Redfin real estate agents are bound to see strange things on home tours. But, some things are so strange (sometimes downright creepy) that it leaves a lasting impression. In honor of Halloween, here are our agent’s creepiest home tour stories of 2016. And if you really want a good scare check out the ones from last year.
1) There’s Something Down There
“There was a bed set up in the main area of the basement. No one appeared to be home, but when we went downstairs the lights were on and music was playing. We noticed that there was someone under the covers of the bed. I said ‘Hello’ more than once, but did not approach the bed. The person didn’t move and it was clearly the silhouette of a person. So, we quickly got out of there.”
2) We’re Not Alone
“My clients had moved out of state and were selling their large turn-of-the-century house. The house had not been updated in several decades. When they vacated the home they removed everything (even the carpeting!) and painted every surface white. One evening when I was showing the house we walked into the dining room and found a collection of black and white photos spread out across the built-in hutch. They appeared to be from a family’s Christmas in the house during the 60’s. We still have no idea where they came from.”
3) Not the Best First Impression
“We knocked on the door, and the owner came out with a snake in his hand and the body was wrapped all the way around his arm. We went in, but decided in the end that the property wasn’t for us.”
4) Why Are There Always Snakes?
“A couple of months ago I toured a home that was up for auction. The landscaping had overgrown and it made you feel like you were in a jungle. The inside of the home was in even worse shape. When I entered the master bedroom, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye; a huge yellow snake. It was poking it’s head through a hole in the wall. I ran! Fortunately it was gone by the time I re-entered with the client.”
5) That Wasn’t in the Property History
“About a month ago, a woman sent in a request asking if we could help her find the original owner of her home. She said she was sure that her house was haunted by the original owner; who she heard had died in the house, in the kitchen specifically. Apparently her dog keeps barking at the same area of the kitchen, but only at night.”
6) Bears and Panthers, Oh My!
“We visited a regular house in the suburbs of Chicago. The listing agent never mentioned, nor did the photos show that there was a stuffed black panther about 5 to 6 feet long in one of the bedrooms. Or a 10-foot stuffed bear in the basement. You can imagine our surprise when we turned on the lights to find these huge animals.”
7) Beware of Intruders
“I was showing a home in the Brookland neighborhood in D.C. The agent told me that it was vacant and I could show it to my clients at any time. I unlocked the door and entered the house to see an angry German Shepherd charging towards me. I got out of there as fast as I could. It was terrifying. It turned out that the owners had left the dog in the house because they were concerned about intruders. Not sure how they were able to get it sold with an angry guard dog keeping potential buyers away.”
Bonus Section:
These two eerie stories from last year left such a lasting impression, that we just had to share them again. Hopefully they don’t cause too many nightmares!
The Writing is On the Wall
“We visited an old house close to downtown Geneva, Illinois, which needed a tremendous amount of work (it was a bank-owned property). The phrase ‘the writing is on the wall’ works so well with this home; someone scribbled a spooky message on the kitchen wall!”
I Wouldn’t Go in There
“We found this door in the basement, but our client didn’t want to open it so we left. The message reads: “Hi, my name is Jim, and I will die in 2012.’”
What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen on a tour? Tell us in the comments or on Twitter @Redfin.
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