Real Estate Horror Stories Pt. 2: Chilling Accounts from Real Agents

Spooky season is here—along with haunted houses, jack-o’-lanterns, and creepy ghost stories. But what’s not seasonal is prioritizing your safety as a real estate agent. PropStream recently spoke with two agents, who shared their most chilling, real-life horror stories and what those experiences taught them.

First is Jessica Vance, an agent, foreclosure investor, and mortgage broker in San Diego, California. Vance has over 15 years of experience, allowing her to understand the ins and outs of buyer psychology. 

Next, you’ll hear from Erin Johnson, who has served as a REALTOR® with eXp Realty in Ohio for the last five years, helping seniors downsize or transition to their next chapter. 

Read Vance’s and Johnson’s terrifying tales below.

Q: Have you ever walked into a property and immediately felt something was “off”? What happened?

Vance: The first property I ever invested in was a flip located in an area of town with a high crime rate. The property was remodeled and put on the market. I went to the property to meet a prospective buyer and showed up shortly before the meeting was scheduled to start. 

When I went inside, I saw that the staged furniture had been moved from one side of the room to the other, the kitchen cabinet doors were all open, and the back door was left ajar. I was incredibly spooked. I ran out the front door and waited for someone to come and meet me at the property to secure it. When they arrived, we found a fake elephant head (not part of our design aesthetic) left on the back porch. Scary!

Another unsettling thing occurred with another investment flip I was involved in as an investor. I went to the property late at night with my contractor here in San Diego to look at the progress. Immediately upon walking in, I felt the hair on my arms rise. I tried turning on the lights, but none of them would work. It was pitch black. 

I had started to walk down the hallway when a figure moved in one of the vacant rooms. I immediately turned around and ran out the front door. I screamed as I ran to my car and called the police. When they arrived, they checked the property and said that someone had broken into the house through a back door and had cut the electricity so that the lights wouldn’t work. Just thinking about that brings back that same, terrified feeling. Always trust your gut when something seems off in a home.

Johnson: When I was getting the key out of the lockbox, I noticed there was no glass in the window pane. That was my first clue that something was wrong. But we went into the property anyway and started looking around. 

Soon, my buyers noticed that the stove was on, even though the house was vacant. At that point, we decided to get out of there. I called the listing agent and told her to call the police, but she didn't seem to feel like they could do anything.

Q: What’s the strangest or most unexpected thing you’ve discovered in a house or during a showing?

Vance: The strangest thing I have ever discovered in a house that I owned as a flip was at a hoarder’s property. They had 10 boxes containing their pet cats’ ashes. I was so shocked when I found the names of these cats and realized what was in the boxes.

Q: Did any of these experiences change how you approach showings or safety as an agent?

Vance: These experiences have definitely shaped me and made me realize several things: I will never go to a home by myself at night. If things feel off or I see things have moved (such as the furniture in the first story), I leave immediately and call for help. 

I also carry a taser and mace now. But most importantly, I listen to my gut and trust it. And as much as I can, I try to bring other people with me to properties.

Johnson: I'm definitely more cautious when going into vacant houses. When I arrive at a vacant house for a showing or open house, I do a visual scan of the doors and windows to make sure nothing seems amiss.

Q: What advice would you give newer agents about handling the unexpected in this business?

Vance: I recommend carrying some form of mace and always vetting who you are meeting before you connect with them in person. And I wouldn't advise sitting in an open house by yourself. Always bring other people to showings or meetings if you can.

Johnson: Be aware of your surroundings. I've heard a lot about being cautious about who you're meeting with and being careful about hosting open houses in vacant homes, but never about watching out for people squatting in vacant homes. My situation taught me that you really need to be aware of your surroundings and expect the unexpected when showing houses.

Find Prospects and Vacant Homes with PropStream

As Johnson’s and Vance’s stories above show, real estate agents can encounter some spooky situations on the job. But one thing that doesn’t need to be scary? Lead generation.

PropStream’s search filters and Lead Lists simplify your search for motivated prospects and distressed or vacant properties.

*PropStream engages an independent third party to perform skip-tracing.