First off, let me say to everyone “Happy New Year!” Let’s hope that 2010 is the year everyone is hoping it will be and better than 2009!
Today, I was reading the online edition of the Real Deal Magazine which posed the question to some real estate agents in New York City, “what’s the strangest experience you ever had at an open house?” While more than a few involved walking in on an unsuspecting couple in bed either sleeping, reading the newspaper in the nude or procreating there were a few I found a little hard to believe. So with this in mind I’m giving you the link to the real deal article and reflecting on some of the more unusual experiences I had conducting an open house. BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY GETS WEIRDER IN THE HAMPTONS!
http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/25669/elert?utm_campaign=The+Real+Deal+News+-+Residential+Real+Estate&utm_content=The+Real+Deal+News+-+Residential+Real+Estate&utm_medium=email&utm_source=MadMimi&utm_term=%0D%0AAgents+see+the+strangest+things+at+open+houses%0D%0A
I think the oddest and perhaps most unnerving was conducting and open house for a couple who were in the midst of a divorce. I came to the open house about 10 minutes early, set up my sign-in sheets and signs and sat waiting to do my best imitation of Alec Baldwin in GLENGARY GLENN ROSS … although I think it was a little closer to Annette Benning in American Beauty. Well as my first few prospects came in to preview the home, the soon to be ex-wife arrived and started yelling “F” bombs at the soon to be ex-husband. It turns out that couple were not speaking and while the husband was aware of the open house, he never told the wife. Hmmmmmmmmm. LOVELY! Suffice to say, nobody bought the house that day and all but one overly nosey viewer split as soon as the screaming started.
Some other quick odd OPEN HOUSES; the neighbor who came to look at their neighbors house because they hated each other and wanted to see the inside… and the weirdest… the girlfriend who came to the open house to see if there were photographs of her in the house when she wasn’t around.
Finally if you ever come to an open house I’m selling don’t be nosey. One of these days I’m loading the medicine cabinet with ping pong balls.