My House Is Not For Sale

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 311291

Not For Sale!


How would you react if you found a  FOR SALE sign on your lawn? Very official, broker
's name, rider, and all.

My friend received a call from a neighbor, hurt and disappointed that they would list their home without telling the neighbor first. What? We are not selling! 

Bill and his wife called me to share this situation. They sent me a photo of the post and another agent's sign.

This couple is more than friends. I've known him since he was ten years old, attended their wedding, was at the birth of his beautiful daughter, and sold them their house more than 25 years ago.

I immediately called the agent with the errant sign. 

Yes, it was a mistake. We found that her listing had the same house number, but that property was on a different nearby street. They even had the photographer photograph the wrong house.

My friend had already called the number on the sign and received an apology and an offer to make it up to them. 

How?

They suggested removing the signpost, filling the hole in the yard, and maybe even a bottle of wine as a peace treaty. She told them how much her listing was selling for and asked if they considered selling. 

That's when my friend brought up our relationship. He told her whenever they sell, it will be my sign on the front lawn!

 

 

Posted by

Margaret Rome
HomeRome Realty
Broker/Owner/Realtor®

Baltimore, Maryland


Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

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Comments (16)

Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Margaret,
I've heard of that happening before as a prank. Someone steals a sign and places it on a random property that is NOT for sale.

Jun 03, 2023 10:11 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Carol Williams 

Oh my, let's not give anyone that idea!

This story was a legit mistake.

Jun 03, 2023 10:24 AM
Carol Williams

I don't think any pranksters are reading this, but you never really know. 🧐

Jun 03, 2023 11:35 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

We never know who's reading. 🙃

Jun 03, 2023 01:10 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

I've heard of this happening before Margaret. And as far as I know it's always been a simple mistake. What a shock for those home owners......geez!!

Jun 03, 2023 12:15 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Geez is right, Anna Banana Kruchten Phoenix Broker 

But it was an understandable error.

Jun 03, 2023 01:12 PM
Sham Reddy CRS
Howard Hanna RE Services, Dayton, OH - Dayton, OH
CRS

You earned their loyalty Margaret!!! So proud of how you cultivate long term relations

Jun 03, 2023 12:42 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Good to see you, Sham Reddy CRS. I learned from you. 🙃

Jun 03, 2023 01:13 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Margaret that could be a little upsetting.  Good to hear it got settled quickly.

Jun 03, 2023 03:26 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Margaret- wouldn't that be something to wake up to!!!!

Jun 03, 2023 03:42 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good evening Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 ,

OMG..what an honest but frustrating situation! I have seen it happened when a sign company made a mistake in the address and inserted a sign in the wrong address. I've also see kids when they first get out of school have way too much time on their hands and take a sign that is from a house currently listed and put it in a friend's yard! 🤣

Jun 03, 2023 04:27 PM
Ed (Edward) Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

What a story and quite possibly a way for some agents to farm with for sale signs.

Jun 03, 2023 05:39 PM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

Wow, that would be crazy to put the sign in front of the wrong house, haha.  I am wondering how they photographed it as well, were they able to get inside the house without the owner knowing about it?

Jun 04, 2023 05:35 AM
Kat Palmiotti
406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR® - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Oops! Good thing it was just a mistake!

Jun 04, 2023 06:56 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Now that is a loyal friend and client, Miss Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 

I can see the "mistake" of the wrong house but taking photos of the wrong house as well. Does it get any crazier than that? 

An apology and a nice bottle of wine should work. 

 

Jun 04, 2023 07:33 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

FEATURED IN CRAP-TACULAR

 

Mr. Crappy Says

Get that For Sale Sign

Off my Yard

💩💩

💩

 

 

Jun 04, 2023 07:37 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

That's quite an error, Margaret.  I remember being a fairly new agent, and writing an offer on the wrong house.  There were two homes listed on corner lots.  They were a block apart on the same street.  I had shown both to my buyers.  Fortunately, it was discovered during the counter offer stage, and I was able to "gracefully," move on with the right house, and we successfully closed!

Jun 04, 2023 11:05 AM
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

What a story. I had a similar one this weekend. My client called me and asked "how to get her house photos removed from the internet?"

I shared, that's not possible, they live in perpetuity online, but why?

Someone grabbed all her house photos from Zillow and put her house up for rent on Craig's List. We of course reported it, but I shared we can't require the removal photos from the MLS as buyers, and welcome to the era of internet fraud. 

Jun 05, 2023 08:07 AM
Larry Brewer - Benchmark Realty llc
Benchmark Realty LLc - Nashville, TN

Hi Margaret - I had one of my signs stolen last month and I couldn't imagine why anyone would steal a sign. After reading some of these comments I see someone could have used it for a prank. Have a great week.

Jun 06, 2023 01:16 PM