When you’ve been in the same career for as long as I have, you may come to think you’ve seen it all. I understand that each day will provide an opportunity to learn something new but sometimes even I am surprised at what events occur during the course of my days selling Real Estate in Northern Virginia.

My wife Karen and I recently listed our townhome for sale. We priced it very aggressively to ensure maximum traffic and more likely than not, multiple contracts. The MLS listing for our home went “active” on Friday July 17. The reaction was immediate! The showings commenced 15 minutes afterwards!

We decided to spend the weekend at my mother-in-law’s so that our home could be shown as often as possible. It was a fun weekend filled with family time and “honey-do’s”! On Sunday afternoon at about 3:30 pm I received a call that I still have a hard time believing. The caller said “Ed, you need to come over to your listing because there’s been an altercation and the police have been called and are on their way”.

Upon arriving at our home, I saw the EMS trucks leaving and two police cars parked in front of my home. The police offers and eye witnesses explained the events like this:

At about 3:00 pm an agent and her clients arrived to view our home. Finding the front door locked and the key removed from the lockbox, the agent rang the doorbell. Another agent, who was showing the home at the time,  opened an upstairs window and yelled down something to the effect of “wait your turn, I’m showing the property now!”.

A few minutes later, the agent inside our home opened the front door and stepped back into our entry foyer. Thinking they were being invited in, the agent and her clients who were waiting outside started to enter. That’s when the agent inside the home allegedly grabbed the incoming agent by the throat and slammed her up against the front door a few times and threw / pushed her out onto our front porch. Her legs & feet still in our doorway, the agent inside kept attempting to slam the door on her ankles and feet. It wasn’t until the husband of her client duo came to her aide that the attack stopped. The offending agent and his clients left the scene a short time thereafter before the police arrived.

Needless to say, I was shocked and appalled at not only the attack itself but the level of violence displayed. I was and am incensed that a Realtor would act in such a manner. We as agents need to respect other agents, and protect the public. We need to be courteous, professional, and keep our emotions in check. By controlling our emotions and giving the right advice and acting responsibly we will raise the standards of agents in our industry.

“When It’s SOLD, The Butler Did It!”