In my 34 years in real estate, I've seen it all!


So I'm asked what is the funniest, craziest or most outrageous experience I've had in my 34 years in real estate?  There have been so many, it is hard to pick one.

Let's see -- Should I tell you about the seller who went berserk and physically threatened me because he was so upset that I coFrustrated/angry short sale selleruldn't get the bank to approve his short sale within the time frame he had decided worked for him? Not so funny, but certainly outrageous.

Or maybe the broker tour where everyone was chatting through all the rooms until we got to the master bedroom, where there was suddenly complete silence while we took in the huge nude portrait of the woman seller, the ceiling mirror over the bed and the fuzzy handcuffs and vibrator on the bedside table?

Of course I have a collection of stories where despite plenty of notice to the sellers, I brought buyers to a home where there was someone sound asleep in bed or taking a shower. 

And one where a cat ran out of the house when I opened the door and I had Cat on the loose!to find some cat food in the kitchen to coax her back in - just in case she wasn't normally permitted outside. 

I've also had sellers without a lockbox decide not to let me in despite my making a showing appointment.  They have peeked out the window, saw me standing there with my buyers and refused to answer the door.

And one time I went to show a house and couldn't find the lockbox that the MLS listing said was there.  I finally knocked on the door and the homeowner was shocked - her house was NOT on the market.  The numbers were transposed in the listing and the house for sale was on the next block.

But the most frantic and funny (afterwards) experience I've had recently was when I took a buyer to a nice home, which she was loving, and I thought for sure she would be calling her husband to meet us at my office to write up an offer.

Then she said, "I almost forgot.  My husband will askWho let the dogs out? Woof woof! me what the garage was like, so I'd better check that."  She opened the connecting door to the garage and all hell broke loose in the form of 7 (seven!) dogs that came bounding into the house.  Huge ones and tiny ones.

The big ones jumped on my buyer and knocked her down and the little ones ran around peeing everywhere in their excitement.  I helped my buyer up and tried to reach the listing agent, but no luck, so my buyer decided we should round up the dogs and get them back into the garage.

This could have been a slapstick movie, as the little ones were really hard to catch, and the big ones were heavy and hard to shove around.  We would make some progress, but when we opened the door to put one in, two would push their way back into the house. 

We were slipping on the pee and having trouble avoiding falling on our butts on the hardwood floors.  By the time we got them all back in the garage, Who let the dogs out? Woof woof!nearly an hour had passed, our clothes were muddy and dissheveled, we had dog pee on us, and we both collapsed on the couch.

After a few minutes, she got up and said we should wipe up the pee that was all over the floors, and although I told her she didn't have to do that, she didn't feel right about leaving it because she felt it was her fault for letting the dogs in.

When we'd finally finished that, she said, "I think I'm through looking at homes for today."  Me too!

It actually took a couple of weeks for her to be ready to try again, and never again did she look into a garage.  She said that if her husband wanted to know what the garage was like he could come and look for himself!

When I finally spoke with the listing agent that At the time I didn't think it was funny as the listing agent did.night I suggested that she should have her sellers put a note in the MLS and on the garage door warning people about the dogs. 

She laughed and said that might be a good idea (I can't imagine why she hadn't considered that before), but she added that if there had been a sign, I wouldn't have a great story to tell my friends.  She thought it was very funny. 

Looking back, I can appreciate the humor, but at the time I just wanted to survive it!

Happily, I was able to find another very nice (dog-free) home for my buyers. I love dogs, and so does my buyer, but that was ridiculous!

Since the above experiences are only a small sampling, you can see why I say that in my 34 years in real estate, I've seen it all!

 


***

Thinking of selling your home?  Remember it costs you nothing for me to come out and discuss your home, the market in your area, and give you a market analysis and presentation so that you will know what you can expect to get for your home.

Call for appointment:  (916) 705-8951

Also Remember,
I can help you to tour any home for sale in Sacramento County and the surrounding areas, no matter what firm has it listed, and I can help you with your purchase if you find the perfect home for you.

Just give me a call at (916) 705-8951

***********

Susan Neal
Broker / Realtor

Susan Neal Fine Properties
Century 21 Noel David Realty
Fair Oaks, California

Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 30+ years experience. 
I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction.

"Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916)705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.    

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31 Comments on In my 34 years in real estate, I've seen it all!

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

OCT
05
980,857 Points 114 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Very enjoyabe read with all your stories.  Of course, 7 dogs in the garage was a great one.  Seven dogs in the garage, nothing to tip you off in the listing sheet and they didn't bark or make a peep to indicate they were seven dogs in the garage.  Truly amazing story and a good read.
5:44pm • #12
570,707 Points 25 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thanks for all your comments.  And Carla, that surprised me too - not a sound from them (terrible watchdogs, unless someone makes the mistake of opening that door!). 

It seems to me that it is unsafe for the animals, not to mention any buyers and their agents, to not warn about dogs and cats and what their rules are.  When I let that cat out, I was so scared that it might be an indoor only cat who wouldn't know what to do and might wander off.  I know I'd be heartsick if one of my cats was lost.

And I guess we were lucky that we hadn't left the front door open while we were touring the "dog" house or we might have been chasing those guys all over the nighborhood!
8:18pm • #13
388,883 Points 21 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Susan, Thats why I always ask if there are pets in the house and if so lock them up! Loved your share of stories.
8:48pm • #14
OCT
06
778,346 Points 97 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Susan - A lot can happen in 34 years of selling homes in the Fair Oaks area. I bet this is just the tip of the iceberg too!
12:13am • #15
1,911,854 Points 385 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Susan, seven dogs is a lot!  Loved your description of the mayhem.  I can see all of you sliding around doing the dog round up.
7:09pm • #16
OCT
07
1,911,854 Points 385 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hey Susan!  I included this post in Last Week's Favorites.  Have a great week!
5:38am • #17
379,000 Points 5 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Susan, 

Folks just odn't realize how many "surprises" happen each and every day.  I don't mind the ones that cannot be controlled, but the ones where folks made it more challenging drive me nuts.

We are also in property management.  This week, we had a pressure release valve go bad that we needed replaced.  The plumbers DID NOT turn off water at the street, but at the house.  Unfortunately, the plumbers broke the line just below the house turn off.  So, NIAGRA FALLS in the finished basement.  

The good news is the guy ran immediately outside to turn off the water main.  The bad news is we still had excessive water and the plumbing company had to call out a water remediation group.  Such a shame, as should have been turned off at the street.  Exhausting and irritating when it easily could have been avoided, so I get it completely.

Alll the best, Michelle
6:08am • #18
299,746 Points 21 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor

Susan,
OMG - You HAVE seen it all.  That dog story is hilarious and what a wonderful buyer you had with you!  If it was me, I would have probably been with a buyer that was AFRAID of dogs!
6:20am • #19
160,455 Points 15 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

What a great story.  I could picture the entire scene with you chasing the dogs.  Good thing your client had a great temperment.  That could have ended quite differently!
7:25am • #20
396,141 Points 5 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Great stories.  I loved them.
7:34am • #21
1,518,332 Points 112 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Seven dogs?!!! That's crazy.  I am surprised you didn't hear them barking in the garage.  Dogs normally aren't quiet when they hear someone in their home.
9:01am • #22
569,544 Points 1 Featured Post Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Hi Susan, Great stories !  Perhaps you should host a " Greatest Moments " contest !!!
9:46am • #23
510,688 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Oh my! You have been through some experiences! You're just lucky the dogs weren't mean!

Gretchen
9:57am • #24
1,584,552 Points 429 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Susan - well those are some pretty good stories. I have nothing to compare. I let a cat in at a showing since it seem VERY eager to get in and ran right in the door immediately. Turned out it was the neighbor's cat.

I was showing a condo back in Boston to a client and one of the bedrooms in this rental unit had more pornography on the walls than you can imagine. THis was NOT the teenaged boy sort of stuff either.

Jeff
11:54am • #25
570,707 Points 25 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I have to laugh at all your stories as well as my own.  I have thought of several more as I have been reading your comments, including the time an agent called me to let me know that her client had flushed the toilet at my listing and it was overflowing and flooding the master suite.  I asked if she had turned off the water under the toilet, and she said, "I don't know how."  I said I could walk her through it, but she said they had already left and she didn't want to go back.

I jumped in my car with two rools of paper towels and an electric fan, and was able to turn off the water and mop up most of the flood, then set the fan going overnight, and I was able to prevent permanent damage.  The next day I opened the windows in the bedroom and kept the fan going, and I sat in the backyard with my laptop and did some work while I continued to let the place air out.

I also diagnosed the problem (a clog from something flushed down AND a leak between the shut off and the tank in the filler pipe), called a plumber and made an appointment for an estimate.

I'm glad that agent bothered to call me, but I wish she had called me while she was still at the house so we could have shut the water off more quickly.  Every agent should know how to turn the little handle behind the toilet to stop the water from continuing to flow.
1:55pm • #26
300,008 Points 7 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Hi Susan, too funny and it was great that your client was so flexible with the whole situation and did not run screaming from the house... :)
3:05pm • #27
1,098,671 Points 25 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Susan, I can just imagine the dogs running around and you and the buyer trying to catch them...sounds like a movie :)
5:58pm • #28
OCT
08
570,707 Points 25 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Sandy and Rebecca - Yes it was comical looking back on it, and I can laugh at it now.  And I was very lucky to have a buyer who cared about dogs and their owner and was concerned about leaving them loose in the house.

I have sometimes thought that I should write a book about some of the oddball things that have happened to me.  It might make a funny tv series, in fact.  A different story every week. lol
1:01pm • #29
292,425 Points 20 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Susan, Pat's Favs sent me here. You must have started when you were 7 years old.  Yes, after 34 years in this crazy business I'm sure you've seen it all.  Thanks are sharing these entertaining stories.

My termite inspector found a dead body wrapped in plastic in the crawl space.  That was a good one that made the local news.

Lloyd Binen, Silicon Valley, DRE 00572654.
8:16pm • #30
OCT
10
570,707 Points 25 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Yikes, Lloyd!  That's pretty scary.  I've found a few dead animals, but no dead people, and hope I never do!
10:43pm • #31

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Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA and Sacramento County Real Estate Broker, CA DRE#686562

Fair Oaks, CA

More about me…

Century 21 Noel David Realty

Address: 7976 California Ave, Fair Oaks, CA, 95628

Office Phone: (916) 705-8951

Cell Phone: (916) 705-8951

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