Special offer

I finally did it! (Not for the queasy)

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center

I am so proud of myself!  Yesterday a buyer client had a well & septic inspection            Pwwwwweeewwww!!!
for his soon to be new home in St. Clair County Michigan.  

Normally when I attend an inspection I am right there with the inspector learning and absorbing as much information as I can.  Notice I said "normally".  With septic inspections I would get a bit queasy and be the volunteer to go inside of the home and run the water and flush the toilets. 

Yesterday though I became brave. I told myself that the next septic
inspection
I would watch it through the entirety.  You got it - lid off, stick in, and watch while the inspector analyzes the different measurements and ahem..contents.

Now when a home buyer asks me about a septic inspection I can confidently tell them what it entails and actually draw a diagram of what the inspector is looking for. 

© 2007 Kris Wales Metro Detroit real estate   Search for Metro Detroit homes
(Not that anyone would want to copy this one!)

 

Comments (25)

Chris Griffith
Downing-Frye Realty, Bonita Springs, FL - Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Springs Listing Specialist - Agent
Now when a home buyer asks me about a septic inspection I can confidently tell them what it entails.....don't you mean entrails?  See, I'm sick and that would have been the title of my blog post.
Nov 27, 2007 12:44 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital
Yuck!  Muck!  I'm a city girl and haven't sold too many placed with septic tanks, but I must say, you are a braver woman than I am!  And cute graphic!
Nov 27, 2007 01:01 AM
No Longer Active
Real Estate - Fallon, MT
Can't say I ever go out of my way to poke my head to close to that hole.... don't even like to drive behind their trucks.  
Nov 27, 2007 01:25 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County
You are really a knowledgeable pro now! In the long run I am sure it will be a comfort to your clients knowing you even know the ins and outs (no pun intended) of the septic system!
Nov 27, 2007 02:12 AM
Elizabeth Nieves
The Elizabeth Nieves Realty Group - Durham, NC
Bilingual Raleigh - Durham North Carolina Real Estate Team
Kris:  I did that, too!! (And...it was YUCKY!!) Once was enough for me. I KNOW all I need to KNOW. :-)
Nov 27, 2007 06:54 AM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI
Sarah:   Isn't that funny?  I won't go into a crawl space...claustrophobic!   I was the one standing outside of the caverns in Tennessee when everyone else went exploring.  We'll just have to team up :-)

Chris:   You are sooooo funny :-)  I never would have thought of that one.  Ever.  Could be why your writing is much more creative than mine...

Patricia:   I couldn't find a graphic with a female, so the cute guy had to do :-)   Sometimes we do what we gotta do..
Nov 27, 2007 07:17 AM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI

Gary:   I think I've had more fun reading all these comments.  Pun was taken :-)  I'm really proud of myself for not high tailing it into the house!

Elizabeth:  Yeah!!!  I agree, once IS enough, but at least we can tell clients what takes place during them instead of "I don't know, I never watch!"

Nov 27, 2007 07:20 AM
Marlene Scheffer
Realty Station - Bremerton, WA
Realtor to Kitsap County, WA

Wow, we have different inspectors for pretty much everything.  One for the structural and pest, one for the septic, and one for the well (usually sent by the county). Then if the structural inpector calls for it, we have a different inspector for the furnace, the fireplace and the roof.  So technically, one house could need six different inspectors and then some......

By the way, my mother-in-law lost her sense of smell, she'd be a perfect septic inspector!

Nov 27, 2007 02:44 PM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon
I grew up with septic and I'm betting even though you have now attended one, you will draw the diagram from inside? I have had to dig 3 of those dang things out in my lifetime and if I never see another one again, it won't hurt my feelings at all!

Todd
Nov 27, 2007 04:09 PM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI
Marlene:  It's always interesting to learn how practices are different in other areas.  It sounds like inspections can get quite pricey for buyers if you have separate people for each one.  Here, we have a home inspector and if he/she finds an issue they feel should be clarified then a "specialist" (roofer, heating & cooling, etc) will be called in if the buyer chooses.  In our counties (at least those near me) there is one inspector for both well & septic.    I feel badly for your mother-in-law, but the career change *is* a possibility with her ::-)

Todd:  Oh my, I couldn't imagine actually having to dig one up!   Actually, I could sketch only what the inspector detailed on the stick (yuk) and the way things should flow from one tank to the field.   You betcha I'll do it inside the house the next time!
Nov 27, 2007 08:07 PM
Diane Aurit
LKN Realty, LLC - Mooresville, NC
Lake Norman Real Estate
Kris:  Good for you!  I had never worked with septic systems until my move to NC but now they are part of almost every inspection. Great fun.
Nov 27, 2007 11:27 PM
Andrew Trevino
ADT Real Estate - Wilkes Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre Homes For Sale

Kris,

What a stinky job that must have been. No thanks!!!

Nov 28, 2007 06:13 AM
Susan Trombley
Trombley Real Estate - Wake Forest, NC
Broker/Realtor, Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Youngs
Good for you for digging in and just doing it. That is exacately what I do. I want to know more and more as things change to be the best knowledge about of there and for my client to refer me out because I know my stuff.
Nov 28, 2007 06:15 AM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
Oh goodness..... that stinks. pun intended :)
Nov 28, 2007 08:29 AM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI
Diane:   Now that it is a couple of days past, I can say I would do it again :-) 

Andrew:  Yes, it was (stinky :-)

Susan:  That's why I did it.  I hated that there was one aspect of things that I would turn my nose away from. (Pun intended)

Sally:  I tell ya, reading all of the "pun" comments here has been a hoot!  Thank you :-)
Nov 28, 2007 10:25 PM
Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy

It's a poopy job, but it's gotta happen...  It would take a lot of green for me to do that job.  Kinda puts a whole new spin on "What does brown do for you?"

Sorry UPS. 

Nov 29, 2007 02:32 AM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI
Lane:  LOL!   All apologies to UPS. 

Rick:  I'm *still* proud of myself :-)  *I know there was a pun with the word 'stick'!*
Nov 29, 2007 08:08 PM
Ricardo Bueno
Diverse Solutions - Los Angeles, CA

You're much braver than I... I'm not so sure I could muster the strength. 

 ™  

Dec 01, 2007 10:21 PM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI
Ricardo:  It took me eleven years to muster up the courage!
Dec 01, 2007 10:22 PM
Ricardo Bueno
Diverse Solutions - Los Angeles, CA
Better late than never?
Dec 01, 2007 10:28 PM