any of you had your house opened up on a neighborhood house tour? Any negatives to this that you’ve experienced?
Have any of you had your house opened up on a neighborhood house tour? Any negatives to this that you’ve experienced?
Our house was on the PLG tour last year. It was actually kind of fun, and it gave me motivation (and a deadline) to complete a bunch of projects around the house that I had been procrastinating about. We didn’t have to organize much of anything or do any real work on the day of the tour.
On another super-cool note, a few weeks after the tour we got a hand-written note (who does that anymore?) about a chair we had completely different provenance on. Turns out to be even older and cooler than the restorer told us – and we found it on the street!
Our house was on PS tour last year – great experience, IMO. The “casing” is a stupid myth, and nobody from the city will show to “catch” any irregularities.
Most people are overwhelmingly positive. The sitters are very professional. You get great flower arrangements (that’s what sold me!).
It did push the husband and me to get a small piece of furniture for under-TV gadgets (another major positive!).
Plus, you get some research done on your house gratis – we found out some very cool things, including the actual date the house was built/occupied.
I’d also love to hear what people really thought, though I could imagine it could be difficult to hear at times.
“I don’t understand why the Heights doesn’t have the owners present…And if I was an owner, I’d want to interact with the people trooping through my home”.
The very rich are different from you and I MM; it wouldn’t be convenient for most BH homeowners to be there on tour day 🙂
LM, I did use the word “volunteer”. I’m not finding fault with the guides, I just enjoy the tours where there’s more information about the buildings, especially from the home owners.
BHS remember tour guides are volunteers – there’s no rehearsal or dress-fitting involved because owners are too busy getting the houses ready. however, based on my experience, most homeowners are around on tour day and are usually happy to answer any questions or even share intimate, detailed information about the house that is not necessarily in print. caveat: sometimes depending on how occupied they are you may have to take a number.
We had a house that was for sale on last year’s tour. It was the most popular house on the tour, and we chose it because it was spectacular, not because of any real estate connections. On the whole, we’d rather have homes with people who are planning to stay.
I don’t understand why the Heights doesn’t have the owners present. It’s nice putting a human face with the house. And if I was an owner, I’d want to interact with the people trooping through my home. Oh well…
I’ve found that often on the Brooklyn Heights tour, which I love, along with all the others, the volunteers haven’t been given any information about the house beyond what’s in the write-up so it’s disappointing if there’s something amazing, confusing, or unusual that you’d like more information about.