Watson & Homes, a Sherman Oaks-based family real estate team, dished out a little treat this Halloween. The family purchased and personally handed out about 1,200 pumpkins to Sherman Oaks homeowners for a pumpkin carving contest, then gave out prizes to the winners. The first place prize was $250 to Lowe’s, a home improvement retailer. “It was kind of a surprise,” said first place winner and Sherman Oaks homeowner, Steve Decker, who received the nod for his demon-faced pumpkin. “We came home one day and there was a pumpkin at the front door with a flyer.” The husband, wife and daughter real estate team of Scott Hillenbrand, Vicki Watson and Catherine Watson strolled through multiple Trader Joe’s stores, filling shopping carts to the brim with pumpkins. The purchases totaled about $3,500. “We probably made at least 30 trips to Trader Joe’s all over the Valley,” Hillenbrand said. “We went through all the pumpkins they had from Toluca Lake to Burbank to Encino.” The team even received an e-mail telling the story behind one entry, which was a play on Harry Potter and his mortal enemy. “These are our pumpkins: Harry Pumpkin and Voldegourd. They are bitter enemies, but are currently putting their differences aside so as to win us a certain pumpkin carving contest,” the e-mail from the 5th-place winner said. The endeavor was all treat and no trick. And local residents were surprised they weren’t being asked to do anything but take a free pumpkin, carve it and send in a picture of their finished masterpiece, the family team said. The second place winner received a $100 gift card to Lowe’s, while the prize for third place was $50 for Starbucks. Because of the large response, the contest was expanded to include 4th and 5th place winners. Decker’s 11-year-old son, Daniel won fourth place and a $25 gift card to GameStop for his ghoulish creation. — Andrew Khouri
Realtors Carve Out Some Fright
