Estate agents are......?
We're looking to move...nightmare stuff! Don't ask me about it! We might get there one day but this viewing didn't help......
Recently we went to look at a house that seemed like quite a bargain. I met a neighbour on the way in who informed us that the old man who had lived there had died. That wouldn't bother me. She also wished me good luck (which seemed a slightly odd thing to say!) Upon entering, a terrible smell hit us but it was covered up a bit by a lot of mustiness. The estate agent rushed to open the back door to let some air in.
Looking into the first room it was instantly apparent that the estate agent was showing us around before the house clearance had removed everything (which seems a little eager on the estate agent's part) but sader still, the house looked as if the owner had just popped out. His gardening shoes were parked by the back door, his glasses were on his bedside table and there was some washing up still in the sink...with some pretty manky water over it. There were frilly ornaments and plastic flowers that implied there had been a wife at some point. He had a clothes brush set hung upon the hall wall engraved with 'AA Stone 1958'. His toothbrushes and shaving foam were all ready to use. It was a dead man's life museum and it felt poignantly sad.
I asked the estate agent if the man had died in the house, to which he replied, 'people don't tend to die in their houses now - they go to hospital.' (eyes right, eyes left, hand scratches ear, looks at feet).
I have since been informed that the man did indeed die in the house (probably downstairs as the beds were all made (I don't think body removers make beds) and was not discovered for about a week.
Recently we went to look at a house that seemed like quite a bargain. I met a neighbour on the way in who informed us that the old man who had lived there had died. That wouldn't bother me. She also wished me good luck (which seemed a slightly odd thing to say!) Upon entering, a terrible smell hit us but it was covered up a bit by a lot of mustiness. The estate agent rushed to open the back door to let some air in.
Looking into the first room it was instantly apparent that the estate agent was showing us around before the house clearance had removed everything (which seems a little eager on the estate agent's part) but sader still, the house looked as if the owner had just popped out. His gardening shoes were parked by the back door, his glasses were on his bedside table and there was some washing up still in the sink...with some pretty manky water over it. There were frilly ornaments and plastic flowers that implied there had been a wife at some point. He had a clothes brush set hung upon the hall wall engraved with 'AA Stone 1958'. His toothbrushes and shaving foam were all ready to use. It was a dead man's life museum and it felt poignantly sad.
I asked the estate agent if the man had died in the house, to which he replied, 'people don't tend to die in their houses now - they go to hospital.' (eyes right, eyes left, hand scratches ear, looks at feet).
I have since been informed that the man did indeed die in the house (probably downstairs as the beds were all made (I don't think body removers make beds) and was not discovered for about a week.
Sounds very sad and horrible. More likely that his family are the callous ones - putting the house on the market before it has been cleared. Ralph died in our house - in the kid's bedroom. The last crossword that he'd done was still in the recycling box. But the house had been cleaned. I like Ralph's prescence though...
ReplyDeleteThis chap only had some distant cousins...no kids or close family. I guess they have just instructed solicitors to sort it all out.
ReplyDeleteI think dead man's smell isn't really a selling point - or do estate agents think it might be?