I am always harping on safety!! I had a new experience with a client yesterday at a home that I had been warned by the listing agent might be a little unsafe. You know be careful as you walk in the floor is a little soft kind of warning. Not the OMG that we actually got when we were there.
There were two houses side by side. The first house had begun to have repairs done to it and was the first one we previewed. Both homes were vacant on lockbox. I had a very difficult time getting the door open and after really putting my weight into it managed to get the door open.
To my surprise the kitchen door was wide open and appeared to have been pried open because I could hardly get the dead bolt to work. So I began the whole yelling "Hello" process "Anyone Home"...no answer. We looked at the house secured it and walked to the second home (right next door).
I didn't have the listing sheet in my hand and couldn't remember where the listing agent had said the lockbox was so we walked around the front (through knee high grass..etc...) no lockbox. I kept telling the client I remembered something about it being on the back door so we walked around back and there it was. Although not necessary due to the fact the door was again open. I tested the floor carefully with my foot and began the whole yelling process again as my client kind of pushed past me. She didn't see the butcher knife at the door.
I began to get the serious creeps and after looking through the whole house was really creeped out. It was a disaster. There were things written out on the walls in what looked like toothpaste, vanity mirrors hanging off walls, plywood covering holes in the floor, major cobwebs, belongings everywhere, glass shattered, the master bath which had been updated was literally falling through the floor to the outside and that's when I noticed it.....a "crack pipe" with residue. I looked at my client and said we are out of here.
I guess the moral of this story is.....if the hair stands up on the back of your neck, just walk away. It's not worth seeing. We probably could have been in worse trouble if the people were still there and I had the funny feeling that in each instance they ran out the other door as we were trying to gain entry. Just a word to the wise "BE CAREFUL" out there! Stay safe!
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