Realtor ‘works for food’ to help needy

By Tim Yovich

The Realtor has been offered food and money as he stands at a corner in Cortland.

CORTLAND — Realtor Ken Wagner is really working for food.

Wagner, 56, of Cortland, set up shop Monday at the intersection of state Routes 46 and 305 at the Bazetta Township line to sell houses.

He will pass out fliers through Friday.

His sandwich signboard reads: “Local Realtor Will Work For Food.”

Working out of the Century 21 Prestige Realty Group in Howland, Wagner will donate $50 from his commission per house sale to either the Cortland Area Cares organization or Second Harvest Food Bank to help the needy in the community.

“This is actually my promotion,” Wagner said, noting that he is the only Realtor from the Howland office involved.

As of late Tuesday morning, he hadn’t sold a house.

Wagner has drawn attention, however.

Both Cortland and Bazetta police stopped Tuesday morning because people who spotted him had called in suspicious-person complaints.

After finding out what Wagner was doing, the police left with a smile and one with a flier.

Police received calls despite Wagner’s being neatly dressed in jeans, dress shirt and sport coat. He picked the Route 46 and 305 corner, he said, because of the large volume of traffic, especially from state Route 11 to Route 305.

He doesn’t have to be at the office to sell houses. Wagner explained that most of his business is done by cell phone or over the computer. He also works at night when he isn’t standing around.

Wagner said people are stopping to help.

One motorist attempted to give him a bag of food from McDonald’s, another handed him $1 and another offered him a handful of money. He couldn’t get to it because of the heavy traffic forcing the motorist to leave.

yovich@vindy.com