The life of a real estate agent is anything but predictable. From bizarre discoveries to awkward encounters, we’ve seen it all. Here are some of the most memorable (and strange) experiences shared by fellow Realtors from Reddit. If you're an agent, brace yourself for a wild ride through the unexpected side of showings and inspections.
The Gruesome and Grim
One of the most unsettling experiences shared was finding a dead body in a well during an inspection. Turns out, it was the property owner who had slipped and fallen in. The well had to be condemned, and a new water supply was established from an adjacent property before the deal could close.
Shocking Discoveries in Vacant Homes
Realtors often stumble upon uninvited occupants during showings:
Teenagers in Closets: Several agents found teenagers hiding in closets of vacant homes, leading to awkward encounters when they ran off, leaving their embarrassed partners behind.
Homeless Squatters: Another common scenario involved finding homeless people living in supposedly vacant properties, often necessitating police intervention.
Substance Surprises
Substance use and abuse scenarios were more common than expected:
Drug Users in Vacant Homes: One agent walked into a house where people were actively using drugs, leading to a hasty exit and a call to the authorities.
Teenagers with Bong Hits: Another found a group of teenagers enjoying beer and bong hits in a vacant house.
The Unexpectedly Risqué
From nudity to adult toys, some showings took an unexpectedly adult turn:
Sexual Encounters: Walking in on homeowners or tenants in the middle of intimate acts was more common than one might think. One agent found a couple going at it on a $14M penthouse couch in NYC.
Adult Toys Galore: One unforgettable showing included a room full of sex toys and DVDs, leading to a lot of awkward laughter and no sale.
Animal Anomalies
Pets and other animals often add an unpredictable element to showings:
Turtles and Snakes: An agent found a huge turtle in a basement swimming pool and snakes everywhere in the house.
Exotic Pets: Another agent discovered a house with a massive desert tortoise in a bedroom and a closet full of urine-filled bottles.
Foreclosures and Their Fallout
Foreclosed properties often hide shocking conditions:
Vandalized Homes: One agent found a million-dollar home vandalized with human feces smeared on the walls and everything inside broken.
The Clean Slate: On the flip side, another agent found a foreclosed home where the previous owners had neatly removed every building material except the drywall and 2x4s, leaving a perfectly clean, albeit empty, shell.
Odd Collections and Hoarding
Some properties housed unusual collections that made showings particularly memorable:
Massive Porn Collections: An agent found a bedroom stacked waist-high with porn magazines and DVDs.
Taxidermy Galore: Another agent discovered a house filled with taxidermy, including a full-sized elephant and a giraffe, which scared potential buyers away.
Humorous and Bizarre
Sometimes, the encounters were just plain weird and gross:
Masturbatorium: A basement turned into a shrine for self-pleasure, complete with a lazy boy, large TV, and walls filled with adult DVDs.
Parent’s Basement: Another agent walked into a room in the corner of a basement, dedicated to a single chair surrounded by countless adult DVDs, lotion, and tissues.
Conclusion
Being a real estate agent means being prepared for anything and everything. These stories highlight the unpredictability of our profession and remind us that sometimes, the strangest things happen when we least expect them. Whether it’s walking in on bizarre collections, unexpected tenants, or finding surprises in foreclosed homes, the life of a realtor is never dull.
