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Nope you can't see any more homes today, I'm broken

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 GREC# 169695

It was last January and it was the first time I ever bailed on buyers in the middle of showing homes. It was cold, it was raining and it was over all one of the worst days I've ever had in real estate.  I met my clients that I had worked with before at a home they wanted to see.  I had to meet them at the street because it had a closed gate I had to open, drive through and then get out and close. 

It was a crazy listing and in a common fence with neighbors who have horses and therefore the gate had to stay closed while you showed the house so the horses wouldn't get out. The house was small and creep and there was a cut out framed hole in the wall between the living room and master bedroom closet.  Just couldn't figure that one out.  My clients did not like the house. 

We had more to see and we all headed out to the car. I was a bit behind them checking all the doors and locking the key back in the lockbox.  My clients had just reached their car when I stepped off the porch onto the top step of a 5 step decline and between the rain and green slime on the step my feet went flying out of from under me.

While I couldn't see myself I have good visual of what it looked like in my mind from where I landed. I feel like I looked just like the football player I pointed to in the photo.   I actually landed on my back.  No, not my backside, but my back on the middle step. My back hit the steps so hard that I broke a step.  My backside eventually hit the ground at the bottom of the steps and my client heard the ruckus as she was buckling a little one in the back seat and turned around to see me moaning in pain on the ground.

They insisted on not trying to see anything else that day.  I offered to keep going, but was honestly very thankful that they insisted I go take care of myself.  I was wet and muddy anyway.  I cried all the way back to the office.  After getting back to the office I realized that my bi-focals were missing and had to get Donald to come go back to that horrid house with me to find them in the mud near where I took my tumble. 

I had HUGE bruises all up and down myself from my leg just above my knee right on up to the middle of my back.  I know I said a swear word at some point when I fell.  I am not sure if my client heard it or not. I really don't even care. I'm thankful my Donald came with clean dry clothes and then went over to help me look for and he actually found my glasses.

Those buyers did enter a contract a few days later on a different house and are very happy with their purchase. In fact later in the year they also purchased the lot next to them. My body healed, my pride, not so much.  It did serve to make me a little more careful at looking at the steps and it also made me always be sure to warn my buyers when we see ick on steps and/or when it's been raining.

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Tammy@Lake-Sinclair.com

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

 

Broker License # 169695  Lane Realty License # H-11420

Real Estate Instructor License # 355089

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Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

June Piper-Brandon we do have hazards

Nicole Doty Gilbert Real Estate Expert No, I can't say that I do really.  I do have some back pain from time to time, but not any I didn't have prior to that fall. I think because both feet went and I had zero time or control and no way to try to stop the fall and just went it made it not as bad as it could have been. I have really hurt my back a couple of times sliding and almost falling but twisting and catching myself.

Nov 15, 2014 11:58 AM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

We have mostly desertscape landscaping here in Arizona so most yards are 80% natural rock and gravel. I've twisted some ankles in my heels before navigating through some properties.

Nov 15, 2014 12:02 PM
Lisa Von Domek
Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX
....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Hello Tammy,

You were so fortunate that the fall wasn't worse, thank goodness!

Nov 15, 2014 12:14 PM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Oh Tammy,  there are times that we all need to say no more today, i fell once and twisted my ankle but try to show 2 more but was in pain.

Nov 15, 2014 01:00 PM
Gerard Gilbers
Higher Authority Markeing - Asheboro, NC
Your Marketing Master

Ouch! I'm glad that it turned out not to be any worse than some bruises. 

Nov 15, 2014 01:59 PM
Kimo Stowell
HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 - Honolulu, HI
REALTOR® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i

Aloha Tammy,

You are lucky you didn't break your back or fracture your skull. If I was your client I would have felt embarrassed and partly responsible that you fell why showing me the place.

a hui hou, 

Nov 15, 2014 02:20 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Yowza!  I hurt reading your post Tammy.....that's quite a tumble you took.

Nov 15, 2014 06:35 PM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Oh gosh, not fun at all.  I'm glad your clients were thoughtful and allowed you to take some time to heal.

Nov 15, 2014 07:57 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

I took a tumble like that in my own home.  The basement steps.  Thank goodness no slime to land in.The selfie I took of the bruise was horrifying.  It was a gigantic dark purple blob on my hip/lower back.    

 

Nov 16, 2014 12:32 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Tammy, Normally I think falls are funny ... but this one ... not so much. You really hurt yourself. Reading this brings to my mind that these things can happen so easily because we are focused on (1) showing the house and (2) on our clients.  We don't want to keep them waiting .... and that causes us to not focus on our surrounding environment. I'm so sorry you took that fall and hurt yourself. 

Thank you for participating in the contest.  I did laugh at your title - I had a feeling a fall was involved before I started reading.

Nov 16, 2014 12:56 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Falls are another theme in this contest.  Intersting how I'm getting some sub-texts going on from reading all the entries.  Glad you came out okay, eventually!

Nov 16, 2014 06:20 AM
Richard Weisser
Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA
Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Wow, I thought that it had to be something pretty bad for you to give up on a buyer. Thank goodness you didn't break any bones!

Nov 16, 2014 09:02 AM
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Tammy, sorry you had such a terrible fall. I could only imagine how painful that was. We all must be careful when showing homes in bad weather.

Nov 16, 2014 09:26 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Oh my goodness - that was an awfulthing to happen and I am glad you did not suffer any worse damage!

Nov 16, 2014 09:42 AM
Debbie Laity
CinaJones Real Estate - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County

Oh my gosh, Tammy. You are really lucky you didn't break your back. I'm glad you didn't and thank goodness for Donald and understanding clients. Thank you for sharing this painful story. 

Nov 16, 2014 11:01 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

That sounds awful. It is a good thing you didn't break something and end up in the hospital. Really good you got them under contract.

Nov 16, 2014 11:32 AM
Sharon Paxson
Sharon Paxson, Realtor® EQTY Forbes Global Properties - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

Hi Tammy - oh my gosh that is awful and I am so glad that your clients were understanding and that you healed up also. 

Nov 16, 2014 11:47 PM
Claude Labbe
RLAH / @properties - Washington, DC
Realty for Your Busy Life

Let's be thankful you had common-sense and considerate buyers.  I've known some who would have asked you to continue or "can you call your office and have them send a replacement Tammy for us".

And yes, you could have so gotten more hurt.

Nov 17, 2014 11:06 AM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Tammy, I came across this old post today and can relate to your mishap. We have slick, icky slime on sidewalks and driveways from french drains and they are extremely hazardous. I don't recommend trying to jump over the slime; I've landed on the pavement in ways similar to what you describe above. The things we do showing houses!

Sep 21, 2016 03:14 AM
Stella Barbour
NoVa Brokers LLC - Vienna, VA
Principal Broker, Serving Virginia and Maryland

I am sure that hurt. I hate when things like that happen in front of my buyers. I fell one time off the steps from deck and tumbled down to the grass. Of course I was wearing white and had grass stains, and dirt, and sprained anke. 

Oct 09, 2016 10:23 PM