DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and I have a new home, which is an exciting milestone. When we attended a dinner with my brother, his wife and her parents, the latter spent nearly half of the evening’s conversation asking when they would be invited over to see the house. They also took my phone hostage to see photos of the house.

It was way beyond polite conversational interest in our new home. They are generally nice people, but their persistence at trying to get inside our house is uncomfortable.

How do we politely deter their attempts to invite themselves over, just so they can poke around every room and closet? We may eventually have them over, but I want it to be on our terms and not because they wore us down.

GENTLE READER: “We’ll let you know” puts the initiative back where it belongs. But Miss Manners suggests that next time, you do not have your cellphone available during dinner.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, [email protected]; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.