I’m an idiot.
Seriously.
Certifiably.
An idiot.
I’ll spare you all of the riveting details of my house selling process over the last two months, but I’ll sheepishly admit that I almost lost the sale of my house over an item that you can buy at the local $1 store.
To catch you up to speed, I had two offers over Labor Day weekend on my house. I accepted one and for the most part, it has been smooth sailing.
(Praise God! These were the only offers, and I’m getting above asking price! God’s timing and provision are impeccable. Yes, and Amen!)
So after the inspection, there were four items identified to be repaired in order for the buyer to proceed. I agreed to make the first three repairs, but with insight from experienced real estate investors and professional fixer-uppers, I noted that I wouldn’t complete the servicing of the fireplace. There were lots of concerns that it might get costly if there was an issue with the gas line, since I never even used it once since moving there in 2008.
My dear contractor friend went to preview the work and write up an estimate. He sent me back the information but didn’t include the fireplace which I agreed to price out, since I was getting resistance from my agents and the buyer’s agent, “A fireplace is one of the only features he wants…”
When I spoke with Michael later that day, I inquired about the omission of the fireplace fix.
He said, “Oh, that was an easy fix…the battery on the ignitor switch needed replaced. It took at AAA battery which I had in my car…”
Wait! What?
Shut the front door!
Are you kidding me?
I couldn’t believe that I had lived in the house for nearly a decade and never once used the fireplace (through freezing cold Cleveland winters, I might add), and that I was so self-rightesouly refusing to fix the fireplace (I argued with my agent that I was “meeting him more than 1/2 way! What is he bringing to the table?” Um…how about buying your house, Frannie?) when all that it took was a AAA battery!
Unbelievable.
There is more to this blog than learning about the details of the sale of my house, however.
I started thinking: the AAA battery is a symbol of a small, powerful fix–sometimes it may even be able to fit in the palm of your hand–and the fire could be reignited again?
Is there something unused and dormant in your life, sunshine, that a “AAA battery” might solve?
An overdue apology?
Contacting your former boss for a reference for that new job you’re waiting to apply for?
Cooking dinner instead of going through the drive thru?
A phone call to a long-lost friend?
Take it from me sunshine, don’t be an idiot.
Replace the battery; you don’t want to lose the sale. |
