REXBURG – Located at 675 W. 5000 North, a house is listed to
sell, but there is more to this abode than meets the eye: It is
infested with garter snakes.

The last owners of the home were Ben and Amber Sessions. They
bought the house at what they thought was a great price.

“We were told that the previous owners in there didn’t want to
make their payment because they made up a story that there were
snakes there, that they didn’t want to pay their mortgage so they
made up a snake story,” Ben Sessions said.

The couple was also informed that every precaution was taken to
ensure there wasn’t a snake problem. They trusted the real estate
agent that the information they had been told was true.

Later, the Sessions learned that the story of the snakes was not
made up, and there was a problem.

The Sessions were forced to file for bankruptcy and the house
was foreclosed.

The house is currently owned by Chase Bank, which contacted Todd
Davis, listing specialist and associate broker from Realty Quest,
to handle the selling of the foreclosed home. Realty Quest did not
handle the sale to the Sessions.

This is the first experience Davis has had with the house and
has not seen any snakes, as it is the hibernating season. He has
heard about the home from others and is going to try to sell the
home while making sure those inquiring are aware of the
situation.

Davis had requested the bank to get the house inspected and find
out what it would take to rid the problem. The bank sent an
inspector, who estimated in December there were about 400 to 500
snakes at the house. The latest assessment from the inspector is
that there are multiple thousands of snakes.

The Sessions moved into the home in September 2009 and began to
see snakes two weeks after they had moved in. At first, they
thought maybe they were just stirring some snakes up because the
house had been vacant for a year. They lived out in the country and
expected to see some snakes.

After some time, the Sessions began to see more snakes. Amber
Sessions saw eight snakes within a couple of days and decided to
research the house a little more.

“I went online to find out what was going on. I typed in ‘Idaho
snake house,’ and there was a Channel 6 news report of the previous
people that lived there, the Ards, and it was our house,” said
Amber Sessions.

Davis understands the snakes to be under the foundation of the
house and Ben Sessions says he believes the snakes to be by the
well because the water at the house tasted the same as the snakes
smelled.

Garter snakes “secrete a foul-smelling fluid from anal glands
when alarmed.” (Click
here for more.)

“From what we’re told, the snakes actually leave a scent that
attracts other snakes to the den for up to 2 miles away,” Davis
said.

The “snake house” has been listed for sale for 46 days, as of
today, and Davis said that with each person inquiring, Realty Quest
is making sure those interested are aware of the problem to their
knowledge.

A YouTube video was posted by the owners before the Sessions
(the Ards) of the snakes, and Davis is also e-mailing the link to
inquirers. Davis said the YouTube video is the only true evidence
of the snakes that he has seen.

The Sessions were on the Animal Planet television show,
“Infested: snakes, spiders, and ants,” but the video footage of the
snakes were actors portraying the situation.

“Everyone that we’ve been talking to, we’ve offered – the
Sessions have said that they’re willing to let people contact them
– we’re offering their phone number to them, as well as the pest
inspector’s phone number to them to try to make them as aware as
possible,” Davis said.

Davis estimated the house to be worth about $175,000 if it were
not infested and it is currently listed at $109,200 because of the
situation.

The house was remodeled about five years ago, and it is believed
that is when the snakes got access to the home because it was
exposed.

“We’re not trying to minimize (the problem), we’re not trying to
sweep it under the rug,” Davis said. “The minimal amount we would
make in a commission is not worth destroying someone’s life and
what’s happened to the Sessions. We feel terrible for them, it’s
simply, it sounds like they were the victims of misinformation, and
we’re trying to go 180 degrees the opposite direction with
that.”

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