Summary: If you’ve been in real estate long enough, there’s a good chance you’ve run headlong into a hoarders—hoarders are everywhere!—and your next client could be one. Listen as today’s guest Sharon McRill shares her outrageous experiences with hoarders—from finding a single ruby earring in a room with piled up stock perspectives, to discovering photos from the 1930s and tracking down the original owner. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting The Leigh Brown Experience. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:30 – Introducing Sharon McRill 00:41 – Sharon is the owner and founder of Betty Brigade 00:58 – Sharon works with hoarders 01:43 – You have no idea what you’ll find in a hoarder home 02:18 – Sharon got hired to an estate sale inside the house and get all the stuff out 02:32 – Her client hoarded stock perspectives from 1960s until she died in the 2000s 03:02 – There were two rooms full of perspectives 03:11 – The crazy part? There were actual live stock certificates and Sharon and her team had to go through each pile! 03:25 – They found $8,000 cash, a gold coin collection, and loose gold 04:36 – The daughter asked Sharon’s team to find a single ruby earring in the room 05:08 – They found the ruby earring that had been in there for 30 years! 05:43 – Hoarding is an illness 05:53 – Sharon also worked with a lady who hoarded things she dumped out of her purse 06:06 – There were gum wrappers, candy, half pens, crumbs, cookie packages, and all kinds of ridiculous stuff! 06:35 – Sharon would put the blank receipts in the trash and the client would get it back because she couldn’t let it go 07:55 – Real estate agents walk away from listing these houses 08:22 – There is a way to get the hoarded items cleared out quickly without having to put them in trash 08:36 – Calling up an estate seller is not always the best way to go 09:04 – Sharon is picky with her staff and makes sure they are fully background checked 09:16 – There is no special insurance, just a bonding certificate 10:31 – Sharon is in the tool room of another client which hadn’t been cleaned for 50 years! 10:48 – The tool room had layers of dirt and a lot of mice 11:00 – Sharon found a cupboard with a tool shelf full of bank statements from the 1960s and 1970s 11:41 – There were photos of the home owners from the 1930s which Sharon gave to the daughter 12:17 – Reach Sharon at Betty Brigade 13:00 – Are you a listener with a crazy story to share? Ping Leigh at crazyshitinrealestate.com 3 Key Points Hoarding is a disease. When working with a hoarder, always return what you find. Secure a bonding certificate to protect yourself and your clients from liability. Credits Audio Production by Chris Mottram Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives Cover Design by Two Minds Design Original Music by Rimsky Music