Brooke Wolford
By Brooke Wolford
Random things are bound to happen when you show homes. There are always the typical things… the pictures online do not match the house, they didn’t show the dead squirrels hanging on the wall, they didn’t say that people smoke in the house, etc.
Recently, in one day I had the most abnormal things happen with one client. Now I do have to say, this happened all in one place.
So my clients were a husband and wife investor couple. We were looking at some properties that were rental properties. Here are the events as they happened:
House #1: It was a huge four-plex, the agent of course had talked me up about how terrific the place was. So there were renters on the property. I was told that none of them would be there. I knocked on unit #1. Nobody answered. I unlocked the door and walked in. Suddenly I screamed! To my surprise the renter was still there… sitting naked on the couch with a beer in his hands… passed out. I told my clients “Maybe we should move on to the other units and come back.” They said, “That’s, ok, we will just walk through.” I kind if chuckled and said, “OK, whatever you feel comfortable with.” Just then, the renter woke up and started looking around. He then decided to cover himself up. I said, “Hello! We have a showing scheduled.” He nodded and waved us through. Awkward, completely awkward!
Unit #2: Nobody answered our door knocks. I unlocked the door and walked in. We started walking through and were going into the back bedroom. I opened the door to find a couple sitting on their bed and it smelled like I was sitting in the middle of a pot factory. They started yelling at us and honestly we ran out as fast as we could.
Unit #3: We walked in and everything was picture perfect. However, we opened one of the doors to a bedroom and walked in and suddenly it slammed shut. I kind of had a very bad feeling and felt like I was in the middle of a horror movie.
Unit #4: None of the keys would work. I would have to say that is probably a good thing.
Luckily, my clients were not worried about any of this. Since this day, I have decided to possibly purchase some items that would make my presence known. Perhaps a blow horn?
Brooke Wolford is a REALTOR® with Edina Realty, Hastings, Minn. Follow her blog at strugglingrookierealestateagent.blogspot.com.
Comments 4
I absolutely hate when I show a property and there is somebody sleeping in it! I once had one where the owners even left a note on the door about the showing for that morning, but apparently they forgot to tell their kid who was sound asleep when we walked in his room!
Welcome to the world of Real Estate … your feet are now wet! You will learn to have thick skin in this business as we do encounter this type of stuff from time to time! Helpful hint … it is good to make your presence known, I knock real loud, ring the bell, open the door and yell out “Realtor” several times as I am entering the property … mostly for safety of myself and clients! Good luck to you and enjoy!
Sometimes those weird showings are the best real estate deals ever. However you totally had me laughing about the naked man with a beer can in Unit #1!! You have survived Brooke, nicely done! 🙂
I’ve got a good one for you from an agent at my old brokerage. He was showing a home when he noticed another couple roaming around in the house. He asked , “can I help you?” They said they were just looking at the house and he asked if they were working with a REALTOR®. They said yes, but he was sick so he just gave them all the one-day codes (Sentrilock) for the homes they wanted to see. Raise the bar anyone?