Category: Adventures in Real Estate

UPDATE! The picture below is the original bathroom. It was tiny, like a 3′ x 4′ space with just a toilet and sink. The owners transformed it into the beautiful space above. The green shelving is actually a Murphy door that opens into the bedroom. It’s amazing they were able to open up this much space that was unused by removing walls and a unused chimney.

So I’m showing this house and come across this in the bathroom. Carpet in the bathroom, yeah gross! But what is this spray hose attached to a toilet? I’m thinking it’s a DIY version of a Bidet. In reality it’s a disaster waiting to happen if you have kids. The funny thing is, this is the second home I’ve come across this feature so perhaps I’m wrong as to it’s purpose. Let me know what you think it is.

I worked with a family that relocated last Summer from Oregon to Wisconsin. My buyers traveled by car, across country with their two kids and three chickens. They thought they would quickly be able to purchase a home and move in. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case and they struggled to find a short term rental to live in, let alone house some chickens.

So I offered to take care of their chickens until we found them that perfect place. I have chickens myself so I it was pretty easy to do. Now, eight months later the “girls” are finally moving into their new home. Yes, I offer free chicken delivery too!

This photo is a prime example of my problem solving skills! This is from the crawl space of one of the homes I had listed. The seller moved out before Christmas and the closing didn’t occur until the beginning of February. Since the home was vacant, I stopped by weekly to check on it. Why? Because Wisconsin winter weather is extreme and constantly changes. Basically, that means anything can and will happen.

Temperatures can fluctuate from below zero to 30 degrees in a matter of days. On a warm day I discovered a water leak, water spraying all over the crawl space where the main water shut off valve is. At 5’3″ tall I had to do a hunched over duck waddle in the pouring “rain” to reach it. Good thing I typically wear boots in winter!

I have a great working relationship with a local plumber, he was out the following day to make repairs. I brought a fan from home to help dry things out and turned up the heat to help prevent any further plumbing problems. Doing all of these things saved the seller from a 3 hour trip to handle it himself. The lesson here, I’m a full service agent ready to get dirty in order to take care of your property.