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Please don't drink and show homes! Especially if you are the one driving

By
Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty LLC 200311024

 


I was hold a brokers open the other evening and I was happy when I sawa car pull up that looked to be an agent with his clients. But, what started out as happy for me ended up actually turning in to anger.

You see I don't drink, never have and I have no problem with those who do. But, once you have had a drink, you better not get behind the wheel ofa car, because now your drinking can affect me and those around you. 

 

drinking and driving


This home was a vacant home so I didn't mind letting the clients and their agent look around the property by themselves, but I would stay close if they needed me to answer any questions for them. But, when the agent told the clients to go ahead on their own, I was a little shocked. (I like to know what my clients are thinking)

So, now this agent is standing there wanting to talk about business, my company and even politics. (I didn't go there on that one) But, quickly I realized he had a slur to his speech and smelled of alcohol. That is when I noticed the flask in his inside jacket pocket. This agent was drunk and even worse he was driving clients around with him.

I took the couple outside to show them the special features of the neighborhood. (OK, really there weren't any, but I wanted to get the license plate of this car and turn this guy in before he killed someone. Too me this is giving agents a bad name, but it would have been even worse had he killed someone.

I did call the police and I don't know if they ever found him, but at least I feel better for having made that call. I just wish he had his name on the side of the vehicle or had given me a card. I wasn't thinking about getting a card when I smelled his breath, I was just thinking I need to get this guy off the road. Would you have done the same?

Comments(24)

Marian Pierre-Louis
Fieldstone Historic Research - Medway, MA
Metrowest Boston

Todd - I honestly don't know what I would do.  I'm shocked to think this would ever happen.  I would expect that the buyers didn't know he had been drinking but how could they not?  And then I'd be even more shocked to know that they were willingly driving around with him in this state.  I agree that folks like this shouldn't be on the road. 

Dec 06, 2009 06:42 AM
Liz Loadholt
Liz Loadholt- AgentOwned Realty- Covering SC - Mount Pleasant, SC
Realtor--Broker-in-charge - Trainer--Relocation Director Covering SC

Todd ---- thank goodness you called the police -- how terrible for our profession.

                                                                   

Dec 06, 2009 06:53 AM
Irene Kennedy Realtor® in Northwestern NJ
Weichert - Lopatcong, NJ

Todd,

Good for you! Shame you didn't get his card so you could also notify his broker. Drinking and driving isn't okay - and it is rarely the offender who gets hurt the worst in an accident. 

Dec 06, 2009 07:07 AM
Linda Jandura
Raleigh Cary Realty - Apex, NC
Realtor, North Carolina Buyer & Seller Specialist

Todd, I might have warned the clients and suggested they get another ride home, even if I had to drive them. This guy was putting their life at stake too. He might have been mad at you- okay, he definitely would have been mad at you- but his clients would have been impressed.  They were probably going to be ex- clients  after that day anyway.

Dec 06, 2009 07:11 AM
Larry Bettag
Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL
Vice-President of National Production

Good for you!!!!!  Too bad that you were in that situation though!

Dec 06, 2009 07:29 AM
Sara Woolford & Steve Golson, ALHS
iTexas Realty Co. - San Antonio, TX

Sorry that yuu were in such a dreadful situation.  Calling the police was the right thing to do. 

Dec 06, 2009 09:06 AM
William J. Archambault, Jr.
The Real Estate Investment Institute - Houston, TX

Todd,

You blew it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a time to be confrontational! I'd have offered to take all of them home or back to their car. I'd have mentioned the flask! And, if possible I'd have blocked their car until the police arrived.

Think how you'd feel if he'd killed some one. There are times when we must be our brother's keeper! Still you did more than most would.

Bill

Dec 06, 2009 09:16 AM
Nathan Tutas
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Davenport, FL
Your Central Florida Real Estate Expert

I'm with John and Bill on this one. I really hate when people drink and drive so I would have been confrontational about it. It's a shame that people act like that.

Dec 06, 2009 11:38 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

That's what use to scare me at brokers open before they prohibited beer and wine. Some of my fellow agents use to fall asleep at their desks after touring...
I hope you had a great weekend =)
Paul

Dec 06, 2009 12:04 PM
Michelle Gibson
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Wellington, FL
REALTOR

Todd - Drinking and driving with clients?  Wow, that's a new one.  My husband was in a horrible car accident, the driver was never given a sobriety test, but when I went to the tow yard the next morning there were numerous empty beer bottles in his truck bed. 

Unfortunately it's usually the drunk driver's who walk away from a car accident, not the innocent people driving down the street.

Dec 06, 2009 01:19 PM
Mesa, Arizona Real Estate Mesa Arizona Realtor
Homes Arizona Real Estate LLC - Mesa, AZ
AzLadyInRed

Todd, amazing isn't it? Working with your clients and drinking? Yuck!!! How clear minded could this agent be. As you know, I am a non-drinker, and think anyone that drinks needs to stay HOME!!! After all of the many people killed by drunk drivers, you would "think" drinkers would get it! Hopefully they do before they kill someone. Can't imagine what THAT would feel like. ;-)

Dec 06, 2009 01:52 PM
Terry & Bonnie Westbrook
Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner - Grand Rapids, MI
Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re

I hope I am as quick thinking as you were. Keeping them off the road in that condition needs to be all of our concern.

Dec 06, 2009 02:09 PM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Todd, this was a tough call.  I also would have called the police but I might have called before they even left the property.  I probably would have been confrontational because that's who I am.

Dec 06, 2009 03:10 PM
John Cannata
214-728-0449 http://TexasLoanGuy.com - Frisco, TX
Texas Home Mortgage - Purchase or Refinance

I agree with Tammie, its a tough call. Honestly, getting his card would have been good if you were positive he had been drinking. Personally, I have not witnessed that before, so Im not positive how I would react. I almost want to think I would ask him about it and see if he 'thought' he was okay to drive. If you were POSITIVE he had been drinking, and it wasn't just a slur, then I would think you would want the police there before hand so they didnt leave your property in that manner. Not only for him, but for the family getting in the car and everyone on the road.

Dec 07, 2009 01:36 AM
Dianne Hicks
Realty ONE Group - Poway, CA

That is mind blowing that can happen. I would have wanted to say something to his clients, their lives could be at stake and so they should be able to make a decision based on knowing the possibilities!

Dec 07, 2009 02:17 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Todd, the ones who are really scary are those who don't slur their words and seem to be functioning.  I had a woman come to my listing on a Sunday morning to present an offer, and she totally reeked of booze, and we're not talking Chardonnay.  Yikes!

Dec 07, 2009 07:24 AM
Zane Coffin
Century-21 Homestar - Geneva, OH
(Geneva Ohio Real Estate Agent)

Todd I have never had this happen to me in real estate but when I sold cars I had quite a few show up at the car lot ...that I knew were drunk. and they wanted to test drive I wouldn't let them in fact one guy I drove him home and another one was close to fighting me until he feel down .... that was kind of scary .... but thankfully I never run into this in real estate.....you did good calling the police at least you did something and not turn your cheek to it......peace zane

Dec 07, 2009 08:41 AM
Jim Hale
ACTIONAGENTS.NET - Eugene, OR
Eugene Oregon's Best Home Search Website

Todd -

You did the very right thing.  Tough I, too, might have called him on it on the spot.

Dec 07, 2009 07:28 PM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

I wish I had thought of some of these things while he was there, but when you are in shock of what you have just seen it is hard to know what to do. I hope the police did catch him, but I do know there were no accidents that day. I checked the police website to see if any accidents had happened within 2 hours of that time.

Dec 12, 2009 07:24 AM
Anonymous
Cjimmrun

Just googled this scenario and this blog came up - I am an appraiser not new to the field             [been inspecting homes since before J McCain was getting into hot water w/ those 4 others]

What happened today has never happened to me before - the listing agent on a short sale gets me access and while I'm shooting the living room photo, he cracks a beer! I looked at him, his beverage and him again ... then he offers me one! WTF!

Later in the inspection I went out to my vehicle and low n behold there's an `empty' on the front lawn! WTF x 2!!!

I have since contacted our local badges and made sure they were well informed, contacted the state to double check to make sure Idaho hasn't amended their agent professionism standards, and will be notifying the Lender/Client in the morning ... amazing

BTW he is/was the Broker!!!

Jan 07, 2010 12:54 PM
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