Thursday, October 28, 2010

Oh No They Didn't!!

I have to share something with you that happened last week...and I would like to hear what you think.
We had 4 showings last week which was great. The house stayed clean and looked great. 
I found this great tiered basket at HomeGoods and filled it with Gala & Granny Smith apples. I bought the apples in anticipation of Mr. F baking me a pie.
When we left the house before the showing, it looked like this:

When we came back, it looked like this:

Take a closer look:
Yes, that's right one Granny Smith apple is missing. Neither my girls or Mr. F ate one.
You might think that I might have put them out for the potential homebuyers to eat.
But, the apples were in the corner. See them wayyyy over there?
 No mistaking they were put out to be eaten. Surely I would have put some napkins out...or some cheese or Carmel!

I could see if I had put them on the bar or on the counter next to the refrigerator that they might mistake them for being offered. Brochures were left on the bar opposite the sink, so food if offered would have been put here. This wasn't an Open House, just a showing.
What would you think? Would this bother you, or is it just me???

Thanks for stopping by.

Pam

P.S. I have another funny embarrassing story from one of the showings, but I'm not sure Mr. F would like me to share it.


30 comments:

  1. Isn't showing your home a weird experience. Hopefully the person who helped themself to your apples will remember your house because she was enjoying the apple while she toured your home. But definately bad manners. I have always been amazed that the personal items buyers want to include in the house sale.
    Traci

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  2. Hi Pam- Yes that would bug me too. It's like they figure the home is there's to do with as they please because it's on the market. It also means the realtor showing it had little class or control over the client. Have you ever watched HGTV and seen how some people act in homes for sale? Getting in bathtubs with their shoes on, laying on the beds....tacky tacky tacky! I guess all you can do it leave post-its!! Please enjoy viewing our home, but not of our things!!

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  3. Well, I think I would have a talk with the realtor and ask them to please make the rounds with any potential clients. No wonder what else they are looking at and want to take. Makes me a little nervous. Weird people. Hugs, Marty

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  4. It would definitely bother me! When we were looking at houses, I was always careful to shut cabinet/closet doors, not disturb anything...but it's amazing what people will do in your home!

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  5. Pam, that is weird that someone would take an apple while looking at your house. Some people have nerve.

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  6. Ha, no way, that is hilarious! I would be laughing for sure. I mean, someone was hungry. I would check the fridge and pantry to make sure nothing else went missing. ACTUALLY, not a bad idea... go "house shopping" when too broke to buy groceries.

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  7. We too are showing our house. Our realtor had us put so...many things away. My cordless keyboard to the IMac, the Wacom pad attached to it, clear the dressers etc. We have a locked closet upstairs where we stash things at the open house!
    You just never know what people are going to do....
    Five months and no sale and no offer here! There is just no one out there looking! Hope you have better luck.

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  8. Hello Pam. Whoever took your apple was completely wrong in doing so. It wasn't an invitation to take or eat any of your food.
    At this point, you don't know if it was the Realtor or the looky loo. I would definitely
    discuss that with your realtor. They need to take the tour with their clients. Who knows what else they may help themselves to.

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  9. Pam -I see why you feel kind of violated. I think different people don't have that personal space , then there are others of us that respect every thing of another person. Look at it this way your home looked so inviting that they felt so comfortable to eat an apple from the display on the counter -Just take it as a compliament:-)

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  10. First off, I love the basket you have your apples in....I have one just like it I plan to paint eventually.

    It would bug me, but then when we had our house for sale, I hated people coming through the house. Hated it! However, my guess is if you are desperate enough to take an apple like that, you must be really hungry, so I'd probably tell myself at least my apple was needed.

    However, I would talk to the realtor and maybe post a note someplace for anyone else showing your home about stuff like this. When we moved, our old house hadn't sold. We were shocked when we got our electric bill for the old house because the bill was SKY HIGH. As it turned out, the person showing the house complained it was too hot when they entered the house and turned the air contioner on full force at like 55 degrees AND left all the lights in the house on. Of course they left without bothering to turn any of this back off.

    We had some choice words with the agency we were using, and we left a note on the back of the door to remind them to turn everything off. Yet we still had to go afterwards to make sure it was done.

    Hope you get your house sold quickly!

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  11. Makes you wonder... if they needed to take an apple how could they possibly buy a house???

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  12. Is it uncommon in your area for sellers to leave food out during showings? In my area, it is very common. Apples wouldn't be sliced ahead of time due to yellowing. So many people nowadays use the realistic looking fake fruit/veggies, so since everything is otherwise pristine, it seems like an innocent mistake.

    What might have bothered me would be if I found the core in some odd area non-kitchen section of my house.

    I would take this as a compliment. Folks who are serious about the house start imagining living there, so taking that apple can be a good sign. Same with opening all closets, etc. As a previous commenter said, showings are risk for all kinds of things - meds should be locked up or gone, no guns anywhere, kids pricier items locked up, etc. This is why agents should be encourage to ONLY bring qualified buyers through.

    I would not leave a note out to not touch the fruit - I would remove it or use fake fruit. Don't call your agent to complain. Of all the things that could go wrong, this is minor. This could have been a family and a child grabbed the apple.

    Congrats on 4 showings!

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  13. Tough call! On the one hand it would bug me as it did when I first read it. Then I thought well even though they were in a corner they were out on the counter, "as if" on display for potential buyers, even though you did not have napkins etc.. Also, as other comments said, it was probably really needed from whomever took it, as tacky as it may have been. You never know that one apple, that someone saw as a welcoming, may bring on a sale!

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  14. I'm not planning on complaining to the realtor. We had two showings that day, so even if I wanted to I wouldn't know which one it was. I did think about the fake fruit, though! The brochures were out on the bar opposite the sink, so any food would have been put there. I have viewed at least 10 homes in the past few months and no one had food out. Food is only offered at Open Houses.

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  15. Hi there
    I would be annoyed at someone touching my food. You had it placed in the corner and you are right this is not an open house. Nothing should be touched. The home was left - totally immaculate I can tell - but left in the way your house is kept...with apples in the corner for your family...like food in your fridge...for your family. NOT for everyone coming through to look at your home.

    Had you wanted fruit left or food left for them you would have displayed it someplace where it was noticed and accessible with perhaps a pretty note reading "Enjoy...Help Yourself". But thats not something done at a showing!!

    I would be annoyed but I don't think there is much you can do about it. It was just an apple and hopefully just this once.

    Your home is lovely. Good luck on the sale!
    Judi

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  16. p.s. now I'm curious about the other story..*grinning*.... do share.. ;o)
    Judi

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  17. I would not be happy. It's just rude. As for as the thought that whoever ate it must have really needed it, I don't buy that either. It that were the case they wouldn't be in the market for a nice house. I've never heard of anyone leaving food out except at Open Houses. When we were looking at houses I felt really weird looking in the closets because it wasn't my house! People are crazy!!!

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  18. Ok...that is seriously weird! I told my husband and even he thought that was very strange! It always amazing me the gumption people have for doing things like that. I would be racked with guilt even THINKING about taking an apple! :-)
    Vanessa

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  19. That's a little strange. Makes you wonder if they riffled through your drawers or used your bathroom. LOL!

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  20. Oh my goodness! They sure must have been hungry. I would not like that very much myself.

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  21. If this had happened to me, I would have contacted my agent and the other agent, as well. People do really stupid things at open houses and private showings. Believe me- I know. I told my agent when we listed with him that I would be present at all open houses. He agreed and was happy to have help. Visitors assumed I was his assistant.
    At one open house, I was speaking to my realtor in the family room when I heard the toilet flush and then saw a woman exit the half bathroom. She then proceeded upstairs to speak to her husband. I was flabbergasted and livid at the same time! I told my agent that I was going to ask the couple to leave and tell them that what the woman had done was completely rude and that the home was not a public restroom. He persuaded me not to confront them because he was afraid that the couple might retaliate in some way or another. From that day on, I made sure that after each open house and every private showing where I was not present, I re-cleaned the bathrooms completely! EEWWW.... Why would anyone assume that they have the right to use anyone else's facilities, or go through the refrigerator, or pick through drawers?! I've seen each one of these things happen at open houses I've been to. Has respect gone completely out the door??

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  22. I couldn't help but laugh! But I can imagine how disappointing that must of been... but now it truly has a little LOL's to it. Great rooms and Happy DIY!!

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  23. Yes, yes, yes! Would have bothered me a bunch. Having your house for sale & people coming through is such an assault on your privacy, anyway. Good luck on the sale, by-the-way. The kitchen is beautiful.
    Carol

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  24. I would definitely not do that in someone's home!! I moved out of a rental once, and when I came back to get the washer and dryer next day, the new owners had started moving in overnight and had taken the laundry I had in the dryer and thrown it on the floor! I was shocked!

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  25. I work in a real estate office and hear about think kind of stuff probably more than the average person.. . . you should definitely say something. I know it's just an apple, but it is still stealing.

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  26. It is the agents job to show the house and make sure everything is left just as you had it. I can't imagine the nerve of someone taking an apple or the agent allowing it. When we had our home for sale we would come home to all the doors unlocked. Several times we were out of town for several days and our home was left unsecured.
    xo, Sherry

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  27. Strange- now, if it had been chocolate...! :) Realtors and potential buyers can be rude and thoughtless, something we've had to put up with a few times with our many moves.

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  28. That's too funny. Better the apple than your laptop!

    Maybe the people looking at your house brought their adorable little girl with big blue eyes and long ringlets in her hair, and maybe she spotted that shiny apple from across the room and, and maybe she managed to make her way over to that apple and couldn't resist it's beauty, and maybe she picked it up and started carrying it around your lovely home while displaying a big bright smile on her cute little face, and maybe she was so cute with that apple that the realtor didn't have the heart to take it away from her... It could happen!!

    :)
    ButterYum

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  29. When we sold our house some years ago everything went pretty good, but my husband had some of his buddies come over to help move us...sounds good right? Well one of his buds brought his wife along...no problem. She brought with her their dog again...no problem. Well, I have this tall faux ficca tree and it was a little dusty so I took it outside to lightly hose it off. When I was done washing it I leaned it against the house to dry. Now this women had watched me wash my tree so amagine my surprise when she walked her dog over and let it hike its leg up and Peeed all over it. I explained to her NICELY that the tree wasn't real. She shrugged and walked away. So I rewashed my tree again. Now, I bet you think this is the end of my story, but it isn't. One hour later she walked her dog over and let it repeat peeing on my tree. I started to say something to her, but my husband looked at me and mouthed the words PLEASE DON'T say anything. The lady in me prefailed, but ohhh the baddddd women in me wanted to come out play. She got in her husbands truck with him and left with a load of my stuff. I gave strict instructions with my husband DON'T BRING HER BACK HERE. I laugh about it now. Some people. I feel your pain. Thanks for sharing. Decgal

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