Realtor.com published one of our favorite stories this week: 10 Strangest Questions Buyers Have Ever Asked About a House. If you work in real estate, it’s more than likely that you’ve received some unusual questions of the years. Here are our top five open house questions:
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“How do you keep alligators from coming up into the toilet?”
“I couldn’t answer that question seriously, so I made up some weird solution. I told them, ‘pour vinegar down the toilet once a month; they hate it.'” – Michael Lyons, Lyons Realty Group in Hollywood, FL. It’s not unheard of in Florida to find an alligator in your pool or yard. We’re not sure how many have made their way up the toilet and into someone’s home, though!
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“Do you think the homeowner would give me the house without a down payment?”
“I can’t imagine they would.” – Julie McDonough, AmeriSell in Southern California. Apparently, the buyer had attended a seminar that instructed participants to attempt to do this. When Julie asked him if he had been successful yet, he replied, “No, but it’s a numbers game.’”
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“Why is the garage unfurnished?”
“Because the sellers use it for their cars, not as a living space.” – Benny Kang, Uniti Realty in Irvine, CA. This was, undoubtedly, a long tour with plenty of open house questions. Sometimes a little patience can go a long way.
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“Can we close all the blinds and doors and turn off the lights? I just need to see the space at its darkest.”
“I was pretty sure this was the end for me,” a real estate agent in Brooklyn, NY. The agent survived! Perhaps the buyer just wanted to make sure he could get a good night’s sleep in his cozy new home.
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“Are there any ghosts in the house?”
“I usually respond jokingly at first that there are ghosts but that they’re friendly, but then immediately follow with ‘just kidding,’ because people can be really weird about those things.” – Chris Dossman, Century 21 in Indianapolis. This is actually quite a popular open house question! Make sure the home is ghost-free before you show it…
Title Insurance from Lakeside Title Company
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