No Honor Among Thieves

The Open House on Sunday went better than anyone could have expected, viewing-wise. I came back to the house twice, hoping I could be done with wasting the day; both times I couldn't get into my driveway, and at one point people were parked along the road (my driveway holds six cars, easy). To say I was surprised would be an understatement. Not because my house isn't beautiful, with stunning views of mountains, valleys and the river, but because of the economy and the current housing market.

So, once the dust has settled and I can sit with my realtor, she goes over all the details of the viewing, what people said, her take on things, etc.  Then she gets to this one part of her narration that has my blood boiling.

During one walk-through, my realtor is having a nice chat with a woman outside on the back deck, marveling over the view, the spectacular 70* day, when suddenly another woman appears out of nowhere and barges between them.  My realtor thinks at first this person belongs to the woman she's been talking to, but no, it turns out this...person...is a realtor for a house up the road.  She's telling my viewers to go see her listing, is handing out flyers and her card, and practically shoving folks out of my house.

My realtor, thankfully a very professional woman, well-respected in the area, and with many years of experience, steers this...person...away from my viewers and has a polite chat with her about how inappropriate her behavior is, then gently leads her out of my house.  Then, this...person...with no more sense than a button mushroom, stands in the road below my driveway, waiting for people to leave, and tries to air traffic control them further up the mountain to her listing.

Let me just say, it is a very good thing I was not here at the time.  That kind of underhanded crap really fries me.  My realtor was perfectly fine with it, and declined my offer to call the Oregon Real Estate Board to report this...person. When I told my sister, she laughed, but as I started to sputter, she asked me what I do when out shopping and get constantly bombarded by sales people.  I said I usually get pissed and leave the store.
"Exactly," she says. And you know, she was right.  There's nothing worse than being brow-beaten.  According to my realtor, only a few people actually went up the road, and no one stayed very long.

Still, I can't help but find it just totally unacceptable to enter someone's home and do such a thing.  She was not only meddling with my prospects, but taking advantage of my Open House, trying to turn it to her advantage.  Rude, rude, rude. 

However, now that a few days have gone by, I'm not fussed anymore.  After all, what goes around, comes around.  I just can't wait for her Open House.  Have I mentioned that my place comes before her listing on my little mountain road...