It was the maid with the candlestick in dining room

Dear Miki, I am a realtor and read your column in the El Dorado Hills paper this morning. Thank you for saying what needed to be said. I always find it interesting that people call an experienced professional to help them buy or sell a home then disregard their advice. Of course when things then don't work out the client will blame their realtor. Best regards,Don HippDear Don,Whether it was punishment for doing the right or wrong thing, someone furiously bludgeoned to death "realtor to the stars," Linda S. Stein, 62, in her apartment on Fifth Avenue.Sounds like a good neighborhood, doesn't it? The building has the security of doormen, elevator operators, and surveillance cameras mounted on the sidewalk canopy and in the lobby, but a reporter found an unlocked service door on the side street. There were no signs of forced entry at the apartment, nor did anything appear to be missing, investigators said.Mandy, Stein's daughter, discovered her face down in the living room in a pool of blood. Police said at first they believed the hemorrhaging could have resulted from a fall, but when they pulled back the hood of her sweatshirt, a major blow to the skull was exposed. The medical examiner's office ruled death by homicide.Reportedly, Prudential's president and chief executive, Dottie Herman, called the murder "a terrible tragedy" and added, "Linda Stein was the broker to the stars and very loyal to our company, a good friend to all and to me personally."Pam Liebman, president of the Corcoran Group, said, "She was the first broker to make a name for herself in dealing with the celebrity elite." Nothing was shy about Ms. Stein, and in 2005, one journalist wrote: "Diminutive, brassy and caustic, Stein has a face as expressive as her truck driver's mouth. Everything about her is too much, from her too high Manolo Blahnik heels to her too short Versace skirts."She was the model for the brash broker portrayed by Sylvia Miles in the film "Wall Street." In the film, the broker attempts to sell an apartment to the yuppie character played by Charlie Sheen.So was it an enraged client who murdered Ms. Stein? Or, was the killer a competitive New York agent, who snagged a multimillion dollar listing from one of Stein's celeb clientele? Hmm...It was once said that an agent for a Fifth Avenue apartment seller wanted Stein to reimburse him for the time his maid spent waiting for a "very big movie-star" no-show. Allegedly, Stein screamed into her cell "I'll pay the maid, but I won't bring [very big movie-star] to his apartment!Stein hung up and said, "F _ _ _ them!" After the agent called back to apologize and told her she didn't have to pay the maid, Stein quipped to a friend, "Good. Let's go to Tiffany."I'm thinking Columbo would put the finger on the maid who was stiffed. This would be the scenario: maid slips through unlocked service door and rings Ms. Stein's doorbell. Not expecting stellar company that evening, Stein opens the door wearing a sweatshirt and pants. She fatally underestimates that the maid would drive a harder bargain than she had ever waged in a real estate transaction. "Ask Miki" is a column of opinion, and anything herein is not intended for financial, legal, medical or tax advice. Please contact your financial planner, real estate and tax attorneys for all matters relating to real estate. Miki Garcia is a real estate agent with Sirsi and Company Real Estate, and she specializes in Folsom, El Dorado Hills and surrounding areas. You may contact her via email ataskmikigarcia@yahoo.com.