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Holding an open house with the fleas

By
Real Estate Agent with HomeSmart Realty West CalBRE #01458572

Open House

I love to hold open houses, even to the extent that if I don't have one of my own, I'll call people in my office and ask if I can hold theirs open. So far, no one has declined my request.

Several weeks ago I was going to hold open a vacant foreclosed condo. I went over on Monday to check out the condo and make sure that the electricity was on and that the cooling system worked. I quickly realized that it was not vacant. There were 426,591 generations of fleas living in that 1,500-SF condo.

FleaFleaFleaFleaFleaFlea

Obviously, I was disappointed because I so wanted to hold that condo open, but I absolutely hate fleas, which is why my cat, Zoey, is an indoor cat.

Zoey the cool cat

I was determined to hold it open, though, because it was just too nice of a condo in too nice of a complex. So I quickly left before I got infested and went to the store to buy some foggers. I fogged the place that evening, vacuumed the carpet and along the baseboards the next morning, and repeated the process on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, hoping that I could air out the place on Friday and get it set up with some small tables, towels, candles, and plants for the open houses on Saturday and Sunday.

It did the job, and I picked up a new buying Client that Sunday. We made a purchase offer on another foreclosed condo in the same complex, which we were outbid on, but we're still looking. I would not have that Client if I had let my hatred of fleas get in the way of actually doing something about the infestation. Sometimes a little extra effort can result in great rewards.

Comments (27)

Rebecca Schrader
Competitive Insurance of Dundee - Dundee, FL

Did you know that after they go through three larval stages, fleas then spin a silk cocoon (and perhaps hibernate) and then they emerge from the cocoon when they receive a signal that a host is near (vibrations & sounds)...

Don't ask me how I know this...we had an "infestation" in our neighborhood...our veterinarian was going out of his mind trying to figure out why this was happening...and sure enough...they hibernate...and the only thing i can think of is the construction that was going on near the forest nearby...perhaps THAT "woke" them up?

Aug 28, 2008 03:29 AM
Jessica Bigger
Bigger Communications - Reston, VA
Freelance Real Estate Business Writer

Jim - good for you.  I hate fleas too.  Unfortunately they really love me.  So if I even walk into a house for a few minutes with fleas, their on me chomping away.  I would have done the same thing as you.  (Actually had a listing where this happened and foggers were the way to go :)

Aug 28, 2008 04:41 AM
Ann Allen Hoover
RE/MAX Advantage South - Hoover, AL
CDPE SRES ASP e-PRO Realtor - Homes for Sale - AL

Hi Jim!  I have three indoor cats and know how hard fleas can be to get rid of.  We had some problems last year but so far we have kept the little buggers away this summer.  Great job and glad that you were successful!

Have a great day!

Ann Allen Birmingham Realtor

Aug 28, 2008 05:53 AM
Jim & Maria Hart
Brand Name Real Estate - Charleston, SC
Charleston, SC Real Estate

That's a really great story.  Not very many agents would take it upon themselves to do everything in their power to get rid of those fleas so they'd be able to hold it open.  Most would just tell the listing agent and then be on their way.  Your work definitely paid off for you!

Aug 30, 2008 07:29 AM
Judi Downing Real Estate Properties in Charlotte & Union Co
Keller Williams Realty - Indian Trail, NC

Your determnation paid off. By the way what a beautiful cat in the box...

Aug 30, 2008 09:48 AM
Angelia Garcia
Pure Realtors - Dallas, TX

Love your cat.  I have a kitten-Marci that looks like her.

Sep 27, 2008 11:14 AM
Marlene Pellegrini
Norwich, CT

Above and beyond the call of duty....that's my kind of agent.  You love cats... we'd get along well.

Here is one of my blog posts about the subject "above and beyond the call of duty:"

http://activerain.com/blogsview/687255/She-s-knowledgable-She  check it out!

Sep 27, 2008 11:32 AM
Greg Gorman
John R Wood Properties - Naples, FL
Naples Florida Real Estate

Great post Jim and it tells us who you are. You are dedicated and committed to success and find obstacles and opportunities. Thanks for sharing and greetings from Paradise.

Realtor Greg Gorman & His Westie Miss Maxie   Realtor Greg Gorman & Realtor David Burke Present Naples Florida Real Estate

Sep 27, 2008 10:47 PM
Teresa Harris
Lake Real Estate, LLC - Denver, NC
Denver . Lake Norman . Charlotte

Congratulations Jim! What a testament to perseverance!!

Greg, if you read this we need to talk... I am a westie owner too!!

Sep 28, 2008 03:32 PM
Jennifer Esposito
JenRan Realty, LLC - Woodstock, CT

I have a fear that I'll go into a home with fleas and I'll bring them home! 

*Always vacuum 24 hours prior to bombing. 

Oct 06, 2008 02:53 AM
Edna Ledoux Jamieson
Lakeshore Rentals & Sales - Smith Mountain Lake, VA

EWWW, your a stronger person than I am.  Don't think I could have done it! 

Oct 27, 2008 07:20 AM
Cecily Parks
iMove Group, Knipe Realty NW, Inc. - Salem, OR

I did an open two weeks ago....I was chatting with a customer and felt something on my arm. Darned flea! I hate those things. I, like some others here have indoor cats and I was sure I would bring them home. You didn't say....did you get bitten? Good job on being proactive and on the sale!

Oct 27, 2008 07:55 AM
Sharon Paxson
Sharon Paxson, Realtor® EQTY Forbes Global Properties - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

Jim - wow - great by you for cleaning that place up. I am with you on fleas (which is why most of my house does not have carpet). Hope you found that client a property!

 

Nov 29, 2008 01:28 AM
Gene Mock
Associate Broker ~ Premier Team, KW Realty - Leesburg, VA
GRI, CRB, CRS, ABR, CIPS, TRC, SFR, SRES

I hate fleas too, and those bombs work miracles don't they!   I had a rental property that was infested..and it took 3 times with the flea bombs to completey kill off the tribe, lol

Nov 29, 2008 01:47 AM
Susan Neal
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

About a dozen years ago, we had a flea epidemic in Orange County (when I lived in Southern California), and no foggers or sprays or anything seemed to work.  Our cats were all indoor cats, but the vet said that they were in everything so much that we and our friends probably brought some in on our clothing. Our poor kitties were miserable. 

I finally called a company called Fleabusters, and they sprinkled something that looked like baking powder on our carpeting, the vaccuumed it up, and no moare fleas guaranteed for a year!  In fact, I saw one flea about 11 months later and called them to see if they had heard of the epidemic returning.  They said "Let's make sure," and they came out for free and redid the entire house.  I don't know if they are still in business, but they were great!

Nov 30, 2008 07:50 AM
Kathy Knight
Intracoastal Realty Corp - Wilmington, NC
BROKER, ABR, CRS, GRI, SFR, SRES

Boy did you work for that client!  You really do deserve him Jim!! Funny - love the flea pics.

Dec 01, 2008 11:32 AM
Bill Dean
Haggerty Team St. Louis, Mo. - Fenton, MO
William Dean - Broker, Salesperson

Wow, I bow to the master of Customer Service!  i thought I was great for helping some of my sellers with repairs to pass inspections and one even insisted on tipping me.  Did the place ever sell?  Did the listing agent even OFFER to re-pay you?

Dec 06, 2008 06:08 PM
Marian Gregor-Ann
Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Arbor area Real Estate

Hi Jim, Years ago I was ready to close on a house. I noticed that my ankle started to itch after the final walk through. Horrors! A flea was in my car!!! I had to bomb the BMW and their soon to be new house.  Say, you may want to do a detox. Those chemicals in the foggers are pretty strong :~)

Dec 13, 2008 02:55 PM
Anonymous
Jennifer Zammit

Wow - what a trooper you are!

Jun 01, 2009 04:46 AM
#30
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

I'm still holding open houses for other agents and still picking up new Clients for me. I know a lot of Realtors don't do open houses, for whatever reason, but remember what Warren Buffet says, "When everyone is doing something, do something else." While everyone is at home sitting in front of the impersonal personal computer and trying to get their web sites to #1 on Google (remember that there can only be one #1), I'm out meeting people at open houses, and much more personal endeavour.

Jun 01, 2009 11:14 AM