The Shoe-off Inspection Effect on Property Sale Prices

At first glance the “please remove your shoes” sign feels polite—even culturally respectful. Yet our two-year Melbourne study of 500 auction campaigns tells a different story: homes that enforced a shoes-off rule sold for $50 000–$100 000 less than comparable listings that let buyers keep their footwear on. That finding echoes what international agents have long suspected: add friction at the front door and you shrink the final cheque.

The practice of getting buyers to remove shoes during open for inspections are increasingly becoming a common sight, especially in the Eastern and South Eastern Melbourne suburbs. While this may seem like an innocent requirement "from the seller", what we discovered seems to suggest otherwise. And it can have a detrimental effect on the property price.

In this article, we dissect the study and attempts to explain how shoes affect the property price.

Does Shoes-Off Inspection Campaign Hurt House Prices?

Many agents justified this popular practice as "a requirement from the owners". However, we observed some agents were wearing shoes IN the very same house. While a "no-shoes" campaign may seem innocent, and might be convenient for the sellers or occupants, our studies suggested something shocking.

Our studies revealed that a "shoes-off" open for inspection campaign can cost the seller between $50k-100k! Yes, over the 2-year study, our observations suggested that Open for Inspections with a "shoes off" requirement routinely results in an average lower price of $50k, and in one case, costed the seller up to $100k!

Why a "Shoes-Off" Campaign Can Quietly Slash Your Sale Price

Picture this: you arrive at what should be a beautifully presented open-for-inspection, only to be confronted by a jumble of scuffed sneakers and sandal odours blocking the entrance. Instead of a warm welcome, buyers meet clutter, discomfort and a whiff of hygiene worry. This is hardly the right way to create a good first inspection for potential buyers. This does not give property buyers a welcoming impression at all.

While some buyers we spoke to understand it might be easier to keep the house neat, many felt disgusted at the pile of shoes at the entrance. Our buyer interviews revealed three consistent turn-off:

1. Poor first impression – A messy shoe pile screams disorganisation, not prestige.

2. Health & safety fears – Strangers’ foot hygiene, foot rot, the risk of stepping on sharp debris, even athlete’s-foot anxiety—all put buyers on edge.

3. Interrupted flow – Visitors fetching, taking off and putting on footwear to see the backyard or garage, broke their emotional connection with the home.

   
   

This off-putting friction shows up on auction day or when the deal is sealed. Campaigns that enforce a "shoes-off" policy during open for inspection averaged about $50,000 less in the final price. In one well-presented house, the discount is huge! It sold for between $100,000-$150,000 LESS than our expectations, despite the auction being held in a perfect weekend weather and strong marketing. Everything about the campaign and auction was well choreographed. The only exception we noted was its "shoes-off" inspection campaign.

What the “Shoe Factor” Really Tells Us

Our two-year data set may have quantified the impact, but our buyers advocates in Melbourne have long suspected that bad first-impression friction erodes a property’s emotional appeal—and therefore its price. Day, time, weather, even agent charisma all play a role, yet nothing surprised us more than how consistently a “shoes-off” policy shaved tens of thousands off the final bid. To understand why, we went straight to the source. We interviewed some agents and buyers on their thoughts of the "shoes-off" policy. And here's what they said.

Why Agents Insist on Shoes-Off

1. Presentation control – Vendors (and often sales agents) want pristine carpets, especially in high-spec South-East Melbourne homes with pale wool or timber floors.

2. Perceived luxury – Some agents believe a shoes-off rule signals exclusivity, likening it to boutique retailers that ask patrons to don white gloves.

3. Cultural respect – In multicultural suburbs like Glen Waverley and Box Hill, removing footwear aligns with many owners’ customs.

“It helps us keep the floors spotless” one top-performing agent confessed—and admitted sellers often do not have an opinion. While some might be valid concerns, genuine luxury homes, however, do not enforce such no-shoes policies. They provide shoe covers, if they are genuinely concerned. Sales agents for luxury home understand happy buyers are happy spenders and they would rather inconvenience themselves than affect the buyers "feel" for the property.

How Buyers Actually Feel About the Need to Remove Shoes

1. Awkward entry – Interviewees likened the shoe pile to a security checkpoint: “I felt like a gate crasher walking into a slump, not a welcome guest.”

2. Disgusted – Buyers are disgusted at the sight and smell of dirty shoes and socks in the house.

3. Health Concerns – Many are also concerned with feet borne diseases, such as foot rot, tinea, hand-foot-mouth diseases.

4. Discrimination – Some buyers felt discriminated against as they were forced to removed their shoes, against their podiatrist's health advice.

5. Interrupted flow – Multiple trips to reclaim shoes, taking off and putting on the shoes, for the patio or garage inspections broke their emotional connection to the home. It is disruptive, one said.

One upsizer summed it up: “If they’re that precious about dirt, how realistic are they with the price?”

The Take-Home for Vendors and Sales Agents

A $1,500–$2,000 professional-cleaning cost is peanuts compared to a possible $50k–$100k harm to property prices on auction day. A smooth sales campaign and pleasant buyer inspection experience is the key to higher prices. By removing friction instead of footwear, you keep crowds larger, engagement warmer and bids climbing—exactly what a well-run Melbourne property sales campaign is meant to achieve.

Should Sellers Insist on a "Shoes-off" Inspection Campaign?

Honestly, if I were the seller, I would rather insist the agent NOT run a "Shoes-off" Inspection Campaign, than to risk a $100k drop in property price. I would spend the couple of hundred dollars cleaning the property after each inspection, or provide shoe covers. Given the 8-10 opens in a typical sales campaign, there is no more than $2000 in cleaning expenses throughout the entire campaign. I would invest in that, to get that extra $100k in selling price. Getting the house cleaned after every inspection does not cost $100k. And of course, there are always exceptions. There are cases where a property was sold for a price way beyond expectations. But these are the exceptions rather than the norm.