Real estate is a doggie dog world. Everybody and his brother obtained their license in the early 90's. When I first got my license I joined the Keyes Company REALTORS and was on a fast track training program. One of the assignments was to go on a listing appointment that you obtained through prospecting. Our instructor wanted no excuses and by the next class wanted us to each go on a listing appointment. So I grabbed a newspaper and called on for sale by owners and lo and behold I snatched my first listing appointment. It wasn't too bad and in an area that I was interested in farming. I made sure and asked the right questions, wrote down as much info and prepared the best that I could. The gentleman on the phone seemed like he was really interested in selling. lol I myself thought for sure I would walk in the class with a brand new listing. Boy I was wrong.
I did what I was told and showed up at the appointment 15 minutes early. From the get go I should have known. A gentleman answered the door in his underwear and gave me grief for showing up early. All I wanted to do was leave but I so wanted to get the listing. I turned around as I did not want to watch him put on his pants. I really wanted to run but he insisted I come in. I had no idea what I was gonna walk into but I did pull comps, practiced my presentation and could not wait to do all the things I learned. So I went in.
When he invited me in right off the bat I wanted to run out the front door. There were stacks of newspapers in each and every room including the kitchen, the bathroom and around the pool. Next I noticed little pieces of masking tape all over the walls. I thought to myself why would anyone put tiny pieces of masking tape all over the walls? The air was thick and the place smelled like dogs but there were no dogs in sight.
When I looked up, there were leaks throughout the house. The kitchen looked like a horror story with a sink full of dishes. Just as my instructor said chances are they will offer you something..I followed behind him and then it happened he asked me if I wanted something to drink. Oh no..I was taught in training it was rude not to accept a drink so I took the drink. He had given me glass that was in the sink. Oh no I'm gonna get sick if I drink out of that glass..oh I just need a way to get out of here.
Somehow, someway I had to find a way to get rid of that glass of water. I did divert him with conversation and put the glass down. Now I really couldn't wait to get out of there. Yet his sense of urgency to sell increased. So I stuck around..hey it would have been my first listing.
As we started to go through the house we ended up back in the living room. He liked to save papers is what he explained to me but that wasn't my concern. Finally I asked him, what are all the little pieces of masking tape doing taped around the house and then he showed me......
I told him I had to go...I didn't look back.
What he showed me was that he had fleas in the house and it was his way of killing those buggers. He removed a piece of tape from the wall and there were black things all over it. He demonstrated to me how it was done. When I saw that I walked as fast as I could. All I could think of was I don't know if I should sell real estate if this is how it is gonna be.
I didn't want to get in my car nor go home and bring the fleas to my house. So I stood outside in the dark, shaking my hair and brushing my clothes because I was really creeped out. I looked like I was dancing with myself or I had walked into a pile of bees. Needless to say I didn't get the listing and I sure didn't want it.
The next day I had to share my experience with my class and all of them laughed so hard. MY instructor on the other hand made a joke and said welcome to real estate. I started thinking maybe real estate is not for me. Before the class ended one of the students got a call back to go on a listing appointment and guess what address it was? Fleaworld
With that experience I learned that home owners are all different just as their home may be. That incident is the reason I started to carry my own tools and basic repair kit. In that kit was paper towels, toilet paper, bug spray, caulk and wd 40.
I remember a big shot once told me, you win some, you lose some and some should never go on the market. Don't waste your time on the ones that should never go on the market unless it is priced to sell. If it is priced right, anything will sell. In this instance...I didn't believe him but as time progressed and I became more experienced..it was the best advice I had ever heard.
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