Last week out previewing properties with a fellow agent and an investor client, in Fountain Valley, CO. We arrive at the house; I unlock the door, and proceed to the kitchen to drop my business card on the kitchen countertop. OMG, there is a HUGE snake hanging out of the kitchen cabinets! I start to tell the others with me maybe we don't want to view this house, as there is a huge snake in here!!
They catch up to me at the edge of the kitchen, see the snake say some expletives, and run for the front door. I start to follow them out of the house, but realize I need a picture because NOBODY is Going to Believe this!!! So, caution thrown to the wind, I go back to the very edge of the kitchen, armed only with my cell phone. The agent and investor, are telling me how crazy I am, and to get out. Then someone asks "are you sure it's real?". So, again throwing caution to the wind I proceed to stomp my foot on the tile floor, and smack the countertop a couple times with my hand to see if the snake would move. In my own defense, I must say I grew up with 4 brothers, who had snakes, etc, as pets. So, I'm thinking it's a boa, and if it moves I can get out of the house before it could get to where I am. It doesn't move, I get my picture, and leave.
We are all completely freaked out, and laughing, calling people, and I believe a little in shock at stumbling across such an unexpected sight. I'm on the phone with the listing co, and the other agent has called her husband. The listing agent can't believe we aren't playing some sort of trick on him. But, I agree to send him the picture I have taken, and tell him maybe they should stop any further showings until the snake is removed.
The other agent I'm out with gets a call from a guy who works with her husband. He heard about the snake, and wants to volunteer to remove it, as he is interested in having boas for pets. The other agent arranges with the listing agent, for the guy to remove the snake later that day. The guy gets a bag, and snake hook from the reptile center, which also, tells him how to capture the approx. 6-foot boa. They also, tell him to bring it there and they will check it out.
He goes to get the snake, and brings it back to the reptile center. The reptile center employee opens the bag, and immediately closes it, stating it isn't a boa, but it is an ANACONDA!!!! And that the guy who removed it from the house and anyone else who was close to it was very lucky the snake was dehydrated, and hungry. Because apparently, had it struck anyone, they would need to go to the hospital, and would swell to approximately 8x their normal size. I guess they have venom, but are not lethal. However, Anaconda's over 3 feet long are illegal, and this one ended up being 5 feet 6 inches long. Last I heard the snake was being well cared for at the reptile center, who will eventually find it a home at a local zoo, or similar institution. This just goes to prove that you never know what you may find out there working in this Concrete Jungle, we call Colorado Springs!
We did in fact find out that the previous owners had abandoned the snake when they lost possession of the property. How nice of them not to mention anything to the bank or realtor!!!
P.S. I apologize for the quality of the picture as it was taken with my palm treo cell phone.
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