Home > Blogs > Sarah Cooper > Sarah's Hurricane, WV Real Estate Blog

Sometimes It's Just Not Worth It

By Sarah Cooper

Services for Real Estate Pros with Real Estate Shows

May 15, 2007 07:38 AM

Caution Sign Today my partner (Dad) and I went to a house to preview it for a listing presentation.

The home is currently listed and their relocation company called us, the listing is expiring soon and they'd like to go in another direction. We spoke to the home owners and had a confirmed appointment to preview the house, take pictures and get whatever information we might need to make a proper listing presentation later in the week.

We arrived to find a nice brick rancher on a beautiful river lot. The house itself was nice but needed a little maintenance. Just small things, but they matter. I was making mental notes of this as we walked in.

The house was a little cluttered, but pretty. It had a few nice details and I took pictures and was thinking about how to market this house as we went along.

Dad walked to another room and called to me. In the corner, in plain sight and within easy reach, was a shotgun. As a Mom, I was horrified. This house is currently on the market, anyone might have walked in, including a family with small children! This was a problem for me. Clutter is one thing, guns within easy reach is beyond reckless.

We went downstairs and found a man sleeping on the couch. I waved and mumbled an apology and walked back upstairs. Dad peeked around while making small talk, then followed me. He said there were more guns downstairs, sitting out on a table.

I have no idea if any of them were loaded. I don't care. We decided not to take the listing. It's one thing to have a client with a slightly messy house, anyone can have an off day. It's quite another to take on a client who's recklessness might injure someone viewing their home.

Moving on!

Comments(33)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Keith Pate

Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC

You were smart to walk away from that listing opportunity. Children will investigate.......and that could have very well been bad news. Great post!

May 15, 2007 08:29 AM

Sarah Cooper

Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV

Ross - Guns I'm OK with. Guns left out in the open where children can reach them??? NOOOOOOO.

Ashley - Deer heads make me label a house "The One With The Dead Animals In It" but that's just me. :o) Doll collections freak me out worse than deer heads -- all those plastic babies creep me out!!! :oO

Lania - OMG!!! ROFLMAO!!!! LOVE THAT!!! <Wiping tears!!> Had to read that out loud to my hubby. You are GOOD!!! Going to visit your blog, you made me laugh!!

May 15, 2007 08:31 AM

Sherri Hinkel

Prudential-The Hinkel Team - Omaha, NE

Good choice. If the buyers did not care enough to make a good impression with you imagine how the house would have shown for potential buyers!

Sherri

May 15, 2007 08:34 AM

Ken Jansen

Prime Development Land CO LLC - Overland Park, KS

REALTOR, CRS, 913.908.2215

Maybe they should hire Redf!n. hah. Just kidding. Scary story! very scary.

May 15, 2007 08:39 AM

Ashley Drake Gephart

Drake Intel Group - Albuquerque, NM

Lania that was fantastic!

May 15, 2007 08:40 AM

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman

Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI

(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Guns bother me period...and left out in the open was really bad with it CURRENTLY on the market as well?

May 15, 2007 08:43 AM

Lysa Napolitano

Daytona Beach, FL

Sarah, I am SO GLAD you are partnered with your dad and that he was with you. I am sure your husband is too. This is the first time I've come across such a story, I pray I never hear one anything like it again. Glad you are OK. Having guns out is one thing, but having a man sleeping downstairs with guns out is scary enough when they know you are coming to look at the home as a Real Estate Agent interested in listing the home, having guns out while a home is on the market and like you said when children can stop by? Don't get me started.

May 15, 2007 08:44 AM

Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers

Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Sarah: Yer durn lucky them boys wasn’t dee-fending their propity ‘gainst a home invasion by them durn reelitors!

Jay

May 15, 2007 08:55 AM

Teri Eckholm

Boardman Realty - White Bear Lake, MN

REALTOR Serving Mpls/St Paul North & East Metro

Sarah--I showed a home this weekend with a shotgun outside of the guncabinet....So glad my clients didn't have any kids with! First time I have ever seen such a thing...How stupid!

May 15, 2007 09:43 AM

No Longer Active

Real Estate - Fallon, MT

The shotgun was bad enough but a guy sleeping on the couch when you have a confirmed appointment is no treat either. Sounds like a listing that would be one big headache.

May 15, 2007 10:17 AM

Sarah Cooper

Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV

Keith - The worst part -- there WERE children in the house. At least there were toys. I did not open any of the shut bedroom doors, I'd seen enough by that time. But I'd bet there were kids there.

Sherri - I can't take on a client if I'm not at least fairly certain they're in it to sell and will do what they can to get their home sold, too. I'm not going to waste my time and money on it if they don't even want to keep it clean, much less if they won't keep it safe! This was not and could not be my listing.

Ken - Eeeeek!!!!!!

Ashley - Lania was so funny I subscribed to her blog. And I think this was the first time we've "met"! (I'm subscribed to you as well!)

Sally - CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET. I know!!!

Lysa - I was glad to have Dad there, but it was mostly so I could turn to someone and say, "Can you believe that?!" I wasn't really worried while I was there, even with Sleeping Dude there. He seemed harmless, even if the guns didn't.

Jay - LOL!! After we got home, I felt a need to relax and changed into my jeans and Active Codgers Active Fan T-shirt. Aaaah! That's better!

Ravi - We thought the house was empty, so the gun itself didn't scare me off, I just didn't want to list the house ... or show it. If I was alone I might have felt differently.

Teri - This really bothers me, showing houses with guns out, within easy reach of kids. Stupid indeed!

May 15, 2007 10:19 AM

Allison Stewart

St.Cloud Homes - Saint Cloud, FL

St. Cloud Fl Realtor, Osceola County Real Estate 407-616-9904

Good for you Sarah! Guns are a big no no unless secure I think you did the right thing and I would have done the same.

May 15, 2007 10:54 AM

Lizette Fitzpatrick

Lizette Realty - Richmond KY - Lexington, KY

Lizette Realty, Lexington KY MLS - Kentucky Homes

Sarah, I don't blame you. Growing up in the south guns are commonplace in a home. I do notice that most all are locked up if it is a listed property.

May 15, 2007 11:46 AM

Tina Maraj

RE/MAX One - Fullerton, CA

Celebrating 30 Years of Real Estate Sales

Sarah,

We often forget how dangerous our business can really be. Your life's not worth dealing with someone like that. Smart decision.

May 15, 2007 12:44 PM

Thesa Chambers

West + Main - Bend, OR

Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

Sarah - I own several guns, pistols, shot guns, rifles and so on... but unless one were to walk into my master bedroom they would never know - the guns are locked in a gun safe that is built into my master closet - there is one that is often found out but never in plain sight and never when I expect company. Gun ownership is a big responsibility and it is scary when one takes it so lightly - this seller would probably tell you they had them for protection - but if you made it that far through the house without his knowledge chances are his own weapon would be used against him. Having these weapons in the open like that is asking for the wrong person to walk away with them.

May 15, 2007 01:27 PM

Fran Gatti

RE/MAX Integrity - Medford, OR

Managing Principal Broker - RE/MAX Integrity

Sarah,

How bizarre. The house may not have sold because potential buyer's are scared to walk through it for fear of what else they may find.

Fran

May 15, 2007 03:27 PM

Joan Mirantz

Homequest Real Estate - Concord, NH

Realtor, GRI, CBR, SRES - Concord New Hampshire

No wonder the re-location company was looking in a different direction...jail maybe?

May 15, 2007 04:11 PM

Lucky Lang

Premiere Plus Realty Marco Island - Marco Island, FL

Marco Island & Naples Florida Real Estate

Sarah,

That is pretty incredible! Can you imagine the liability? What if his insurance agent is reading this? With Hurricane being a small town he might be able to figure it out.

Oh well.

Lucky :)

May 18, 2007 02:46 PM

Sarah Cooper

Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV

Allison - That bothers me still to know this house could be viewed by a family with small kids at any time. I hope the relocation company has had a talk with them by now.

Robyn - That was one of the reasons I didn't want the listing. I assume the listing agent (who is a good agent) has told them to not have guns sitting out, to clean up the trash from their yard and to make the small, obviously needed repairs. If they have the house on the market in that condition, they seem very difficult to me.

Lizette - By far, most gun owners have their guns so well secured that I don't even know they're in the home. These folks were a big exception.

Tina - Thanks. I didn't feel in danger in the house, but it would have been my reputation and probably some liability on the line if I took the listing. I just couldn't do it.

Thesa - LOL! Yes, if he had those guns for protection, it wouldn't have done him much good! If ringing the doorbell twice, having his dogs barking furiously from upstairs, yelling Hello twice AND walking all through his house didn't wake him up, the guns are really NOT much protection!!

Fran - And it's really a nice house, underneath it all. It wouldn't take much to make it wonderful and warm. What a shame.

Joan - Could be! ;o)

Lucky - Oh, but it wasn't in Hurricane. We work a pretty wide area, covering most of three counties and little bits of others. This was a river lot so it wasn't in Hurricane, we only have creeks and ponds. But this is still all small town areas, and it's just as likely a friend of the insurance agent could be looking at a house and mention this wild story about looking at one with guns laying out ... !

May 18, 2007 11:30 PM

Rich Kruse

Gryphon USA, Ltd. - Columbus, OH

I'd have taken the listing. Guns and some guy sleeping on the couch? See it every day. Was there any weed or crack laying around? Are you taking one of my listings away? Is there anything I need to know?

Had a client like that last summer. We talked about it and he agreed to remove them during the sale period. I even offered to let him use my gun safe if he didn't have a place. Unloaded of course.

May 18, 2007 11:40 PM