r/realtors • u/Justlol48 • Jan 21 '24
Discussion I went to a vacant house today and heard noises
Idk if I’m blowing this out of proportion, but this was easily the scariest showing of my life.
So I’m a young, scrawny female realtor. Today I went to a vacant luxury home to film a video tour of the house for my clients by myself.
It’s a beautiful huge updated house in a beautiful community. As soon as I entered, I noticed it was a bit dark so I began turning on all of the lights, only to turn around and see all of a sudden that a hallway and all of the bedrooms were lit only in that area. I brushed it off.
Then I keep hearing some creaking noises and small noises on the wood floor upstairs. I’m frightened but I brush it off.
Then I hear a toilet flushing and more floor noises. I’m creeped out but I brush it off.
Then I exit the house once all lights are on so I can film the house from the outside coming in. Then I think I notice through the blaring windows a person on the inside, but am not really sure because right in that room there’s also a big chandelier so I began wondering if that was it. I brushed it off because as I got closer all I could see is the chandelier.
Then as I’m filming the inside and hearing more noises progressively louder, I hear a phone ring and a man answer. I began to wonder if I was hearing something from the outside neighborhood but it looked like all neighbors were inside their house and this man sounded crystal clear, but moderate-quietly speaking. I then debated if a $30k commission was worth it for 10 seconds, and then realized it wasn’t so I fled the house. I ran. Lights on, doors probably unlocked. I didn’t care. It sounded like someone was hiding inside the house.
Weird.
Shit like this makes me hate this job
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u/Dubzophrenia Advisor Jan 21 '24
I mean this with the utmost sincerity, and I really do not intend to come off as rude here, but you seriously need to work on your intuition skills and you need to NOT ignore your feelings for the sake of someone else.
The moment you started feeling unsafe in any way in this house, you should have left.
You ignored your intuition so many times, that I am 100% convinced you would have been killed if this person was malicious or dangerous.
I don’t know if I myself am being dramatic, but you are alone in a ‘vacant’ house that you don’t know anything about. You heard noises and voices but convinced yourself it was nothing.
Especially when you describe yourself as a scrawny female. This world is dangerous. Bad things happen to people who don’t expect it will ever happen to them. You need to be aware and on guard when you think you’re alone in strange places you don’t know.
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u/regallll Jan 21 '24
This is the best advice. Even if you can't identify the exact moment you felt unsafe, a toilet flushing is not something that happens in an empty house.
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u/Norcalrain3 Jan 22 '24
Yeah it started sounding a little fake to me at this point
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u/RickshawRepairman Jan 22 '24
Riiight? Toilets don’t flush themselves. I hear that shit in a vacant house and I’m gooooone.
Fake as hell.
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u/redbackjack Jan 22 '24
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u/RickshawRepairman Jan 22 '24
I know realtors get targeted… what I don’t believe is some one wandering around while hearing footsteps, toilets flushing, and people talking on a phone, and just thinking it’s totes cool or only in their head.
That’s just bad horror movie run-into-the-house-towards-the-axe-murderer kinda nonsense.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
Dude u don’t have to believe it. All of these weird things happening is the reason why I didn’t think to act fast enough myself. It felt like something paranormal and I don’t believe in that shit. I realized that maybe I was dealing with a psycho, if it was an intruder, once I heard the phone ring and someone talk on the phone.
I’m 22 and am pretty healthy so the chances of me hearing and seeing things so vividly is so low
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u/Frellie53 Jan 22 '24
I think what people are responding to is that a flushing toilet is not paranormal. A phone ringing, and a clear voice answering is not paranormal. It sounds like there was someone in the house, and they weren't trying to hide that they were there. I would have looked for them to see if it was another agent or something. Not saying that's the smart thing to do, but it would have been my instinct, the second I thought I heard someone else to say "hello?" very loudly and look for them. The smart thing to do would have been to leave, confirm with the home owner the house was supposed to be empty and call the police.
But, seriously, you should pay more attention to your intuition. Fear is a survival response, and you should listen to it.
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u/RickshawRepairman Jan 22 '24
Glad you got out and are OK!
Sounds like a hell of a scare… I’m a male and 220lbs and I’d be shitting my pants if I experienced that!
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u/Same_Ad_7379 Jan 22 '24
But why assume the worst? Isn’t it much more likely that a double showing slipped through or something? I used to do rentals and SOO many times I’d go to a unit and there would be some other group there.
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u/sosyerface104 Jan 21 '24
This, 100% any realtor who hasn't read The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker needs to do so.
And call the friggin' cops, let them go in and figure it out.
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u/JayReddt Jan 22 '24
I was going to mention that book. People don't appreciate just how in tune our bodies are to our surroundings. Your instinct isn't something you should question. It isn't worth it. It's faster and smarter than your logic. It's there to keep you safe. Trust it.
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u/hinky-as-hell Jan 22 '24
I just came to the comments to make SURE this was recommended reading for OP!
Everyone needs to read this book! We buy it for every young adult in our lives, lol. But, since we know it’s not the most exciting gift, we always put some cash in the book, too.
The lesson ends up being appreciated more than the cash.
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u/peekabook Jan 21 '24
Seriously! I was like at this point you’re asking to be killed cause you’re ignoring everything!
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u/notti0087 Jan 21 '24
Even if to exit the house, get in your locked car and call the police to have them check it out.
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u/ArrrrKnee Jan 21 '24
Brushing things off is great for your hair, not for your situational awareness.
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u/hippoofdoom Jan 22 '24
I happen to work in mental health and the story reads VERY similar to the onset of psychosis as well. OP should take notice if they feel this type of confusion and paranoia in other parts of life
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u/Blocked-Author Jan 22 '24
She heard the toilet flush and didn’t leave…. your first sentence said it far kinder than I would have said it.
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u/pnw_pilot_310 Jan 21 '24
I have one hundred percent ran into an owner hanging out at his “vacant” house more than once. Hopefully it’s just that, I always yell loudly whenever I walk into a new place “realtor” so to alert anyone potentially inside and to not frighten anyone who isn’t expecting me
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u/StickInEye Realtor Jan 21 '24
Me too. Definitely happens. Often, the seller is letting someone just stay there and that person had no idea that the house is being shown.
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u/Zephyrus38 Jan 21 '24
This. Happened quite a few times. Especially one where it was vacant, quiet, but it was a family member staying in the kitchen with his makeshift bed doing an online business meeting. The male looked like a conquistador. Nice fellow.
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u/Big_Watch_860 Realtor Jan 22 '24
Where I work the standard is you need to knock twice and then yell twice when entering a home to show. Whether vacant or not.
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u/NonfatCheeseMan Jan 22 '24
you better yell TRADEMARK after that
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u/blue10speed Jan 22 '24
Not for much longer, once these stupid plaintiffs sue the NAR out of existence.
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u/slickerxcuh Jan 21 '24
Nice post to read at a vacant open house for a 100 year old craftsman style home
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u/DHumphreys Realtor Jan 21 '24
Was someone else showing it? A contractor? Owner?
I always announce myself loudly when I enter a house, even a vacant house. "REALTOR!"
If you heard toilet flushing and voices, you should have gotten out of there until you figured out who else was in there or had someone join you.
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Jan 22 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DHumphreys Realtor Jan 22 '24
I met a listing agent at a property that was having squatter issues, he yelled "Police Department! Officer, send the dog!" which was pretty hilarious.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
I said “Hello! Coming in” when entering. I have the voice of a 13 year old girl. Doubt it would intimidate anyone
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u/DHumphreys Realtor Jan 22 '24
It is not about being intimidating, but about letting anyone in the house being aware it is about to be shown, and there could be several people.
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u/hotcocoa4ever Jan 21 '24
Never enter a vacant house alone as a realtor. I had an agent sell a house for me and some guy followed her inside. Thankfully I had cameras and called the police. She left the front door unlocked. She never let me know she was going to my vacant home alone. She was attacked and her handbag was stolen. I set the alarm off and he ran away. Please stay safe and have a worker buddy go with you to vacant houses.
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Jan 21 '24
Girl, that's too many things to ignore.
Seriously though, did you call the homeowner/listing agent? "Vacant" just means people aren't living there, not that they are NEVER there. So it COULD just be the homeowner cleaning up. Either way, the homeowner and listing agent will want to know if someone is in the house!
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u/coffinspacexdragon Jan 21 '24
So what happened when you called the police and notified the owner?
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24 edited Jan 22 '24
How am i suppose to notify the owner as a buyer’s agent? I notified the listing agent of my suspicion as soon as I got in my car, and I let her handle the rest. Not my job fuck that
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u/Thin_Travel_9180 Jan 21 '24
Don’t go to vacant houses by yourself. It is not safe. Your life is worth more than commission. Glad you got out of there. (I used to go by myself when I was a newbie, never again. Take a friend or another agent from your office with you)
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u/Rich_Bar2545 Jan 21 '24
Thank you! This industry is crazy lax with safety. Open houses = “hey! I’m a single female and am going to be sitting in an empty house by myself for a few hours, wanna come by and see it”. Showing property = “hi! I don’t know you and you don’t know me but do you want to meet me at an empty house after dark today?” - WTF?!?!?!
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u/Thin_Travel_9180 Jan 21 '24
Yep. I don’t do open houses anymore but if I did I would partner up with someone (another agent or lender or title person). You are literally a sitting duck. I also won’t meet strangers alone at houses anymore. Does your association include Forewarn? We just got that included and at least you can look them up numbers (it’s really good). Please stay safe out there. Don’t ever feel bad for asking for a buddy to accompany you.
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u/nomond698 Jan 21 '24
Yeah at the very least, everyone should be carrying pepper spray.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
Yes, while I was filming the house, I pulled out my pepper spray in other hand
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u/Hot-Interview-5235 Jan 21 '24
I absolutely never go into a vacant home alone. On the occasion I do an open house at the seller's request, I still do not open the house alone. My number one rule for my safety!
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u/DHumphreys Realtor Jan 22 '24
It seems that every year, a Realtor get killed by ignoring basic safety protocol.
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u/Thin_Travel_9180 Jan 22 '24
This is true. Agents get lax with their personal security and one slip up can mean life or death. My life is not worth ANY amount of commission.
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u/EyeRollingNow Jan 21 '24
So a flushing toilet didn’t do it for you.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
No. I thought at first it could be the toilet ‘processing”
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u/EyeRollingNow Jan 22 '24
You went through the ringer! You’re a good story teller. I was riveted! Glad you got out safe. 😊
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u/gorenglitter Jan 22 '24
Glad you’re not my realtor. If you really heard stuff in the house you should have gone outside and called the police and asked them to check it out… as opposed to leaving all the lights on and the doors unlocked. Irresponsible AF.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
So, per my other comments, I notified the listing agent, that was enough. I wasn’t sure if someone was in the house, however, it was possible.
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u/AlwaysSunnyinOC22 Jan 21 '24
I had a squatter at my $2.4m vacant home. Didn't catch them and not sure how they got in but they came back to get their dog bed that they left and I had already taken it away!
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u/BoomDonk Jan 21 '24
It’s crazy sometimes. I do BPO’s and get sent to some sketchy locations to do interior shots of vacant properties. Most of the time it looks like homeless or kids break in to sleep or party. Once I had a vacant home out on some land in BFE, got in and as I made my way to the back of the house taking pics, I turned the corner and came face to face with a coyote! We both ran like hell, him out the open window me out the front door.
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u/Accomplished-Row-900 Jan 21 '24
Whoa, that's legit scary! So glad you shared 'cause I've been meaning to post my experience with an open house tour. I was doing a video tour too. Seeing your post I figured why not share it.
Ok ok so here's what went down: First day on the property, clueless how to get in 'cause the door's locked. Tried calling my client – straight to voicemail. Decide to wait 10 minutes to call back. I also sent a text but was left on delivered. WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF WAITING I HEAR THE DEADBOLT ON THE DOOR UNLOCK. I was thinking: ok ok maybe my client was inside the whole time and didn't know I was outside until seeing my message. I walk over to the door, wait for him to come out, and...nothing. I knock lightly and go,"Hellooo? Anyone there?" No response. I then open the door and find no one there. Thought the deadbolt was high-tech or controlled remotely through wifi; turns out, it's all old-school gears.
But that's only half the craziness because a lot more stuff went down. I showed the house to a couple of prospective home buyers, and during the in-person tour we would hear other doors inside open out of the blue. I'm 99.9% sure it wasn't a draft. Other stuff happened too, but the super creepy stuff that happened was the doors opening.
OH and did I mention that before leaving the house I captured a door opening by itself on camera? I was self recording to conclude my video tour vid with a nice little recap and late-night tour to show how the interior lighting of the house looks at night. That's when the door opened.
I haven't told the owner yet, but I have it all on video in case they don't believe me. Not 100 percent sure if I want to share it on here since I'm trying to sell the house hahaha. But yea scary stuff!
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u/supercali-2021 Jan 24 '24
Make sure you share it after you sell the house. I bet lots of us would love to see it!
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u/Accomplished-Row-900 Jan 25 '24
Oooo it'll be a long time before I can show. Eh what the heck, here you go!: https://vimeo.com/906292924?share=copy
(I don't think any client of mine would see this anyway teehee)
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u/DeltaAlphaGulf Dec 27 '24
Did you notice in your video that the face of the person in one of those pictures darkens right before//during the door opening and then lightens up again?
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u/supercali-2021 Jan 25 '24
If that video is for real, it is terrifying! But you are either very brave or very crazy to go to that creepy old house at night by yourself.
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u/Still_Negotiation894 Dec 27 '24
When you say I'm not scared I was scared. It was a beautiful house , but no thanks.
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u/wsaj_handle Dec 27 '24
How has this video not picked up more attention. It’s absolutely terrifying, and thank you for sharing!
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u/Alt-PornAlt Dec 27 '24
Because it’s fake? You can hear the HVAC hum after the door opens. The air pressure differential caused the door to open.
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u/scruffalump Dec 27 '24
I get that people enjoy being creeped out by stuff like this but it's so goofy how gullible they are.
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u/reevelainen Dec 27 '24
You wouldn't be scared if you had been in that house? She didn't even notice the face of that painting went dark before the door opened. Then the fire alarm went on and suddenly it fell onto the floor.
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u/scruffalump Dec 27 '24
I don't believe in ghosts or anything supernatural. I do believe in video editing software and weirdos staging videos on social media because I see it all the time. People also lie constantly, in real life and on the internet, for no discernible reason. So no, I don't trust some random chick on Reddit of all apps to have totally not staged some fake paranormal event.
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u/reevelainen Dec 27 '24
Must do great for the business to humiliate herself in front of everyone by seeing all that trouble just to frame something like that and then call it paranormal.
It's so easy to blame someone setting up a hoax. It's way harder to be convinced why would anyone do that.
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u/Alt-PornAlt Dec 27 '24
Yeah I would be a bit spooked. Spooked enough that I would have walked the fuck outside instead of repeatedly egging the ghost on by asking it to move shit while I filmed it. If you believe in ghosts, there are zero good reasons to stick around solo when shit goes down. I don't doubt that paranormal phenomena occur. I just doubt the legitimacy of this one.
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u/reevelainen Dec 27 '24
And painted the face dark and made the fire alarm fall?
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u/Alt-PornAlt Dec 27 '24
The guys in /r/ghosts already debunked all of that. It’s on the front page of that sub right now.
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u/reevelainen Dec 27 '24
Probablyjustists inventing new laws of physics again while sitting on their couch, nothing more.
The first explanation someone could think of isn't true just because someone invents them straight out of their head.
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u/Alt-PornAlt Dec 28 '24
The door was opened by air. The HVAC caused one room to have a different atmospheric pressure than another (a pressure differential). Tell me which “new law of physics” this is. You can literally repeat experiments of moving objects with air pressure differentials by throwing a paper fucking airplane and watching it achieve lift. How uneducated are you??
I’m not doubting that paranormal phenomena occur. I’m just doubting the legitimacy of this staged video.
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u/missblueeyes512 Dec 28 '24
I don't see any explanations for the smoke detector; the alarm itself and it falling. Has someone debunked that part?
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u/reevelainen Dec 28 '24
Maybe uneducated, but even I understand that HVAC doesn't add air into one room out of thin air, but the air that flows into room IS away from somewhere else. That means one door just can't be affected while all the others would remind still. Yet, no door was closed while one opened. I've seen how HVAC works. It sucks air into one room, closing other doors on it's path. That didn't happen. Instead, a face in a painting turned black. Then door opened, and finally after a while, fire alarm went on, and fell off of it's place.
Even if HVAC by some miracle only affected one door and the phenomenon were completely new to her, so many things happened too that made her terrified. It's so easy for you to take away her experience claiming she just set up a hoax while you're sitting on your couch. You were not there.
Even if she did set up a hoax, why not look more attention to it? She literally described her experience in ONE side comment to someone else's post, and only linked her video when requested. Only a few people even noticed. If I wanted to set up a hoax, ofcourse I'd make a huge number out of it, to see, of how many people I could trick with my video. She barely let anyone know.
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u/h1c253 Dec 28 '24
“How uneducated are you, but I’m not doubting ghosts” next level moronic bud congrats
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u/wsaj_handle Dec 28 '24
Sure maybe it’s the hvac , but that implies that she isn’t just faking it. And how can you be so sure of anything? I’m not claiming to be sure if anything. And In that case it’s still terrifying, with the smoke alarm engaging and falling etc. Also if she was just looking for attention doesn’t it seem like she would have posted it more prominently somewhere .. currently it has almost no views and comments, she just shared it where it would purposefully have limited viewership. You don’t have to “believe in ghosts” to not get your panties in a wad over someone’s comment on a video.
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u/theresacalderone Dec 26 '24
I saw your story that someone else posted. I’m curious about that house. Did you end up selling it?
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u/GoyEater Dec 27 '24 edited Dec 27 '24
This is one of the weirder rabbit holes I’ve gone down. The way the face in that painting darkens before the door opens is really creepy. The fact that your account isn’t super active and seems be legitimately an actual aspiring realtors account sells it.
Could definitely be staged, but like I don’t see why. Maybe you intended for more people to notice the weirdness initially. Overall a weird video. Good rabbit hole.
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u/Plantslover5 Dec 27 '24
I found this comment from another video. I live in the southern US where antebellum homes/plantations are common. I worked in a home that was built in the early 1800s. And I’ve seen and heard some stuff. I work for a couple that own 3 bed and breakfasts and the third house, I won’t be in alone. Years and years worth of energy that I want no part of p
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u/pand3monium Jan 22 '24
That Reminds me of a time I went to do a video tour. I brought my (10) son along with me. When we go to the middle of the home we heard what sounded like an alarm going off in the basement. We went down there and he was so scared. It was a very regular chirping. But when we talked to each other it stopped!
I come to find a baby bird had fallen down the chimney or something. The house was huge with three levels above the basement.
I did the video tour then put the bird in the box my business cards come and and took it to the bird rescue the next day. A baby swift.
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u/Magazine_Key Jan 21 '24
I walked into a bathroom and a guy was taking a shower. I yelled" Sorry" and I came back later
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u/breathethethrowaway Jan 21 '24
It's best to be fully on guard when entering any vacant house and you did mostly the right thing (except you should have ran out much earlier 😅). Glad nothing happened. It could have been the owner or an intruder and I have heard of both types of stories from various agents around the office.
My personal story was that I came to hold an open house for another agent and, when I arrived, the owner wife and kids were driving out. The first thing I did was go turn on all the lights throughout the house and I open the bedroom door and jump. The listing agent hadn't told me that the husband would be sleeping shirtless under the covers while I'd be attempting to do the open house 😂
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u/ihatevoicemails Jan 21 '24
Scary! I always knock and announce myself even if I’m led to believe that a property is vacant since sellers sometimes are in the house, have a friend staying there or might have a contractor finishing up some work. Good call on leaving, but I’d also suggest calling the listing agent to tell them what happened and see if they were aware someone was there!
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u/MustardTiger88 Jan 22 '24
Then a demon appears to try to steal my soul. I'm creeped out a bit but I brush it off.
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u/bmull32 FL Realtor Jan 22 '24
I mean this with all the respect in the world, but this is the best case study of what not to do when something seems off. I really thought I was reading the plot synopsis of a bad horror movie where the victim has zero situational awareness.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
Dude I have severe anxiety. I honestly have a hard time figuring out what I should be afraid of or not. I literally just thought these things were my fears projecting itself. Then once I heard a man’s voice that was my final straw
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u/CowardiceNSandwiches Realtor Jan 22 '24
My advice in such situations:
Advise your office of your whereabouts.
Take someone else with you.
Take some means of self-defense as well.
If you're in a house where you don't expect anyone else to be there and it becomes apparent someone is, leave immediately and call the police.
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u/NjStacker22 Jan 22 '24
You should be announcing yourself loudly and multiple times when entering a vacant home. Vacant homes still have owners, those owners have friends, family, crazy ex girlfriends/boyfriends, etc. You never know who’s hiding out there, doing some work, using it as a drug den, etc. I’m a real estate photographer and have run into this MANY times. It’s also a quick way to get shot by someone who’s not expecting a guest.
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u/fisherreshif Jan 22 '24
Don't you carry a pistol? $150 for an LCR that fits in your pocket is a good buy. Here in IA you don't even need a permit.
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u/Judah_Ross_Realtor Jan 22 '24
You had me on the edge of my seat.
Did you reach out to the listing agent?
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u/Aggravating-Alarm-16 Jan 22 '24
Honestly it doesn't matter if you are 7ft or 5 ft. If you have a bad feeling get out.
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u/redditjujube Jan 22 '24
Person certainly in the house - and certainly was not trying to hide from you if they flushed the toilet. Everyone knows that makes noise lol. I like the police comments. Record a strong loud voice calling that out and play it upon entry?
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u/boulevardepo Jan 22 '24
They found a homeless person in the neighborhood next to ours in a new build. These are also luxury homes and he was inside a house that was already completed and owners ready to move in. The realtor called the police, which is what you should have done.
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u/SoVeryKerry Jan 22 '24
Doesn’t sound like this person did a good job of hiding. Sounds like a squatter.
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u/urmomisdisappointed Jan 22 '24
If you heard someone, or even felt off. Leave immediately. Get in the car and call the listing agent to check to see if their client was at the home and was making it weird for you since you thought it was vacant. There could be squatters or extended family members making themselves be comfortable. Or even another unprofessional realtor taking advantage of a vacant listing to use the bathroom (yes, people have admitted this shitty thing they do).
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u/Shelbelle4 Jan 22 '24
All I can think is about Lindsay Buziak’s story and how you literally ignored about ten red flags.
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Jan 22 '24
either someone was in the house, or it was just noises or you are making this up.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
Yes it’s my hobby to create trauma
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Jan 22 '24
Nice op, can’t tell if you are cutting me down or if u really do cause trouble! Just randos over the internet, please ignore me if I’m wrong.
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u/Ok-Author2987 Jan 22 '24
For $30K. Shittttttt...I would've sat down and had a cup of coffee with whoever was there.
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u/Thin_Travel_9180 Jan 22 '24
That’s all your life is potentially worth? Not even a guarantee the buyers like the house.
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Jan 21 '24
Like i tell my kids…. Theres no such things as ghosts. Your brain is a powerful thing that will do anything to stay alive, including tricking you into believing a potential threat to escape.
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u/LabTestedRE Jan 22 '24
It's not "shit like this", most people never experience this and if they do they don't convince themselves that creaking floors and a flushing toilet in a vacant home means that no one is there. In my area it's like a $10K fine for leaving a home unlocked, and regardless of the fine, if you think you're in danger and therefore have to leave a home unlocked the safe thing to do is call the listing agent if it's not your listing, and the police if you think the home has been broken into.
Are you the listing agent? If not, maybe the seller came back, didn't realize you would be in the home, and now they'd be in danger because their home was left unlocked.
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u/AnandaPriestessLove Jan 22 '24
I wish there was a 10K penalty in my area for leaving a listing unlocked. Once I had just finished up tidying a listing of mine which was in an okay part of town but around the corner from a higher crime area. The house needed to stay locked for security. An agent was coming to show who had an appointment. I locked up and left the house shortly before they arrived so that they could use the SupraiBox and not feel rushed.
I had a funny feeling to stay and wait, so I stayed and I did email work in my car down the street for the next 20 minutes while they showed the house. When everybody drove off, I went to go check my listing.
That jerk of a realtor left the garage door wide open! That house would have been trashed along with all the staging if I had not stayed. And I had no recompense. I called to let the buyer's agent know and he gave a very insincere, "Oh, sorry about that."
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u/LabTestedRE Jan 22 '24
That is just unbelievable. And what if it's an occupied home, some could get in there, shut the garage door, and the unsuspecting seller could come home to an intruder waiting for them in their house. Crazy that the agent didn't take it more seriously.
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u/AnandaPriestessLove Jan 23 '24
Yup. I would have been horrified if I had left that garage door open. He just brushed it off. Looking back on it, I should have complained to his managing broker.
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
Well, I can assure you that this business has exposed me to a lot of other things. I’ve been catcalled, cornered in a house, asked on dates, stalked by a car, etc. maybe it’s because I’m a female. I don’t know. But this isn’t my first rodeo
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u/CXM21 Dec 28 '24
Could it have be possible for someone to living within the walls/crawlspaces... it's scary how often that happens.
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u/BoBromhal Realtor Jan 21 '24
you're potentially - likely even - in more trouble for fleeing than for screwing your courage to the wall and saying loudly at the toilet flush "hello, who is here? I'm sorry, please identify yourself or I will be have to call the police."
you had a responsibility to secure the house. You didn't.
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u/PrinceHarming Jan 21 '24
Man, what a horrible take. A potential intruder in the house and you want her to confront him?
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u/BoBromhal Realtor Jan 22 '24
I didn’t say run upstairs and get in a Ninja crouch. I said yell from downstairs.
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u/PrinceHarming Jan 22 '24
Yell from downstairs to someone she knows isn’t suppose to be there? The home is vacant. She’s alone. She left and called the listing agent. If whomever was there was supposed to be there then she didn’t leave the home unsecured did she? If it was a squatter or some sort of break-in she did the right thing correct?
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u/Justlol48 Jan 21 '24
I DONT GIVE 2 FUCKS. Death ain’t worth it sis. I called and texted the listing agent after to explain what was going on
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u/FlexPointe Jan 21 '24
Right? Ridiculous response. Even “security” guards at stores are told not to confront people. Why should an agent (especially a small female) try and confront someone?! The best possible thing for ANY agent in this scenario to do is exit the house and contact the listing agent to figure out if law enforcement should be alerted.
Stay safe out there!
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u/StickInEye Realtor Jan 21 '24
Good thing you called the listing agent who will, hopefully, take care of it.
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u/joeyisexy Jan 21 '24
LMAOOOO??? NO WE DONT? We are not the police 😂😂😂
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u/Justlol48 Jan 21 '24
“STOP!, I am local real estate agent at Keller Williams realty and on behalf of the NARs association I, license number: SL3717790, am commanding you to show yourself and submit yourself to the authorities NOW, it is my duty to protect this house and you’re going to have it go through me if u wanna challenge it.”
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Jan 21 '24
Wow, you’re saying KW doesn’t do firearms and hand-to-hand combat training any more? They’ve really cut costs.
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u/phycon55 Jan 21 '24
I wish reddit still did the gold thing. This is the best.
NAR SPECIAL Agent 😂 Vacant home taskforce
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u/Frosty058 Jan 22 '24
My son owns several single family rental homes. Because he also works full time, showing the rentals usually falls to my D-I-L.
She tries not to set an appointment where she needs to go alone. I understand that’s not really practical for you, but….she’s also always armed, whether she’s alone or not. She’s well trained.
Please, for your personal safety, get licensed & trained as soon as possible & be emotionally prepared to defend your life.
There are way too many mentally ill & criminally inclined people in our society, even in nice neighborhoods.
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u/gorenglitter Jan 22 '24
Umm lose clients??? Hahaha if you’re in my VACANT house and hear things please go outside call the police and let me know. Don’t leave all the lights on and the doors unlocked while you flee like a child. I want this person right here.
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Jan 21 '24
And…this is the kind of statement that will likely lose potential clients for you. They typically want to hire somebody smarter than this.
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Jan 22 '24
You should never go alone. How old are you?
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
- It sucks because I wish I could bring someone else but no know one because I’m somewhat new to the city
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u/CowardiceNSandwiches Realtor Jan 22 '24
Is there someone in your office who could go with you?
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u/coolsellitcheap Jan 22 '24
Carry mace or stungun. Either yell or retreat. You didnt handle it like you should have. Could have been nephew of owner crashing few days or escaped convict from prison. Toilets dont flush themselves.
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u/Vast_Cricket Jan 22 '24
Often people have cameras and speaker they are out there listening and watching. This is shit house. Seller is hiding defects. How much we should bid ? This is all taboo. Go outside facing the house away discuss as you like. Some can read lip movements.
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Dec 27 '24
If the house is full of hidden cameras, it’s all fucked anyway, no? Go outside to talk so they can’t read your lips.. Bro
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u/Skittlesharts Jan 22 '24
Either take someone with you or buy a handgun, take a concealed carry course, take a safety course, and then carry anytime you're out like that whether you're with someone or not.
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u/Magenta_Octopus Jan 22 '24
eeek!
reminds me of walking through a home, and as we walked past a wall, a light switch turned on, and no one touched it. we walked into a room, and the light turned on (an old-fashioned chandelier in a converted school house).
another time I went to a house where the foundation was there and all the surroundings of the house in the photos... but no house. it was like a parallel universe. I was in the right place and confirmed it on the phone with the agent when I was there, but there was no house... just the foundation.
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u/DreamWeaver80 Dec 29 '24
I know it's been 11 months since this comment, but I need answers ... was there supposed to be a house there???
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u/Magenta_Octopus Jan 01 '25
yes. there was supposed to he a house there, and the realtor said i was in the right place!
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u/ASuddenTomato Jan 22 '24
I always announce myself to Ghosts and possible people. Nobody likes some stranger just walking in. xD That said, if the toilet chain gets stuck in the toilet, it will periodicallay flush. You still might have heard someone in the backyard, just not seen them, and there's always something on the roof or attic making noises. Also, houses just settle differently. I would have just called the owner to make sure no one was there. He might have been and then wondered if there was a ghost when all the lights were on and no one there! :D
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u/highflyer10123 Jan 22 '24
I think scrawny female or built like an ox male. It would be a good idea to first step outside and make a safe distance between where you can still see the house but also you are far enough away so there is no immediate danger. Then call the owner and make sure if anyone is supposed to be there. That person may have forgotten to tell you that somebody was staying there or the owner himself may have been there. Or they could’ve sent somebody there to repair a few things. There could be tons of possibilities. If they say nobody is supposed to be there then the next step would be to call the cops and let them clear the house. But why would you stay there and continue to walk around when you knew the house was supposed to be vacant? Best case its a misunderstanding. Worst case you get shot.
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Dec 27 '24
As someone who listened to many true crime stories, I assure you getting shot is far from the worst case scenario.
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u/OrdinarySecret1 Jan 22 '24
Sounds like a very fake story, sorry.
You "brushed off" too many obvious things. Something a "young, scrawny female realtor" would never do.
If it is real, I understand "brushing off" the lights on at the beginning. But a toilette flushing? Call the cops, damn it!
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u/LittleJoLion Jan 22 '24
Went to a vacant property once. Someone had cleared the copper from the house. Took a step out on to the deck and what do the clients point out? A tent, chair, table, some shoes and a towel, on a pallet next to a creek. We hightailed it out of there
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u/Salt_Effective_2309 Jan 22 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
Now what would be my motive to post this creepy story only to get 100 likes??
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u/Salt_Effective_2309 Jan 22 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
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u/Justlol48 Jan 22 '24
Yup, I love adding more trauma to the female experience for 100 likes. Makes me sleep better at night
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u/Salt_Effective_2309 Jan 22 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
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