OK, HUGE blunder this weekend while showing homes....
A lovely young couple wanted to see some homes. We had 12 scheduled to see.
Home #5 was a great house. The buyers took more time (by far) in this one than they had in any of the previous 4. Finally they'd seen enough, so we walked out side.
I was chit-chatting away as I locked up the house. About 2/3's of a second AFTER I snapped the door key back inside the lockbox, I was overcome with this dreadful feeling that I'd just locked my lockbox key inside the house -- the vacant house.
So I'm standing there, trying not to curse as I "pat down" every pocket I have, hoping that lockbox key is somewhere.
Oh, it was somewhere all right... sitting right on the kitchen counter.
"Uh oh" was about all I could vocalize (though I had MUCH stronger words going through my head). My lovely bride was off showing with another couple, about 40 miles away, so calling her would do no good. The office was over 50 miles away, so going there to get an extra lockbox key wasn't really an option. I tried calling the listing agent, hoping they lived close by and could come rescue us. Of course she didn't answer the phone...
So about all I could do was admit my stupidity in front of the clients, start dialing my Realtor friends, and hope somone could come unlock the house for me.
I've got lots of agent friends. Several were willing to come help, but they were all 45 - 60 minutes away.
Now I'm standing in the driveway on my cell phone dropping F-bombs to a fellow realtor friend of mine when the garage door starts to open!
There's my client, standing inside the garage, house key in one hand, my lockbox key in the other, with a big grin on his face.
Apparently, a lot of people still hide a door key under a rock by the front door and this guy was sharp enough to look for it. Now we all know that's a bad idea, but I can't begin to express how pleased I was that these owners tucked a spare key under a rock, and left it there.
I felt so incompetent. The clients, fortunately, found it quite humerous.
I *know* I'm not the first nimrod to do this. Someone make me feel better and 'fess up...
Nice going clients! It's nice to be able to end that story with a smile :)
It really turned out to be quite funny. For the reast of the day, both of the buyers would ask EVERY TIME, "Do you have your lockbox key?" and they would just snicker.
I too confess! Ive locked keys in my car/ left sunglasses on the kitchen counter several times for the sellers to find and the list goes on....
Glad to see it happens to the best of us! Thanks for sharing the story!
Jay,
I have to confess that there was a time when I did forget to update my card and had to call the 800 number. But, I promise I felt the same as if I locked the house with my card in it. Thanks for the post.
I've done that more than once.
The worst was when I was taking photos of a new home on a Sunday afternoon, locked myself out on the deck with no stairs and no one around in the new construction neighborhood.
I finally climbed over the rail and down the spindles to the bottom, hung, and dropped about 4 feet to the ground. I'm sure that would have made a great video. ;-)
The key under a rock or flowerpot is a lifesaver. While we shouldn't grow to rely on it, it has come in handy. Such as the time when I was supposed to get a lockbox put on a property and put a key in it and thought I had but when another Realtor showed up to go in and said there was no lockbox, I knew I was in trouble. Initially I thought someone had gotten the lockbox off the door handle (combo lockbox) and set it somewhere else (hopefully not inside!!). Later, I discovered the lockbox in my car and that I had never made it out to put it on the door. I did remember there was a key under a flowerpot which allowed the Realtor to show the house that day.
Hey,
You`re not a Realtor until you lock yourself out of a door.... Happens to all of us...:)
Luckily, I haven't done that ~ hope I didn't jinx myself. However I have walked out of the house, locking the door behind me and then realizing...I had locked the HOUSE key in the home! I was very upset as it was a vacant house in a very remote part of Forsyth County (a.k.a. the sticks). I sheepishly called the Listing Agent to tell him what I had done and waited for the name calling to start. I was Shocked! He was so very nice and understanding. He told me where to find the hidden key (yep, under the rock). I opened the door, put the correct key in the lockbox, put the other key under the rock and went on to our next home.
Now I leave the key in the door so as to not make that mistake again.
I too have done this and have also rescued many a fellow agent when they have done the same.
Now when I show a home I leave my lockbox key outside where the lockbox is located. I also leave the key in the door until I leave to lock up. Too much going on when I'm showing and doing the above mentioned just helps me keep things rolling.
Jay
Only once?
I actually left my keypad, the insert to the keybox and the key all sitting on the kitchen counter once, so no other agent could rescue me. Fortunately, I was able to reach the listing agent who called and got the garage door code from the seller. I'm much better about these things now... but when we first started....
To Jim and Maria Hart - In our market we have to update our cards everyday, I forget and use the 800# all the time.
The dumb stuff we do usually leads to great stories and good lessons. This is still a business learned by stories.
I'm sure you won't be the last. Great post.
The VERY first house I staged... the home owners gave me keys and then left town for the weekend. I was busy doing my thing... and was going to break for lunch. I grapped the keys and was heading out the door, and oops I remembered I wanted to take out some trash. So I went back in... grabbed the garbage but not thinking I set down the keys. THE SECOND I closed the door and heard the "click".... I was like OH CRAP!
Needless to say, we now CLIP keys onto our belts while on site.
Me
I had a similiar situation only I couldn't find my car keys. I figured that I left them in the car or trunk. Well, I called AAA and they sent out a locksmith. He opened the car, and the trunk but no keys!!! PANIC PANIC!! PANIC!!
I checked my pockets once again and happened to pat my right back pocket where I keep my handkerchief, (Yes, I still carry one! Mom gives me a dozen new ones each year!) and low and behold my keys are in that pocket. I haven't put keys in that pocket for over twenty years!!!!
Thanks for sharing, we are ALL human afterall.
Jay,
Funny story! I always put it in my pocket as soon as I open the door. Make it a habit. However, I cannot imagine being anywhere that would take 40-50 minutes to get to!!!!
I'm in Rhode Island, thankfully and it's easier to get out of mistakes cause everythings close by.
Bet your clients enjoyed it though.
Great stories from all! Thanks for commenting and sharing.
Karen - I rememebr riding in a car through Rhode Island when I was a kid. I think we mase it across the state in less than 50 minutes.
We cover an area of approximately 17,000 square miles. Many Phoenix area agents specialize in specific suburbs, but we go where the business is. There is such a large influx of people relocating here that many times we have to drive allover creation just so people can begni to get an idea of where they want to live.
We live on the east side of the Phoenix area. At the wrong time of day it can take two hours to get all the way across town.
For those that said "hasn't happened to me..." I'm thinking you never should have said that.... I accept no responsibility if you lockout/lose any form of key in the future!
OK, now lets start a blog about the dogs left in houses you are showing................Now that's a story !
Yes, I, too, have been there...locked out on the deck. Apologizing to the clients, "Excuse me, I just need to run around the house to let us in. No problem at all. Happens all the time. Ha ha ha." Oy!!!
I guess we all know we aren't alone but there is comfort in numbers. Be glad we have the business to get locked out of!! Merry Christmas!
I can honestly say yes I have locked my key pad or a key in a house before. I just can't remeber how many times it has happened. LOL
I love stories like this it makes feel good.
Thanks Jay
Kristal - Your comment made me recall another personal incident. I was showing a condin a high rise inBoston a couple of years ago and we went up to the roof to see the common roof deck. Tower was 12 stories as I recall - can you guess what's coming?).
We propped open the roof door as requested since it was designed to not stay open and to lock from teh inside. Kinda windy that day and door shut. Buyer and I were on the roof about 15 minutes before we were able to reach the LA who was somewhere else in the bulding and rescued us - took a while since she couldn't get good cell service. Fortunately it was early spring and about 60 degrees. Great views, though. Dumb!
Listing at the John Hancock building in Chicago. I have three showings in two different units and as the day is winding down I get a call from my client. "Have you seen our cats?" No Mr. and Mrs. Client, you have cats? Always ask the question because clients will sometimes forget.
Cats getting out? I once spent a half hour chasing after a stupid dog that got out the front door.
My partner locked her and her clients out on a second story deck with no stairs. Luckily a neighbor heard their cries for help.
I drove 60 minutes to show a home one morning after the husband had made special arrangements to his work schedule in order to see the home. I reach into my pocket for my lockbox key and I have a vision of it sitting on my desk back at the office. I stand there hoping that I wake up soon but no such luck.
LOL...I once locked my cell phone, pocketbook, keys inside a house...One of those self locking doors only I didn't know it! I had arrived a few minute early to meet customers for a showing on my listing. Anyway I unlocked the door and went in to turn lights on and generally stage the house a bit. When my customers showed up I went outside to greet them letting the door close behind me!!! You got it...it locked!!!
Speaking of cats...
I had instructions not to let the cat out of the house. While I opened the entry door between the garage doors I stepped inside and a cat came running in the garage. I grabbed it and made sure it stayed outside. I showed the house and left.
When I called the agent with feedback she told me I left the cat out. I told her how could I do that I never saw the cat while inside.
I did tell her that a cat tried to get in but seeing how the cat wasn't supposed to be outside I thought the cat didn't belong there. Not my fault....
Thanks Jay
Love the authenticity and I think clients do, too. It's all about being human.
Earlier this fall I did a workshop with a dozen CEO's who run companies with
revenues ranging from $5million to $150milion. The room I was doing the
workshop was a very tight conferencde room and as I was unpacking my
materials to deliver the workshop, I made sure to put my car keys in a safe
place (in the secret pocket of my laptop computer bag).
Four hours later, after the workshop was over, I totally forgot where I put my
keys and had all participants go on a wild goose chase tearing the conference
room apart looking for them after our lunch. After about 30 minutes, I re-checked
my laptop case and lo and behold there they were.
Other's had similar stories and we all laughed, and I still got two follow up
consulting opportunities after the program, anyway, despite my absent mindedness
in the moment.
Welcome to the human race!
I can't remember if I ever locked my keypad inside a home I was showing but I HAVE accidentally taken the key to the home (and sometimes even the key holder for the lockbox) back to my office and then realized my stupidity and had to drive the key back to the property! Not what I need to be doing with my schedule the way it is. The nice thing about this career is that there is a never-ending supply of stories we can tell our fellow Realtors!
Jay/Francy,
If you went through RI in 50 minutes, you must have been driving pretty slow!:)
After hearing all these distances, I will try not to complain anymore.
I've never locked the access card inside the house, however, I have left it attached to the supra box a handful of times to where we get to the next house and have no way in. A couple of times, the previous house was just a mile or so away. One time, it was a 10 minute drive back to the first house, and 10 minutes back to the second house, so 30 minutes was wasted because of it. I LOVE the new infared boxes because you're not able to leave the card attached to the box... however, I can now picture myself leaving it inside the house, thanks!
I try to wear pants with pockets when I show so I can stick it in there instead of on a counter.
A similar experience: While showing a house we all stepped out onto the balcony off of the bedroom. "Click" door closed and we were locked out! This was early in my career and I was so lucky to have a cell phone and it had a bit of a signal. I just needed to holler at someone. Afterall the front door was open. I was able to calll my daughter and she came over and saved the day. You can sure bet, it has never happened again.
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