Open Houses Can Be Costly

Real estate open houses can be a great way to show off a co-op or condo to prospective buyers. But, it's probably a good idea to be wary of those on the guest list. On March 1, a 63-year-old woman, who resides in a tony First Avenue apartment building, entrusted her open house to a real estate agent, who hosted numerous guests and prospective buyers. The woman, who was not present at the open house, later reported to police that a pearl necklace and a set of pearl earrings were missing from a dresser drawer in a bedroom. Both items were reported to be worth more than $40,000. The woman told police that the real estate agents and the prospective buyers all had access to the bedroom. The items have not yet been recovered but police say they are investigating.