(post by BT) I have a listing with a seller that speaks no English, Spanish only. A Realtor from another office called me to set up an appointment. He said (in good English) that someone else would come to show the property. The agent who arrives, just like his buyer speaks 2 words of English: Hi and Hello. That’s it! Chinese only. The subject property is a 3-family with a store. During the first I only show the roof, basement and the store, to avoid non-serious buyers from disturbing the tenants. Otherwise, if you show too many times, tenants start to get annoyed to the point that when you have a serious buyer, they may not let you in any more. The buyer loves it! I tell her the train is only 1 block away — and she doesn’t understand, so I write it down for her. After a few minutes of trying, without any luck, to “sell” the proximity of the train, I take them both for a short ride, pull over next to the station and point it to her, then make thumbs up… She nods and smiles wide. She got it! She wants to set up another appointment, this time to see the 3 apartments. We set it up.

Half hour goes by and I am wondering ‘where on earth are these people?!’ I call the English-speaking agent find out their car broke down! Why didn’t someone call me? The tenant is waiting on us, and got pissed. We reschedule for the next day. I did. They cancel. Now I am really pissed, and think the tenant might not let me in anymore. So my mother-in-law happens to be visiting and I asked her to do me favor… We took her, as if she was a buyer so the tenant does not think we canceled again.

The agent calls me again and begs to give them another chance. This time I call all the tenants and none of them will open for me. The owner calls me (actually calls my wife, who speaks Spanish) and wants to know what’s going on. We tell him we have serious buyer but can’t get in. He’s going to the property, he says, and can open up for us. The buyer arrives 10 minutes late! What’s wrong with these people?! Can’t ask them or tell them anything – no use, no English. We get into all of the apartments one by one. The first unit we get into, the Chinese Realtor disappears. Where did she go? I then notice the buyer is standing in front of the bathroom door. Holly molly! The Realtor is using the tenant’s bathroom! Oh no! Are they insane? The owner is speaking with the tenant and I am so worried she will notice, and might get annoyed. I mean, damn, these people were late, canceled twice, and now didn’t even ask to use someone’s bathroom! Thankfully, no one notices… Great, let’s get this over with. But wait, now the buyer goes inside the bathroom! I am thinking, “this is bad, really bad”. Finally, she comes out and we get out of unit #1. Note: they took their shoes off before anyone asked them, but went to pee without asking? Wait, how would they ask? No English. As we walk up the stairs to see the next apartment, one of them starts farting really loud! I am going to barf, laugh and cry, all at the same time. Owner says nothing, I can’t even make small talk to either side diffuse the situation, these people have no manners and I am about to faint from the smell!