The Childhood Home of a Local Boxing Legend
I received a lead call. The buyer had a budget up to $400,000. I would have to pay for the lead but I figured that a commission on a $400,000 sale should be enough that I could afford to pay for the lead.
It immediately turned into a bait and switch. The house that they wanted to see was priced at $65,000. The price for the house in the particular neighborhood seemed to be a very good price, so out of curiosity I moved forward anyway.
When I met the potential buyer at the house, it seemed to be even more of a bait and switch. I started to question whether she had any interest in purchasing a home.
Her first question, which she did not give time to answer, showed that she may have wanted to see this home for reasons other than purchasing.
“Do you know who used to live here?” . . . . “”Rita “Boom Boom” Del La Cruz, a local legend and boxing champion grew up here”. The name has been changed to protect the innocent, meaning me.
This person was definitely excited about the idea of entering Boom Boom’s house. She started taking pictures, which is not necessarily uncommon when looking at a house, but this was seemingly to document a portion of the history of the local boxing legend.
When I pointed out things about the house, such as how the front brick wall was bowed outward, probably from water getting behind it, I detected, almost, a complete disinterest. Actually the response was along the lines of “oh yeah” said with a smile. Getting caught up in the hype, I started to think that maybe the bowed wall was related to Boom Boom herself. A few hard punches and this wall could not take it.
Later, when I pointed out a support post that was missing, the same disinterest appeared on her face, but her distant look made me think that her imagination was hard at work picturing Boom Boom in action in the basement.
It may not end up being a sale, but I got the opportunity to enter the childhood home of Rita “Boom Boom” Del La Cruz, a person, of whom I had never heard before.
Comments(4)