RJF
02-07-2008, 11:45 AM
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House-Hunting Horror: Body Found During Open House
Thursday , February 07, 2008
An estate agent is recovering from shock after he showed a group of househunters around a house — and found a dead body inside a closet.
The prospective buyers were browsing around the four-bedroom home during an open viewing while the owner's corpse was hanging in the master bedroom.
And discovering the body, they fled, with the shocked agent immediately locking the doors of the property in Quorn, Leicestershire, behind him and dialling for help.
The 48-year-old owner had put the detached house on the market for $670,292 after his elderly mother died.
He reportedly told neighbors he was devastated by her death and the house held too many memories.
Gary Hartley, who owns agents Hartley Estates, praised his colleague for the way he handled the situation.
He told Sky News Online: "One of my colleagues was conducting a tour of the property and unfortunately the body was found in a bedroom.
"My colleague was terrific, he calmly ushered people out and locked the door.
"He wasn't to know exactly what had gone on and informed the family and the authorities, and went home shaking."
Hartley said he did not know how many people were there, but said it was an open viewing and there was more than one party.
He added: "It's a very desirable area and there's always been a lot of interest hence there were a number of viewers.
"The buyers were shocked as well. But we exposed as few people as possible to the body."
He said: "Our sympathies go to the family and praise to my colleague for the way he handled the situation.
"We have had people who were there for the viewing phoning up to praise the way he conducted himself."
Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and an inquest will be held at a later date.
House-Hunting Horror: Body Found During Open House
Thursday , February 07, 2008
An estate agent is recovering from shock after he showed a group of househunters around a house — and found a dead body inside a closet.
The prospective buyers were browsing around the four-bedroom home during an open viewing while the owner's corpse was hanging in the master bedroom.
And discovering the body, they fled, with the shocked agent immediately locking the doors of the property in Quorn, Leicestershire, behind him and dialling for help.
The 48-year-old owner had put the detached house on the market for $670,292 after his elderly mother died.
He reportedly told neighbors he was devastated by her death and the house held too many memories.
Gary Hartley, who owns agents Hartley Estates, praised his colleague for the way he handled the situation.
He told Sky News Online: "One of my colleagues was conducting a tour of the property and unfortunately the body was found in a bedroom.
"My colleague was terrific, he calmly ushered people out and locked the door.
"He wasn't to know exactly what had gone on and informed the family and the authorities, and went home shaking."
Hartley said he did not know how many people were there, but said it was an open viewing and there was more than one party.
He added: "It's a very desirable area and there's always been a lot of interest hence there were a number of viewers.
"The buyers were shocked as well. But we exposed as few people as possible to the body."
He said: "Our sympathies go to the family and praise to my colleague for the way he handled the situation.
"We have had people who were there for the viewing phoning up to praise the way he conducted himself."
Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and an inquest will be held at a later date.