When You Didn't Know Squat(ters)

“Negotiation is not an act of battle; it’s a process of discovery. The goal is to uncover as much information as possible. -Chris Voss (from a book I recommend Never Split the Difference) Happy Friday peeps!!! Can anyone guess the movie from the image above? Hint: The plot is about people living in a house without permission, like my story below! This week I wanted to share a story straight from yours truly in a segment I’d like to call “Realtor Ryan’s Adventures,” so come along on this wild ride lol: Last weekend I went to tour a property that appeared to have great potential. The property was in the city of Rodeo and was similar to a duplex with two connected units. Most of you should know about my love of multi-family properties, so I headed out on my journey to tour the house. The agent told me the property was vacant, but the squatters inside had other plans. In all fairness, I probably startled them more than they startled me, but their love for ex-presidential candidate “Bernie” calmed my nerves. What can I say, four years at Cal prepared me for more than just business and real estate After announcing myself and realizing there was a person occupying one unit and a couch barricade in the other, I decided to hop in my car and drive off to the next scheduled tour. Just another day for Realtor Ryan ;) I do want to turn this fun story into a quick lesson that most people don't follow in the industry - always tell people where you are going. Josh, Brittany and Brent all new the address of the property and that I was going at a specific time. Any vacant building you should always treat as "occupied" - better to be safe than sorry. Announce yourself and be careful. Also, turn the lights on right away. I was in another property this past week with the freakiest little toy doll. Gives me the chills just thinking about it!