Homeownership feels increasingly out of reach for many Americans, but not for this group of creatures, which slithered into an uninhabited home in Arkansas, much to the chagrin of the realtor trying to sell it.
Christopher White, a Century 21 realtor who covers central Arkansas, posted a chilling video to his Instagram account showing a group of snakes making themselves comfy in a property he’s trying to sell.
In the video, a snake is seen trying to enter the closed front door. White pans over to the eaves and snaps a photo, where a couple of snakes are seen, quite literally hanging out. A dilapidated electric panel also proves to be an ideal hideaway for the creatures.
A black rat snake rests its chin on a twig as it peeks out from blooming wildflowers along a trail in the Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Saturday, April 5, 2025.
Just a couple of friends hanging out
“When I first got to the house I was treating it as business as usual. I got out of my truck, walked around the home,” White told USA TODAY. “I had got back in my truck to look at the information for the house, and that’s when I looked over at the porch.”
White said he first spotted the two snakes hanging out in the corner of the eaves.
“After that, I saw the snake that came knocking on the door like a [door-to-door] salesperson,” White added. “I stayed a bit longer waiting on my customer, and that’s when I saw the snake climb the electrical panel to be closer to its… friends.”
White said he sent the video to his clients, whose fear of snakes “parallels” his.
According to local media outlet, KARK, the snakes are nonvenomous black rat snakes, which feed primarily on pests like rats and mice. Citing the Chattahoochee Nature Centre, KARK added that this quality makes them a welcome addition to farms, as they help mitigate the threat of harmful rodents.
Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Realtor’s home viewing interrupted by slithering squatters