For some time now, the Florida neighbourhood where Brian Laundrie resided with his parents and late fiancée, Gabby Petito, has been crowded full of angry protestors and members of the media. The area has been described as a “circus,” but that hasn’t deterred new people from moving in to nearby homes.
Representatives from one of North Port’s top real estate teams, Alisha Colligan and Tony Gustitus, told TMZ that on Monday, they sold a house that’s “a stone’s throw away” from the Laundrie home for $379,000.
The buyers are reportedly from out of state, and had an interest in the home long before the disappearance of Petito, and now Laundrie, made international news.
They flew in for a walk-through last week, at which time they also closed the deal on the home. Apparently the real estate agents were worried that the sight of protestors and neighbours breaking out into a fight might turn things sour, but the buyers didn’t seem to be too phased.
In fact, TMZ reports that house sales in all of North Port, Florida are currently on the rise, so the Laundrie fiasco clearly hasn’t scared away too many people.
While some residents of the neighbourhood have expressed their frustrations via yelling, others are taking advantage of the situation in true American spirit by charging media up to $3,500 per week to set up equipment on their lawns.
Just a few days ago, Brian’s father, Chris, headed to a nearby reserve along with authorities in hopes of tracking down his son, or at least finding some clues. No such luck, but other family members have also begun speaking out, urging Brian to “come forward” so this mess can end.
If you need more info about the case, check out our earlier story on Petito and Laundrie’s road trip drama prior to the 22-year-old’s death. RIP.
[Via]
