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After Violent Storms Rip Through Bristow, There is Much Clean Up To Do

By
Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster Real Estate VA License # 0225089470

After Violent Storms Rip Through Bristow, There is Much Clean Up To Do

It's been a rough twenty-four hours.  I was home alone last night while my husband was out with his friends.  I had just successfully adopted out an abandoned kitty cat that had shown up on my door step on Tuesday evening.  So safe, sound and happy inside, I decided to get some paperwork ready for my morning listing presentation.  As I was putting the finishing touches on the paperwork, a HUMONGOUS gust of wind got my attention and I left my desk.  As the wind wasn't letting up and appeared to be having the trees in the neighborhood kissing the lawns, well, I immediately thought we might be having a tornado.  What did I do?  I went outside to investigate and to bring in the outdoor cat.  That was when the 75 mph gusts of wind took out the power to the neighborhood and I was in utter darkness.  We (all the cats and I) weathered a short burst of severethunderstorms, but the lights didn't come back after a couple hours.  So before I lost battery power in my tablet, I emailed my morning client and said we'd have to reschedule. 

Woke up to an estimate of four days without power.  UGH!  I got ready for the day by taking my mobile devices to my office (where they had power) and plug them in for a charge.  Then off for coffee to keep a headache at bay and ice to keep the items in the refrigerator and freezer good.  Then off to photograph a new rental lsiting.  Back to the office to put it in the MLS.  Back out to show a home. And then out for dinner.  Doesn't sound like a lot, but considering many people in the area I serve had no Internet or even cell phone access, the simplest tasks were mind boggling.  By the time I was driving to Pei Wei for take out dinner, I got word from my husband that the power was back on.  Woo-hoo!  Next call was a downer.  One of my listing lost part of a tree.  The owner wants to take out the tree entirely, but being under contract, we must consult with the buyer first before making that big of a change.  I know they'll agree when they see what the winds did to the tree last night.  

Real estate is a tough job to work without electricity.  I'm hoping to help out a buyer tomorrow that I had to reschedule as the homes he wanted to were likely without power today.  What a day!

Comments(10)

Susan Neal
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

Hi Chris -  Glad you're okay.  There's nothing like an emergency situation to make us appreciate the things we daily take for granted - ike electricity!

Jun 30, 2012 01:04 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Chris, We had the same storms here with much the same damages. Lots of trees down, lots of wires down and lots of folks without power. Your description was perfect.

Margaret

Jun 30, 2012 01:05 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Chris Ann, a lot of bloggers had a really interesting time getting their blogging time in.  But as inconvenient as it was, we're so much better off than the people out in Colorado.

Jun 30, 2012 01:14 PM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hi Chris Ann, sorry your husband was out and about.  Glad you had power at your office.  Well as Pat said better then Colorado with all the fires.  Have a good one and be safe.

Jun 30, 2012 01:18 PM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

Hi Chris Ann, the violence of the storm took me by surprise, too. It was almost like a Hurricane nobody saw coming. We had some trees down in the neighborhood, my neighbor's lost their gutter but, thanks to underground powerlines, we never lost power. I know how lucky we are - I've invited several friends and past clients over if they need to cool off. Glad to hear you are okay though!

Jun 30, 2012 01:21 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Susan:  It definitely had me in a testy mood today, but I had to keep remding myself this was a temporary problem.

Margaret:  Glad you weathered it well too.

Pat:  I haven't had time to catch up with the news about Colorado yet.  Making my stomach turn just thinking about it.

Will:  Sadly, James had to drive home in the mess.  He dodged quite a few downed branches.  Thankfully no downed trees.

Jun 30, 2012 01:22 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Andrea:   We have underground power lines, but still managed to lose power.  Thank goodness it was only out for about twnety-foru hours.  

Jun 30, 2012 01:25 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Nights like that are no fun. Glad your husband made it home safely and the power came back on sooner than expected.

It's all the the power linemen's fault, you know. They pray for good storms so they can work 18 hour shifts at double time. I know, 'cause my kid is one of them.

Jun 30, 2012 05:08 PM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

Glad you have your power back.  The storms are still at it here but I have a generator so am ready to fire that baby up if needed.  This is not the time you want to be without electricity!

Jun 30, 2012 10:15 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Marte:  If that were my job, I'd be praying for the same thing.

Kathryn:  We really should invest in a generator.  Or go completely off the grid and go solar.  Dare to dream.

Jul 01, 2012 03:39 AM