Once upon a time.....

You can ask anyone involved in a residential real estate transaction —whether Realtor, loan officer, buyer, seller, builder, inspector, tax assessor, designer, or dog — there is always some sort of amusing, embarrassing, cute or heartwarming story that surrounds almost every sale. It’s not surprising, when you take into consideration that buying a home is typically the largest financial and emotional decision one makes, that it's bound to be filled with entertaining idiosyncrasies that beg to be told, and retold.

Most of my Realtor friends are remarkable, patient and giving individuals who take pride in treating each client with the utmost professionalism. Real estate is a people business, and people that love people businesses are often witty, hilarious and savvy. They keep me laughing with endless stories to tell.

Here are a few of my favorites from Houston area real estate agents in their own words.

Michele Sergie: The dangers of vacuuming solo

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of ringing the doorbell, perhaps repeatedly, and waiting patiently. The other option is to enter at your own risk.

I was about to show buyers a home in my neighborhood, so I felt safe coming in and announcing our presence and intentions. Upon opening the door, I heard loud trendy music and the almost hypnotic hum of a vacuum cleaner. I shouted, “Hello! Hello! Anybody here?” but did not receive a response. I instructed my clients to stay outside while I ensured our visit was timely.

I instinctively followed the sound of the vacuum through the entrance, down the hall, and into the master bedroom, and was glad to find "Mr. Seller." Before I managed to catch his attention, I noticed that something was definitely wrong.

He was vacuuming naked. Who does that?

I quickly retreated around the corner and took a second to catch my breath. Thinking on my feet, I returned outside, re-locked the front door, rang the doorbell repeatedly and waited. Patiently.

After a few minutes, although it seemed like an eternity, Mr. Seller finally opened the door, dressed of course, and politely invited us in. Neither he nor my clients knew what had happened. If they did, they never acknowledged it.

Bo Mekmorakod: Put a ring on it

It’s the 21st century and women have come a long way. No longer are we homey housewives, but rather successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. In my career, I have encountered fierce women who have changed the rules on relationships and cohabitation. They no longer wait for Prince Charming to arrive before making one of the biggest investments of their lives: Buying a home.

This story isn’t about women being capable of purchasing a home on their own. We all know they are. Rather, this is about a woman who stood her ground on "tradition."

One of my clients, let’s call her Mary, had it all: A career, a sporty matching BMW, charm and a loving boyfriend. After dating her boyfriend for eight months, let’s call him Matt, she signed a contract to build a new home in the heart of the Rice Military neighborhood. The expected completion date was four months away.

Although Mary and Matt were equally involved in the building process, Mary made it clear it was her house, unless he put a ring on it.

One month before completion, I received a call from Matt seeking help. He wanted to make sure there would be no contractors at the home on Saturday, as he needed to "set up." Did he think he was moving in prior to closing?

“Set up for what?” I asked. Then, he confessed.

Mary and Matt would come almost every weekend to check on the home’s progress. That weekend, Mary walked in to find flowers, candles and a banner that read, “Will You Marry Me?” Matt put a ring on it.

They have been together ever since.

Kathy Richardson: The unexpected runaway

Animals make real estate interesting, especially when unexpected.

I was preparing to show a home. As I walked up to access the lockbox, I saw a rather large, almost human Great Dane through the entry glass door staring straight into my eyes. He must have been as tall as me, and I had no idea what to do. They did not tell me there was a dog when I made the appointment, and I had two frightened little girls with me.

The Great Dane did not bark, but was engaged in a seemingly endless staring contest with me. Although he scared me at first, his gaze turned gentle. Perhaps I was crazy — I’d like to think assertive — but I decided to test the waters myself by going in and checking him out.

I opened the door and the dog backed up as if to say, “Hello. Come in." My clients followed. The Great Dane escorted us into every room just watching. Things were going rather smoothly given the circumstances.

Then, the front door opened all of a sudden. It was another agent scheduled to show the house. He startled me at first, but politely decided to wait until we were done. Not being aware of the doggie dilemma, the other agent saw no need to close the front door behind him.

The dane got a whiff of freedom as he out took off down the street. The other agent was helpless so it was up to me to sprint and try to catch up with my new friend and save my reputation — even if it damaged my shoes.

I am sure the distance wasn’t as far as I remember it, but my run seemed liked a bad movie scene in slow motion. I did manage to catch the dog and escort him nicely, safely and carefully back to the home.

As I left him, the Great Dane just stared at me as if he was saying goodbye. I waved.