Snakes in the house: Real estate nightmare, or conservation opportunity?

A realtor in Idaho is willing to slash the price of one home to the bone. The reason? The home is crawling with Garter snakes. Garter snakes, as we all know, are a harmless small native species; chances are when the house was built it destroyed a nesting site.

Last year its owners gave up and walked away, allowing the house to fall into foreclosure - deciding that was a better option than living with the serpents slithering around in the ceilings and walls. It was taken over by the lender, Chase Bank. Now Realty Quest associate broker Todd Davis is faced with the daunting task of trying to sell it. That task would be hard enough with the current market, but once the slithery occupants are factored in, you have to feel a pang of sympathy for the optimistic Mr Davis. Even his decision to slash the price from the estimated value of $175,000 to $109,000 may not be enough. [....] Even more horrible for those living there. Previous owners describe the terror of trying to sleep at night, never knowing when your bed could be invaded, in a YouTube video from as far back as 2006.

While the press coverage was not kind in the least to these snakes, it does bring to mind a similar situation in Illinois, with the Fox Snake House. Since the state will not aide in removal of the snakes, perhaps they can purchase the home and turn it into a giant hibernaculum. Or maybe a field herper in Iowa is looking for a new cheap home!