Sign before the pen's stolen

So in the words of Tom Petty: time to move on. This was/is the first time I've done this on my own so the flat viewing process was markedly different this time around. Primarily because I didn't have anyone to tell me if the place was nice or not. True, I had the letting agent with me but to honest I think they are  little biased. To be a letting agent (as in most sales) you need to be able to turn anything, however negative, into a positive. This was most evident for me when I looked at a flat somewhere and asked what the parking was like.

"Well," said the rental woman "ordinarily there isn't any but you can usually park in the solicitor's office car park across the road from Friday night until Monday as they don't usually work at the weekend. Also, you're in luck at the moment..."
At this point I should add that following her initial suggestion, I wasn't optimistic about the second.
"Why's that?" I said, forgetting that I wasn't being optimistic.
"Yes," she said, mistaking my response for a closed question, "some people have stolen the parking restriction sign on the road, so if you get a ticket you can appeal".
"Oh right. That's useful to know." I said. Offering the handshake of finality, I was conscious of a vein on my forehead throbbing with sarcasm, straining to burst out over her clipboard.

I suppose I can't fault her for trying. It takes a truly optimistic seller to turn the increased local crime-rate into a reason to move into that area. "Lucky for you a lot of thieves have been operating in the area. Will your deposit be cash or cheque?"