Want to ruin your weekend and make a bunch of enemies? Attend an open home
It's widely attributed to him; if you Google 'Yeats + Strangers', it comes up a bunch of times. And, in 2023, organisers of the Dublin marathon even inscribed it on a medal given out to competitors as a reminder that running a marathon with people you don't know is a great way to make friends. But there's no record of Yeats having ever written or said the line, so the jury is still out.
I suspect none of this mattered to the real estate agent who arrived 20 minutes late for an open house he was hosting.
Faced with a crowd of unimpressed potential buyers huddled around a FOR SALE sign, as if proximity might give them a better chance, he looked to diffuse the awkwardness by misquoting Yeats (or whoever said it). 'Apologies, apologies, sorry to keep everyone waiting, hope you've had a chance to chat… you know what they say, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.'
It was clear to me that Yeats (or whoever said it) had never been to an open house in a competitive market on a Saturday morning because this group of strangers were not about to become friends – quite the opposite, in fact.
Once the agent finished setting up his little frame, the one that reads 'Inspection today!' (a pointless activity, given that everyone was already there waiting for the inspection today), we were ushered inside. Details were exchanged, and the agent assured us he could answer any questions we might have. Tempted as I may have been to raise my hand and ask the obvious question – Why aren't you wearing socks? – I understood this was not a time for jokes.
Anyone who has attended an open home, which is essentially everyone, given the dire state of housing in Australia, will know that it's serious business. Sure, you're there to view the house/unit/villa/squat, but you're really scoping out the competition and mentally trying to identify who is about to crush your dreams.
On this particular day, at a modest house in a modest suburb, gathered a line-up of usual suspects: cashed-up investors, curious neighbours, amateur renovators looking for a project.
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The internet can't decide whether legendary Irish poet William Butler Yeats actually said these famous words: 'There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met yet.' It's widely attributed to him; if you Google 'Yeats + Strangers', it comes up a bunch of times. And, in 2023, organisers of the Dublin marathon even inscribed it on a medal given out to competitors as a reminder that running a marathon with people you don't know is a great way to make friends. But there's no record of Yeats having ever written or said the line, so the jury is still out. I suspect none of this mattered to the real estate agent who arrived 20 minutes late for an open house he was hosting. Faced with a crowd of unimpressed potential buyers huddled around a FOR SALE sign, as if proximity might give them a better chance, he looked to diffuse the awkwardness by misquoting Yeats (or whoever said it). 'Apologies, apologies, sorry to keep everyone waiting, hope you've had a chance to chat… you know what they say, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.' It was clear to me that Yeats (or whoever said it) had never been to an open house in a competitive market on a Saturday morning because this group of strangers were not about to become friends – quite the opposite, in fact. Once the agent finished setting up his little frame, the one that reads 'Inspection today!' (a pointless activity, given that everyone was already there waiting for the inspection today), we were ushered inside. Details were exchanged, and the agent assured us he could answer any questions we might have. Tempted as I may have been to raise my hand and ask the obvious question – Why aren't you wearing socks? – I understood this was not a time for jokes. Anyone who has attended an open home, which is essentially everyone, given the dire state of housing in Australia, will know that it's serious business. Sure, you're there to view the house/unit/villa/squat, but you're really scoping out the competition and mentally trying to identify who is about to crush your dreams. On this particular day, at a modest house in a modest suburb, gathered a line-up of usual suspects: cashed-up investors, curious neighbours, amateur renovators looking for a project.
