Real estate agents wear many hats: tour scheduler, problem solver, snow shoveler, dead animal remover, deal maker, data analyzer, goal obtainer, requirements securer, closing attainer, blog writer, networker, and now we can add a new one: crime solver.
Twice in the last few weeks I’ve received a call from a police investigator regarding a home I showed. In the first case, the home was vandalized, and apparently there were broken items strewn all over. I had just seen the home a week or so before, so didn’t have any problem remembering my visit. The questions the police officer asked were all directed at trying to set up a time line for when the vandalism occurred. I answered everything regarding the house I could remember, but I didn’t remember everything he asked about. For example, he asked about a large TV and I didn’t even remember seeing the TV. I don’t usually notice all the stuff that isn’t part of the sale; I look at the HOUSE that’s for sale. So I couldn’t answer all his questions about the stuff, but at least I helped establish a timeline.
The, most recent call happened today and the investigator in this case was asking me about a house I showed in early November because it had been burglarized. The address didn’t even sound familiar, so I had to look it up, and luckily did remember the house. I got there before my clients, and accessed the house to do a quick preview. Access was through the garage, so I lifted the garage door and immediately smelled mold; something my clients were clear they did not want to deal with. So I walked in to see what the deal was with the smell, and right around a corner was a bunch of nasty looking growth, so I went back out and closed the door. The investigator wanted to know if I had seen all the belongings in the garage. I had to answer that “No” I didn’t, but I wouldn’t have noticed them anyway. Unless there are so many things I have to walk around, or unless there is such a pile of junk I just couldn’t possibly miss it, I typically can tune out all the stuff…. So I probably didn’t do much to help solve this crime, but he did agree about the mold.
So what have I learned? I’ve learned that I should be paying more attention to the details that aren’t part of the sale because I now know I could get a call anytime that starts, “Hello, Kat Palmiotti? This is officer …….”