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Don't burn the house down getting it prepared to show!!!

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage
Fire! Fire!

I had cash buyers in my car.  They liked houses in nice quiet established neighborhoods.  I called an agent to show her house.  She had her own house listed and she knew exactly how to make it show well.  We'd had lots of training and knew what we were doing.

She rushed home to turn on the lights, pick up and spruce up and make sure the house smelled good.  In order to make sure it smelled good she threw some cookies in the oven to bake and let that wonderful aroma of fresh baked cookies fill the air!  Then she rushed out so she'd be gone during the showing.

My buyers and I walked up to the front door and there was smoke coming out around the cracks.  I opened the door very cautiously and there was smoke all over the house!  It smelled awful;  something was burning!!  Is this house on fire??   I told the buyers to wait a minute and let me see what was going on.  I either bravely or foolishly went into the house, discovered the oven nearly aflame and turned the oven off.

I called the agent and she said something like, "Oh,!!!@@@###, I forgot to turn the oven off!" 

I invited the cash buyers (note I repeat that because it has such a nice sound...cash buyers...cash buyers....) in to view the house.  They groped and peered as best they could through the smoke and said they thought they'd pass on that particular house.  I think the other agent still appreciates my saving her house even though those people didn't buy it!   

Vickie McCartney
Maverick Realty - Owensboro, KY
Broker, Real Estate Agent Owensboro KY

Barbara, well we all know it is hard to sell a house that has "bad" smells....  LOL.  Well, it was a good thing you got there when you did!

May 09, 2008 02:45 AM
Karen Gentry>>Charlottesville, Virginia Real Estate Professional
RE/MAX Excellence-Charlottesville VA - Charlottesville, VA

Thank goodness you saved the day.  That could have been a real disaster.

May 09, 2008 02:49 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Solaris Realty, thanks for stopping by and commenting on my blog.

Melody, I had a similar incident with candles.  One huge one had melted down with flames going out to the edge of the countertop.  I think the house would have been in danger within minutes.

Vickie, smoke smells are not good for buyers.  LOL

Karen, it was a small disaster and could have been huge!!  Thanks for comments.

 

May 09, 2008 02:59 AM
Peter Nikic
Broad & Bailey Realty LLC - Valhalla, NY

I wonder if maybe you weren't supposed to show up in time:-)

May 09, 2008 03:45 AM
Amy Prouty
Home Staging - Keno, YN

What a save. Very scary.

May 09, 2008 04:19 AM
Amy Prouty
Home Staging - Keno, YN

Where did you get the Welcome to all my Oregon Visitors?

May 09, 2008 04:21 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Peter, it was too nice to plan to burn down.  LOL

Amy, it was sorta scary.  The welcome mat welcomes each state.  It is  a freebie that can be put on your site.  Someone showed me how.

May 09, 2008 04:40 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

So Barbara, when you opened the oven were the cookies done:)

May 09, 2008 05:55 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Charlie, only YOU would think to ask that.  They were charred and almost on fire.  : )

May 09, 2008 07:44 AM
Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR - Searcy, AR

Barbara

If that wasn't so serious, it would be funny!  I bet I know who the seller is!

May 09, 2008 08:48 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Mary, I already told you you guessed wrong.  LOL

May 09, 2008 09:23 AM
Ron Tarvin
Residential, Investment properties, rehab projects, property management, luxury homes, new construction! - Katy, TX
Broker, Katy, Houston, Cypress 77450,77494,77095

Oh my...that is terrible. 

Couldn't your buyers just look past a little thing like the house trying to burn down?  LOL! :)

 

May 09, 2008 09:45 AM
Tori Lynn Wallitsch
Prudential Ambassador / Ross Designs, LLC - Omaha, NE

OMG!  What a good thing to remind sellers about.  I would have never thought of that happening, but I can see how it would be easy to do.

I have sellers ask me to burn down their house when I tell them that I have a liability policy on me should I accidentally cause something disastrous like a fire.

May 09, 2008 10:05 AM
Cindy Lin
Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA
Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

LOL yeah burnt house may not sell well. :D

Cheers,

Cindy

May 09, 2008 01:28 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Ron Tarvin's Katy Team, you'd think they have had the courtesy to BUY it!  All the trouble I went to just to show it to them.  LOL

Tori, do they want you to burn with the house?  Or just the house.

Cindy, yeah, they turned it down over a little smoke. 

May 09, 2008 01:38 PM
Anonymous
Tinker Hulsey Century 21 Indian Realty Jonesboro Ark

Barbara,

That is a funny story!! But thankfully you saved their house.

  Tinker

May 10, 2008 07:02 AM
#18
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Barbara, you made me laugh. The best laid plans for cookies almost turn the house on fire. No good deed goes unpunished. Glad you were there to save the day prior to the fire department.

May 10, 2008 08:11 AM
Brenda Carus
Century 21 Zwygart Real Estate - Monroe, WI

Oh my goodenss!  Thankfully all is well that ends well, but that could have been bad!

May 10, 2008 08:20 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Tinker, it is a funny story now but it wasn't funny that day.

Gary, a good laugh is good for us!  That could be a Woltal blog!!  Thanks for reading and commenting.

Brenda, it ended well except they didn't buy the house.  I did sell them another one, though.  : )

May 10, 2008 08:49 AM
Debi Ernst
St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO
GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

Wow!  I've never heard of that happening before.  It's a good thing you came when you did...!  :)

May 10, 2008 12:48 PM