A Mississippi man was arrested for assaulting a realtor at an open house.
WJTV reports Jerry Glynn Dennis, 64, was apprehended for an incident taking place on July in the town of Pearl. The victim, who was not identified, told investigators that she was preparing the residence for an open house when Dennis came inside and pulled a handgun. Dennis and the realtor struggled over the weapon – the victim bit Dennis’ arm and he pistol whipped her. The victim said she was then sexually assaulted, with Dennis stealing her car keys and cell phone before fleeing.
Dennis was charged with two counts of sexual battery, kidnapping and armed robbery. He is being held in the Rankin County Detention Center on a $950,000 bond.
Photo: Mug shot of Jerry Glynn Dennis, courtesy of the Rankin County Detention Center
This is why I don’t do open houses. I had a friend murdered on a brokers open, on a Tuesday at 11am. They never found the killer. I dint think in my 27 years in real estate have I ever sold a house on an open.
Open Houses have never been about selling a house. It’s farming for new buyer clients, and appeasing sellers who think it’s helpful. I have sold new construction from hosting a model home open, but never an existing home.
As a new Realtor back in the 80’s I was holding an open house at my new listing. It was snowing heavily and the house was a little remote but I went anyway. There was a cheery fire in the fireplace and the house was beautiful. I sat by the fire and promptly dozed off. An hour later I heard footsteps and the doorbell ring. A nice couple came in, very cheerful. After a long tour and looking at the trees and landscape disappearing beneath a carpet of snow they turned to me and said they wanted to make an offer. The house smoothly closed and everyone was happy. Never happened again but what a sweet sale!
That sounds like a good foundation for a Hallmark Christmas movie. Ahhh, the sweet ones!
What is not to say that, the couple would have not bought it anyway from MLS . I do think open houses are a danger to agents. Why take a chance when the mls has so many pictures and tours. Yes people have sold homes from open houses, I am not one of them. No more open houses for me. Hope agents who have open houses take someone with them if that is what they and their sellers want.
That is a good reason why for sale by owner is dangerous. At lease we agents can check out our potential buyers before showing to them. Not so on open houses.
I hope that agent has a lot of support by her friends and office. I know she will be in my prayers.
I’ve been a licensed Realtor since 1987 and YES, open houses do help to sell homes, not in every case, but it does bring people who might be on the fence, to come look. In this current market, it also creates a sense of urgency and creates multiple offers with better terms and conditions for the Sellers. Depends on your marketplace whether they work or not, Rarely brings me new buyers to work with.
I agree with you. I retired from real estate 2 years ago but sold for 27 years. I sold many open houses and also picked up countless buyers and listings over the years. I think it has much to do with one’s ability to sell the home – I was always prepared and believed any home I sat was a winner
I am an actively licensed realtor for 22 years. I actually sold several homes at open houses years ago. Times change however, and I haven’t done that in quite a few years. I also worked in the stock brokerage business for 20 years and was able to cold call individuals and opened most accounts soliciting municipal bonds as well as bank cd’s and mutual funds right over the phone. Very difficult to do in today’s environment. I was assaulted by a seller who was getting divorced, and I was asked to sell the home by corporate. The house was the only thing keeping the husband and wife together. I asked him politely to clean up the basement prior to home inspection as we were under contract. He had killed 2 previous contracts, and I didn’t want it to happen a 3rd time. I asked him this as I was exiting the home. With that, he said “leave now before I beat you like a dog!” I turned around and said to him “what did you say?” With that in a nano second, he reached out, grabbed my arm, and flipped me head over heels back into the house onto the floor. He kicked the entry door closed so no one could see and put his knee into my chest and with his fist clenched, looked like he was going to deliver the final death blow. I’m on my back on the ground and the contract of sale is sprawled all over the floor with my blood on it. I gathered my contract, and eyeglasses and told him I just want to leave. I called 911 from outside. Within a few minutes, 3 police cars came as well as the EMT’s to check me out. Four cops went inside his home and stayed with him for about 20 minutes. The cops came out without him, so I asked what was happening. The one officer said we have his story and we need to get yours and somewhere in the middle is the truth. I called my manager to notify her of the assault, the only thing she was worried about was if I had the signed contract of sale. The EMT that attended to me said she wanted to get her real estate license. She said that she didn’t know that real estate was that tough.
I do not allow any of the agents in my office to do an open house alone. The world is crazy and dangerous. It is so sad to see things like this happening.
I’m a broker/owner of small independent brokerage in Los Angeles. I have sold many listings from holding open houses. If my listings are active, either someone from my brokerage or I sit them every Sunday 1-3 PM until they sell, if possible. I’ve made my real estate career off of open houses, picking up both buyers and sellers over 30 years. Sometimes I’ll list one home and get several future closed transactions from its open houses, but most leads I get go nowhere. But open houses do afford prospective buyers easy access to preview homes when their buyer’s agent may not even know they are looking for a new home yet. I’ve received many calls from loyal buyer clients calling me that they found their new home via an open house, and ask me to come take a look at it before writing the offer for them. Open houses also provide me with valuable feedback from the level of activity at the open houses, and from visitor comments about the house, which may help convince a seller to consider a price change or property modification in order to make their home more competitive in the market. The chances of something bad happening to a Realtor at an open house is quite remote IMO. Maybe I live dangerously. YMMV. Then again, I’ve been riding motorcycles on the streets of So Cal since 1976.
I’ll throw my 10 cents in as well. I used to do Open House viewings, but it has become too dangerous. No one should do them alone anymore today. Take a partner or someone from the office and split the leads………if you get any!!
This is why Realtors when applying for a Concealed Weapons Permit are always approved. I believe every realtor should get training become proficient and capable. Get a license and carry in your open house. Especially while putting out signage. It’s always a great idea for women to have a second person with them.