A day in the life of a Realtor isn’t always predictable. A goat, a dog, a snake, and crabs were all unexpected events one agent, Ann Cleare, experienced throughout her career. Read on for a few of her hilarious real estate stories!
You Have Goat To Be Kidding Me
One day, while previewing a house in Gadsden County, I was walking up to the front door when all of a sudden a billy goat came around the house. Not to worry, right? Well, he decided to charge. Running as fast as I could down a steep road, knowing that I was losing the race, the goat head-butted me, then continued meandering on down the street.
What could I do? The consummate professional, I got up, not hurt, but a bit dusty, and I continued to preview the house.
A Ruff Day On The Job
Another time, looking at my MLS book (this was a time when the Tallahassee Board of Realtors had books that were printed and delivered every two weeks), I chose a home to preview, with a caveat that there was a mean dog locked in the fenced back yard.
As I was getting out of my car, a snarling dog came from around the next-door neighbor's yard and charged at me. I had just gotten out of the car with my MLS book in my hand, and with few options – I rolled it up and stuck it in his mouth! As he was trying to get it out, I jumped into my car.
Moments later, the neighbor’s son came out to see what the commotion was about. I told him that his dog had tried to attack me. He informed it it was not so, it belonged to the seller.
Don’t Get Hiss-terical
In the early ’80s, there were a couple of 20-acre tracts of land being sold in Jefferson County. A young couple, eager to experience life in the country, called and wanted to see this land that had been advertised as ‘secluded and wooded.’
I advised them to wear boots, jeans, and long sleeves as it was a bit of a trek to get out there. We walked into the woods. I was leading the way, the wife in the middle, and the husband bringing up the rear.
We hadn’t gotten very far when I spotted a snake draped across the path we were trying to take. I grabbed a stick, to move the little fellow along along. At that point the wife started screaming, “There’s a snake!”
Trying to reassure her, I pointed out that it was long gone, but she was certain it was just lying in the grass waiting to attack and would not proceed another inch. Neither her husband nor I could get her to move.
Fortunately, it was late afternoon, and her husband asked, “Well, would you rather just spend the night here?” That finally got her going, but the experience solidified the fact they were city people through and through, and they never wanted to look at ‘secluded’ acreage again!
Oh, Crab
Later in my career, I moved to Cape San Blas to work with a developer who was selling single-family beach homes. A couple from Atlanta called to make an appointment to see one of the homes.
They were delighted with the look of the home and we walked up the inside staircase (all homes had to be on pilings on the beach), so they could check out the view.
Now you have to know that Cape San Blas has sugar-white beaches with 30-foot dunes and beautiful water. As everyone was looking out at the beautiful scene the wife said, “Oh my goodness, we can’t live here.”
“Why not?” I inquired.
“Look at all the snake holes,” she remarked, motioning out to the dunes. “Will we be safe getting back into our car?”
After explaining that they were sand crab scratchings and not snake holes, she was not convinced, even after I offered to go down and show her a sand crab. The couple beelined for their car and off they went back to Atlanta.
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These are just a few examples of different experiences that I’ve faced that have made real estate so rewarding and dare I say, humorous, through the years. These unique stories have allowed me to value what I do so much more because when you’re a realtor, no day is ever the same!
Realtor Emeritus
Ann’s Notes
(850) 544-0109
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