Do You Know What Your Tree Did?

While visiting a house I have in escrow for a buyer, I heard the inevitable voice calling in that "woo-hoo" tone from over the fence to the east. I'm attempting to duck in and out, just doing my work quickly. I have to complete something called an Agent's Visual Inspection Disclosure as part of the disclosures given to the Buyer. It's when I get to tell the Buyer that the paint is cracked and the carpet is stained, as if he didn't notice already.

So, here's this neighbor, peering at me over the fence. She's a tad corpulent, with short hair and owl-like glasses.

"Is this your house? Do you know what your tree did to our yard?" she asks, accusingly.

"Well, the possibilities are endless," I say.

Exasperated: "Did you get the letter I sent to you." I reply, "Oh, this isn't my house - I'm the Buyer's Realtor."

"Well, did you get the letter I sent to your company?" She's armed - she's holding a rake. And it's rusty.

I'm not sure how to clarify this for her, so I say in my most patient tone, "Oh, you would have probably sent the letter to the Listing Agent. That's the agent selling the house for the owner. I'm the Buyer's Agent - I'm the agent for the person buying the house."

"Oh, I see," she responds dejectedly. "Well, this tree has just ruined our yard. Does your Buyer know about it yet?"

"No." I'm feeling the urge to chew my leg off.

"You should tell him. Get that letter from the agent," she orders and waddles away.

As soon as my Buyer appears, I tell him about her. He'll have to sign a Mrs. Kravitz Disclosure, pronto.