I was working yesterday with Clients from out of state. They were looking for smaller acreage, something with utilities, potentially an older mobile, or shed, that they could use while they built the little house of their dreams. They also were considering older homes that might need work. We looked at 5 properties total thru out the Bastrop County area. Of course I heeded all of the showing instructions for each of the listings, did my planning to make a concise tour so we were not criss crossing the County, and planned a stop for lunch.
The day went well, and we had one last stop, another "vacant" listing, a much older home, the showing instructions said "Go", there was no reference to a lock-box. Found it with no problem. It looked like it had not been lived in for quite some time from the exterior.
We approached the front door. It was locked. But to my surprise an old dog greeted us with a couple of warning barks. I was shocked to see a dog inside, especially with no mention of one in the MLS instructions. Peering in the windows we saw that the dog had water and food. I knocked, and knocked again, with no answer. We walked around the exterior of the house. I tried the garage door, it was unlocked so I entered, my Clients who were eager to see the house were right on my heels.
The garage was no longer a garage....it was a party room. Old couches, some posters, and beer bottles and cans every where! I ventured into the house while my Clients marveled at the number of beer bottles and cans that were "collected" in the garage. The house was not in the best of shape. It was obvious that someone was staying there. There was a mattress on the floor in both of the bedrooms, clothes left laying on the floor where removed, and some undergarments hanging from the ceiling fan! More beer bottles and cans, and the dog. There was a bag of food for the dog in the kitchen.
Needless to say it was hard to get my Clients to focus on the house and property, which really has potential for what they wanted to do. Had the place been empty and at least relatively clean I think it would have been top on their list of properties. But at this point they are put off by it.
I have called the listing agent. She is aware that the Sellers young sons are out at the house "periodically" and there is nothing that she can do about it. I think if we had known what we were going to find, in advance, we all would have been more prepared, and potentially a bit more amused than put off, when we experienced the party house.
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Deb, sounds like quite the staged home.