Jack (or Jill) of Many Trades

If I were to describe the many tasks my job description encompasses, it could fill many pages.  The unspoken things a real estate agent does to help their client are usually the most nebulous and the hardest to pin down.  Today was a perfect example.  My family and I were 45 minutes out of town celebrating birthdays and doing a substitute Easter gathering.  A call came in from an agent trying to show my new listing.  She tried repeatedly to open the electronic lockbox on the property with no success.  The box was jammed.  We were packing to return home so I mentally scheduled a trip to the lockbox instead of an evening relaxing in front of the t.v.

At home I collected my tools of choice: a small putty knife, a long phillips screwdriver, a spark plug timing tool, several small crochet hooks, my electronic keypad, a hammer, a bolt cutter, a hack saw, a sheetrock knife, and one husband.  One of these miracle tools was bound to loosen the jam in the box.  On the 12 mile commute, I remembered the keys in this box were held together by a twist tie and guessed the twist tie had bent over the side and caused the jam.  I hoped there would be clearance enough to use one of my tools to shake it loose.  The worst case scenario would be removal of the door handle to free the box for professional servicing.  The husband was along to address this scenario!

We set to work upon arrival.  The box was well and surely jammed.  It wouldn't even release from the door handle!   The crochet hooks fit through the tiny gap but didn't have the strength to pull the key carrier down.  The spark plug tool also slipped through but had no gripping ability.  Knitting needles could only be used if the box was off the door.  The hammer?  Only a last resort.  I slipped tool after tool into the narrow opening hoping beyond hope one would work.  Ten minutes later, a repeat performance with the putty knife did the trick.  That beautiful click and release sound was heard.  I was able to pull the key carriage out and sure enough, there was the twist tie bent over the edge of the box.

So what part of the job description does this task come under?  Problem solving, the fiduciary duty of reasonable care, or maybe lock smith?  They all apply, but rarely would I think to include this administrative duty in a REALTOR's job description!

Comments

[Bonnie Erickson]

April 10, 2006 - Tough Old Lockboxes

It may be more common than we realize to own a "hacked" lockbox. I, too, attempted to break into the old style box once, and it wasn't possible. We used a hacksaw, bolt cutters, sledge hammer, and only managed to mangle the poor thing. It was the only key for the building and we ended up getting a locksmith to make a new key. If I were a burglar, I wouldn't start to "burgle" with the lockbox. It'd be easier to break down the door!

[Maureen McCabe]

April 10, 2006 - Resourceful

You sound like the McGiver (sp?) of real estate to me. Do you used duct tape for anything? I read something in a column on Inman News last week about duct tape.

I have a lock box someone tried to saw off a house. It's ugly but it still works. My sellers thought their keys had been stolen at an auto show so they were trying to get into the house to see if the fancy schmancy cars in the garage were still there. They told me the police did it. This was years ago I hope the police understand they could not saw through a lockbox by now.