If any of you are wanting to get into REO but don't really know what to expect....well, I have a story for you.

Saturday morning, January 21, 2012 I get a call from my field services agent telling me that they have gone out, secured one of my listings however, put their lock box on the front door because they didn't know who placed a lock box on the front door. Well, after a little investigation, come to find out, the lock box on the front door belonged to no one....it was a rogue lock box. None the less, I call my field agent back, tell her I am heading out to do my personal property evaluation and that I would cut the front lock box off and move her lock box to the front door. For some reason, her team doesn't carry bolt cutters on them...but, I DO!

Well, it's a busy Saturday morning, people are everywhere in this neighborhood, walking dogs, doing some yard work...you get the idea. In fact, the neighbors angry little miniature overweight dachshund was harassing me the moment I drove in the drive of my property. None the less, I get out of my car, open the trunk, grab my bolt cutters, walk up to the front door and cut the lock box off. My partner walks around to the back, opens the back door (with the key), walks to the front door through the house and lets me in. Well, I grab my camera, start walking through the home, taking pictures. As I walk into the master bedroom upstairs, I hear a booming voice yell, "HANDS UP, STEP OUT OF THE HOUSE, KEEP YOUR HANDS UP". I look out the Master Bedroom door and I see my partner with his hands up, walking down the steps. He is telling the officers at the door that he is with me, the Realtor and we are doing a personal property evaluation. Well the officers sees me step out of the bedroom, orders me to put my hands up and to walk out of the house. Now...as many of you know, I have my conceal carry permit and the first thing out of my mouth is, "I am armed"...telling the office I am packing my gun. All of a sudden, I notice that 4....yes, 4 officers have their guns trained on me as I am walking down the stairs, out of the house. I repeat myself because none of them confirmed they heard me so as I am walking down the stairs, I am yelling, "I AM ARMED". Finally, one of the officers says, "We hear you, we see it, keep your hands up".....so, as I am walking down the steps, I am telling the officer that I am the Realtor, that's my name on the sign in the yard, that's my name on the occupancy notification on the door, and my real estate license and my ccp are in my wallet in my back right pocket. So....here I am, 4 loaded guns, trained on my chest, I have a gun on my hip....officers don't know who I am, what I am doing there and all they know is they got a call from a neighbor saying someone was breaking in......ROFLMAO!

So....as exciting as the start of the ordeal was, the end of the ordeal was actually pretty funny. As I step out on to the porch, with 4 guns pointed right at me, the officer in charge reaches for my hip, grabs my gun and ask me who I am. Now, during this whole time, no one has touched me other than to take my gun, yet.....I have now, 5 guns trained on me...so, I guess they were confident that they were in charge...lol. I tell him I am the Realtor, I am here doing my personal property evaluation and I didn't break in. Well, during this whole time, I see a officer at my car, running my plates....which by the way is a National Association of Realtors plate that says, SELL....lol, yes...it says SELL. Well, by this time, the officer at my car motions to the officer holding my gun and before I know it, all the guns are in holsters and I am talking to the officer in charge having a polite conversation about how I obviously listened in my CCP class because he was impressed that I announced I had a weapon on me and that I had my license on me. He thanked me for cooperating, we shared some jokes about how I carry 10+1, which means I carry 10 rounds in my magazine, which is it's limit and then I carry a round chambered. He was impressed and said it was smart to do so.

All in all, I ended up talking to these five officers (one I didn't see, till I stepped out on the porch, he had a gun pointed to my back the whole time. ) having a cool conversation about how I was a good steward of my CCP, I was a good steward of my weapon. They packed up and left....they only stayed with us for about 10 minutes at most.

So....just one of my experiences as a REO agent.....it's always fun!

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Jesse Gonzalez is a highly accomplished and respected real estate professional with a wealth of experience in the industry. With a career over 15 years, Jesse has established himself as a leading real estate sales and marketing expert.

As a licensed real estate agent since 2005 and a broker since 2008, Jesse has a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of the market. In 2013, he founded his firm, Liberty House Realty, LLC demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to delivering exceptional service to his clients.

Jesse's expertise extends beyond traditional real estate transactions. He obtained his Registered Appraisal Trainee in 2019, providing him with valuable insights into property valuation and market analysis. Although he decided to focus primarily on sales, his appraisal background gives him a unique advantage in understanding the intricacies of property values and trends.

With a dedication to excellence, Jesse consistently achieves outstanding results for his clients. Last year alone, he closed over $20 million in sales and received the prestigious Sapphire Award from his local association, recognizing his exceptional achievements in the industry.

Beyond his successful career in real estate, Jesse is passionate about education and personal growth. He is completing his undergraduate degree in Forensic Psychology, with plans to attend Law School in the fall of 2024. Jesse's ambition is to become a real estate litigator, focusing on real estate consumer protection law and advocating for the rights and interests of homebuyers and sellers.

As the owner/operator of the nation's largest social network for REO professionals, <a href="http://www.REOProNetwork.com">www.REOProNetwork.com</a>, Jesse has positioned himself as a thought leader and industry influencer. Through this platform, he fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing among REO agents, attorneys, asset management firms, and other professionals in the field.

With a commitment to professionalism, integrity, and providing a personalized experience for his clients, Jesse Gonzalez is a trusted advisor and a driving force in the real estate industry. Whether assisting clients with buying or selling properties, he consistently goes above and beyond to exceed expectations and ensure successful outcomes.

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Comments

  • Wow, great story Jesse! There are many times when I am taking my first walk through of a new asset that I think I really should be carrying a gun. My dog usually accompanies me and runs ahead and does a quick sweep of the house. That's my protection!
  • I had this happen to me last Summer, had 2 officers with their guns trained on me. The neighbor at one of my REO listings called the police. She had never seen me pull up on my motorcycle and assumed someone was there that shouldn't be..... Every other time I was in my car and no problems. Guess she thought I was some big bad biker dude......

  • You did fantastic, not sure how I would of acted in the circumstances.

  • LOL, you did good Jesse! Having been on the other side (11 years as a Deputy Sheriff) I have "introduced" myself a few times like that. But so far I have not had the law called on me while checking properties....so far. I'm sure it will happen one day but I know a few key words (that I will not share, lol) to calm the situation quickly.....if I don't already know the officers/deputies responding.

  • Question? Is there going to be a "Pistol Permit" workshop at REOCON this weekend? I think I need to start packing heat...

  • So I haven't been on REOPRO in a while and this is the story that I come back to. Classic! Well, Jesse you just got initiated into the club. This has happened to me 3 times in Middle, TN! I always fit the description! The last one was in Murfreesboro 3 black guys robbed a store. I was doing an interior BPO 2 blocks down. This home was a farm and it had a lot of barns. Well, yes you guessed it. I had swat, the police, and the sheriff department with guns and taxers pointed at me. Mind you I am in an Armani suit, but I just robbed a store 2 blocks over and now I am taking pictures of a house. WTF! Any way I had dogs barking they threw me in the mud and broke my glasses and I too were packing a Glock 30 .45 cal. But when they found out who I was they asked me now to sue! So there you go buddy. It's sad that this happens but it does…They should be out really catching criminals instead of bothering hard working people. 

  • ROFLMAO!

  • Steve says we call that a "Welcome Wagon" here in New York....LOL
  • With all those hungry officers was there a buyer among them. Knowing you, you probably wrote one of the cops up!! SOLD!
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