Knocking Experience

Dee and her Merry Band of Felons have put another offer in on a home. Keeping with tradition, this one is also in one of the scarier neighborhoods of Phoenix. Friday, when we showed up to look at this vacant home, I knocked on the door--something I do out of habit and experience. When I unlocked the door, the chain was up.

I took all three of them with me as I went around back, with Mr. Dee innocently asking, "Why would the chain be on the front door."

"Someone is inside," I said, matter of factly, as I made sure we slowly (SLOWLY) went around back.

"How can that be?" Dee asked. "The house is vacant."

Next to me I could feel Seth, one of the favored felons they bring along, on the lookout. His body was tense and he moved me out of the way as we rounded the corner. I appreciate Seth.

As it turns out, the back door was wide open. Dee and I hung out in the back shed while the men went in to see if everything was good to go ("oh what a lovely space..." Dee casually said, looking at this sweltering room, with me and my cell phone in hand ready to call 911).

For the second time this week, I have predicted what I didn't want to predict*. Yep, there had been a squatter in the house. In fact, that person--we think it was a woman--left so quickly she didn't even stop to grab her phone or money. She also left behind a bra and a lit cigarette. My guess is she jumped the side fence, where there was a staircase of bricks up against it, as we slowly (SLOWLY) made our way around to the back of the property.

It was hot Friday, with a high of 109 degrees. The house was frosty cold. I was sorry I didn't have some water to leave at the house in case she came back. I called over the wall and down the street looking for someone but nobody owned up to having been there. Seth pointed out I didn't want her back. Who knows if she was on something or had a weapon or a friend with a weapon. We didn't touch her belongings, instead leaving them where we found them.

Shortly after we arrived, the agent showed up and said the police were on their way over. Seth asked Dee to skedaddle, not wanting to be anywhere around Phoenix's finest. So, I stayed while the agent did another recon on the home. I was able to get him to commit to changing the locks (there was no forced sign of entry, so I think she had a key) and take down the real estate sign. Also, Dee is asking if she can park a spare car in the driveway if this gets into escrow--just to make sure it looks occupied.

"I don't remember anything in my real estate classes about this kind of thing," the agent said, frustrated and astonished this happened. I don't either, but let's face it, I have learned more from experience than the classroom. And that is why I knock on the doors of vacant homes before I go in. I have run into this kind of thing once or twice before.


*My other prediction was the seller of the margarita sale would call me if it fell out of escrow. Sorry I was right about that one too.