This is how you get shot

[Vermonter]

Did a lockbox in VA once and agent said the owner was at work. Did my usual knock and ring bell first, open with key and announce myself loudly. Turns out the lady was in the shower. Didn't figure it out until I was in the bathroom door and saw her in the mirror (all of her). Snuck quietly out and called the agent to ream them.

Agent called the owner and she opened the door a few minutes later. Luckily the lady was very cool about it.

 

[Papoua Jose]

The first thing I do after opening the door on any thing except new construction is shout,"HELLOOOOOO! IT'S THE APPRAISER, IS ANYONE HOME"?!!!

Even after doing that there was a time a little girl was home alone on a school holiday and didn't answer. She hid in a closet until I opened it and scared the carp out of me.

 

[Peter LeQuire]

I try not to do furnished houses without an adult human - homeowner, Realtor, neighbor - present: emphasis on adult. I'm OK with dogs that are not aggressive.

 

[ctapraser]

Had an appointment this morning for an inspection. Went to the house, range the doorbell (didn't hear it) and knocked on the door, no answer. Listing agent had told me the owner may be home. Used the lock box and find the owner sitting on the couch asking who the hell I am. She thought I was someone selling something and didn't want to deal with it.

Turns out the listing agent never told the owner the appraiser was coming today. Luckily I didn't walk into a bedroom while they were sleeping and they had an itchy trigger finger.

The owner reamed the listing agent while I was there and I did too when I got home.

i have actually walked into a bedroom twice with people sleeping. took my pics and crept back out. dumb azz agents.

Had a lock box inspection a couple weeks ago where, when I walked up to the door, a huge black lab was growling at me on the other side. I went to the car and called the agent. "Oh he won't bite..." Pass.

(As it turned out when I was starting to drive away the owner showed up to get something out of the house - so I followed him in and all was fine. But I no longer take chances with dogs. It's their turf.)

Dan

When I appraise a house on a lock box, even if it's vacant, I announce myself as soon as a I walk in the door. I also announce my presence in multiple languages...in this order: English, Spanish, Polish, Chinese....why...because I can...as far as dogs go, I've been bitten twice in 23 years; once by a kick dog in the calf, and once by the family's Yellow Lab...and yes the homeowner's were present and said don't worry about the dog "he loves people". The Lab latched on my arm and wouldn't let go, and I'm a large human being. The homeowners paid for my emergency room visit$$$

Did a lockbox in VA once and agent said the owner was at work. Did my usual knock and ring bell first, open with key and announce myself loudly. Turns out the lady was in the shower. Didn't figure it out until I was in the bathroom door and saw her in the mirror (all of her). Snuck quietly out and called the agent to ream them.

Agent called the owner and she opened the door a few minutes later. Luckily the lady was very cool about it.

The first thing I do after opening the door on any thing except new construction is shout,"HELLOOOOOO! IT'S THE APPRAISER, IS ANYONE HOME"?!!!

Even after doing that there was a time a little girl was home alone on a school holiday and didn't answer. She hid in a closet until I opened it and scared the carp out of me.

All of the above, this is the reason(s) when I schedule with the listing agent I ask them to do their job and make them meet me at the property (listing) and let me in.

 

[Elliott]

Call realtor, she says, house is vacant, sliding door is open. House is in a fair quality neighborhood, 25% of homes are not maintained.

Go through the sliding door, shout "Hello!, Appraiser!, Hello!", house is decorated typical REO mess. I can hear dripping water under the sink and see a trail of water from the kitchen to the sliding glass door, meandering through the debris on the floor. I proceed from the family room to the kitchen and just as I turn into the vacant, sunlit living room, I see the side profile of a derelict looking man, who looks like Bruce Dern on a bad day, sitting alone in a chair the middle of the room. I reach back to my back pocket and grip my 4-pound loggers tape.

'Bruce' says, "You didn't knock?" I say, "Realtor said the house was vacant, sliding door was open and I shouted "Hello, Appraiser"."

Bruce says, "You should have knocked first." I say, "I'll do that next time. So I'm going to inspect the other rooms, is that okay?" Bruce says, "Okay."

I proceed into the other two bedrooms and bath, with a have a tight grip on clipboard and tape. I tell the Bruce that I'll be outside now. Bruce says, "Its a sunny day." I say, "Yes it is. Good bye."

I call the realtor and say, WTF, there was a bum in the house. Oh, that the former owner and he still thinks he owns the house, he has dementia. He sometimes shows up. He shouldn't have been there. I say, "It would have been nice to have a heads up Laurie."

 

[Ken B]

Call realtor, she says, house is vacant, sliding door is open. House is in a fair quality neighborhood, 25% of homes are not maintained.

Go through the sliding door, shout "Hello!, Appraiser!, Hello!", house is decorated typical REO mess. I can hear dripping water under the sink and see a trail of water from the kitchen to the sliding glass door, meandering through the debris on the floor. I proceed from the family room to the kitchen and just as I turn into the vacant, sunlit living room, I see the side profile of a derelict looking man, who looks like Bruce Dern on a bad day, sitting alone in a chair the middle of the room. I reach back to my back pocket and grip my 4-pound loggers tape.

'Bruce' says, "You didn't knock?" I say, "Realtor said the house was vacant, sliding door was open and I shouted "Hello, Appraiser"."

Bruce says, "You should have knocked first." I say, "I'll do that next time. So I'm going to inspect the other rooms, is that okay?" Bruce says, "Okay."

I proceed into the other two bedrooms and bath, with a have a tight grip on clipboard and tape. I tell the Bruce that I'll be outside now. Bruce says, "Its a sunny day." I say, "Yes it is. Good bye."

I call the realtor and say, WTF, there was a bum in the house. Oh, that the former owner and he still thinks he owns the house, he has dementia. He sometimes shows up. He shouldn't have been there. I say, "It would have been nice to have a heads up Laurie."

Reminds me of the job where the homeowner led me through a house filled with garbage...literally walking over bags of garbage...who asks if it a problem if the well pump is broken...who I follow into a basement with the floor covered in feces to an extent I didn't step off the last step...which is blamed on the dog chained to the tree out back...which has clearly been chained to that tree for a long time.

Lender thanked me for my time and asked me to send an invoice for time spent after I called him a couple blocks down the road.

 

[Kim Whiting]

went to a "vacant" home in ummmmm......how does one say it politically correct?....a bad neighborhood only to have a "gentleman" greet me at the door with a pistol. He was renting the home. Seems there had been quite a few drug deals gone bad in the area and a number of people shot up. Client don't care......yet they want a background check on ME?

 

[Delta85]

Fairly dumb homeowner too if you ask me. There is a lockbox on the front door, they should assume people may be stopping by.

I disagree. When you are dealing with a state licensed real estate agent you assume they will perform due diligence and make you aware of any visitors dropping by.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

I don't need anyone there in order for me to do an appraisal inspection. If fact, I prefer no one be there. As a REALTOR® I am bonded when using a lock box. As far as pets...won't go in if there are dogs and no one is home...most of the time.