It's hard to sell a home that's been reduced to a smoldering crater

Holy smokes - that is dangerous stuff.  Funny - you'd take gas over snakes and scorpions and  we deal with these critter issues all the time in the desert!

That could have been a disaster Alan, I'm glad you and your clients were safe!

Alan, It seems like detecting gas leaks and busted water lines are just another service provided by buyer's agents across the country :)

Thank goodness you & your buyers were able to get out of there so fast Alan. I'm guessing your buyers aren't interested in the home any more. Would be tough to do a final walk-thru 

That actually happened near me.  The house was demolished, along with the family, and all the surrounding properties severely damaged.

Good thing you went to see it before it blew up! It's also a good thing you know what gas smells like.

Back when I was in high school we had an upscale lake neighborhood nearby in my school district. One morning a person closed a door and the whole house blew up. The neighbor across the street rushed to her living room window and her house blew up sending her airborne well out into the front yard. Gas leaks following the pipes from the street to the house from hundred year old pipes were to blame. The slightest friction can set it off. Fortuneately nobody was seriously injured and gas lines throughout the community were replaced. 

I have shown many vacant homes where it is obvious the listing agent had not visited in months.

A lot can happen in a vacant home and outside. The agent should keep on top of it. It is no wonder there are homes that have such high day on market numbers.

You did many people a great service.

Thanks for being a professional.

Wow that could have been a real disaster. Lucky for you the timing was right and you got out in time. Lucky for that agent and owner you notified them!

Alan- thank goodness you and your clients got out ok.  I just read something the other day about a man who used Siri to call for help when he went into his mother's vacant home to check on it. He switched on the light and the house exploded. 

Thieves removed the copper pipes but never shut off the gas. 

                     Thank you Alan May 

Hi Alan... I've done the same a couple of times... you just couldn't miss the smell of leaking gas when coming into the home. So dangerous and scary if you think you might set it off while in the house.

Alan, it would have had me interrupting his dinner with a friendly heads-up! Enjoy your day!

I can see why Kathy chose to high light your post this week...well done!

Hi Alan

That was certainly the right thing to do, and quickly. Who cares about interrupting dinner.

Jeff

You don't see that very often but I also would not stay long in that house.

Thank you very much for sharing this experience.

Yikes!  Good thing you were there to identify the smell and call the agent versus the alternative ending!  

Good that no one of the group were smokers. Some one owes you a lunch

I have to admit I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a story about a home blowing up. But a good blog, all the same!