My husband and I had a house we bought at sheriffs auction that we practically "gutted". I tell you it was beautiful, almost new everything. I get a call to show it in the middle of winter when there was ice on ice and when I arrived at the house to unlock it before the potential buyers showed up, I could not get in. The back door had a sheet of ice built up to the door and it would not budge.
The front porch had 4 steps that were iced over real bad, it was actually rounded ice. There was no smooth place to step. No handrail. As I was standing there accessing the problem in my head the buyers pulled up. They were a Spanish speaking family so I made sure to print out everything on paper because I knew there was no way I could communicate effectively with them, (this was before Arminda, our Spanish speaking agent joined our team).
So they get out of the car and the wife is carrying a small baby wrapped up in blankets. I tell them I cannot show the property. They don't get it. Like most people do who can't communicate, I point and talk louder. lol. Didn't work. I point at the steps and shake my head like I am telling them "no way". I try to tell them we can come back after I have time to get the ice all chipped away. I think I even made the chippping motion (whatever that is). All to no avail.
The husband starts up the steps, his wife is behind him, she starts to hand him the baby. I shout "no, no no" and start to grab the baby just so they see I am trying to tell them it is not safe. They slip and slide and make it up then he takes the baby from me and pulls me up. LOL. It had to be funny to watch.
We get in and all they say through the entire house is "grande". I am thinking all the time, that I am not bum slidding down the steps, how in the world are we getting back down. We cannot communicate, all through the house they are talking to each other in Spanish.
We get ready to go and again the gentleman starts to help me down the steps after he helps his wife and baby, while I watch in awe. Then I hold onto the top rail and catapult myself down, in a half bum slide and half pole vault, no I didn't plan that. What a mess. How funny that must have looked to the neighbors. Did I tell you it was freezing outside? Colder than cold, wind blowing, uphill both ways (ok, that last one was a bit exaggerated, but it was cold!)
No, they didn't buy the house.
I love this job.
Mary Welch-Preferred Choice Realty of Harper, Kansas
Member Harper City Council
Member Harper County Economic Development Board
Member Wichita Area Association of REALTORS, Kansas Association of REALTORS, National Association of REALTORS
Strange bruise appeared the next day.....