Right in the middle of my buyers' home inspection in South Land Park last month, I had received a text message that another client's offer was accepted. We had but a mere hour to return the signed counter offer. So, I rushed back to my Land Park home office to pull the offer off the FAX (why can't agents email them?) and send the counter offer to the agent. Then I hopped back in my car to return to the home inspection.
Zipped up to the curb. Crunch. I heard a noise. Jumped out of the car and looked around near the curb but I couldn't find anything. We finished up the home inspection 90 minutes later, and I returned to my car. On my windshield was a note with a name, address and phone number. It said: "Dear Realtor, you broke my sprinkler head; I replaced it. Please be more careful."
I felt awful. I had damaged someone else's property.
I immediately called the owner and left an apologetic voice mail message. Then I asked my husband how much sprinkler heads cost, but he didn't know. So I Googled sprinkler heads. Looked like they cost under $10. Still, it's the principle of the thing; it's not the money. It's my Midwestern upbringing. When you do something wrong, you've got to make it right.
So, I wrote a handwritten note to the owner, apologizing as best I could for breaking his sprinkler head, inserted a $20 bill and mailed it. A few days later, I received an email from the owner, thanking me for taking responsibility. Turns out he works at the same law firm as another client to whom I sold a home in East Sacramento.
Yesterday, my South Land Park buyers signed loan documents. We were waiting for the completion letter from the sewer company confirming that the sewer line had been replaced. Without the completion letter, closing would be delayed. I checked with the sewer company.
The sewer company said the sewer line took an unexpected turn in the front yard and actually connects to the next-door neighbor's sewer line. They could not complete the work without receiving permission from the neighbor to dig in the neighbor's yard. One of their workers put a note on the neighbor's door, but the neighbor did not respond. The sewer company asked if I knew how to get in touch with that neighbor.
Guess which neighbor that turned out to be?
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Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout Sacramento. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available through bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com.
Sacramento Short Sale Agent, Elizabeth Weintraub, has the answers to your Sacramento short sale questions.
Photo: Big Stock Photo
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Certified HAFA Specialist
My Sacramento Real Estate Listings
Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available at Amazon.com.
Lyon Real Estate is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice. It could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.
Elizabeth..Did you get permission?It does pay to be a nice person doesn't it..Pay it forward..Great story..Thanks
Elizabeth - that is nice you paid for the sprinkler head. I would have done the same. And thanks for the great story.
Elizabeth, It's a great feeling knowing you did the right thing! Please let us know how the story ended (regarding the dig). Great post!
Thank goodness you "paved the way" to insure that the neighbor would cooperate with further sewer inspection. Honesty does pay-off.
Elizabeth, You did the right thing! One good turn deserves another. I'd like to hear the ending too.
Elizabeth
You always do the right thing. What is the chance of that happening again?
Elizabeth: Great story.... I'm sure your hand written note and apology will help keep you in mind when he knows of others that are looking to buy or sell as well. I'm sure the $20 was a heart warming suprise to him as well.
I just get gooshy over a great love story like this! Keep smilin and don't ever lose your midwestern middle class morality. I hated it growing up and learned to appreciate it as an adult.
It always pays to do the right thing! The $20 bill you mailed off in that envelope, will reap you far more in Good Will!
Elizabeth- thanks for doing the right thing! Just as I wrote in my last blog, we need to treat others as we would expect to be treated. Thanks for being that type of realtor!
Don't you love it when it all comes together like that - because you did the right thing. Way to go on building relationships and integrity! You make us all look good!!!
Elizabeth,
What a great story, all the better because you did the right thing, and I'm thinking the neighbor reciprocated. Cool!
Mike in Tucson
Good story - I like the quote: You never know when the butt you kick today will be connected to the back you scratch tomorrow!
Goes to prove my firm belief that ALL things happen for a purpose. It may take time to understand the purpose, but eventually I think you do. I love this story. It's the kind of story my heart needed today. Thanks for posting this story today Elizabeth and also thanks for your concern over my personal family "thing" at the moment.
Well said:
"Still, it's the principle of the thing; it's not the money. It's my Midwestern upbringing. When you do something wrong, you've got to make it right."
Elizabeth - Great Story, in my opinion it always pays to make things right.
That was a good gesture, and I adhere to the same principles. Which makes it so annoying when other agents aren't as kind . . .
Elizabeth: Cute story and well told, thanks for sharing. We were brought up like that to, in Washington... Good Karma in begets good Karma back...
Elizabeth...The more contacts you are in good with, the easier it is to take care of these little problems that pop up at the last minute. Being the go to Gal, is the best recipe for success.
It's always better to attract bees with honey than vinegar. A+++++ for your professionalism!
Elizabeth, I have always knew you to be of great character and your story of doing the right thing shows it to all of us again. Keep being YOU. We need more like Elizabeth's in the world.
Elizabeth~
Whether you call it mid-western upbringing, karma, good manners or just doing the right thing, it always comes back to us. Thanks for your story. It's a wonderful 'pay it forward' example.
You were lucky you ran over the sprinkler. God was watching over you that day.
I thought the happy ending was going to be your home inspector found something important because of the sprinkler. Just thrilled to know it was a much better story than I predicted, Elizabeth - on many levels!
I love it!!! Doing the right thing NEVER goes out of style. It is funny how righting a wrong can lead to forming a connection that helps you and others down the line! Way to go and kudos for your midwest upbringing and handling the situation with class. Have a super weekend.
I love when something crazy turns out to be a blessing in disguise. The fax issue from agents I solved by getting an account at www.fax.com and now all my faxes come straight to my email. Fixed that sprinkler! LOL
Hi Elizabeth... what a great example of why we always need to conduct ourselves with professionalism and courtesy. Imagine the delays you might have seen if the sprinkler head episode had left this neighbor with a bad taste in his mouth! Way to go!
Those pesky little devils hide in the grass....I don't think any of ours are tht close to the driveway or curb...but given my driving..I had better look...Great come back to the homeowner....bet if they ever sell, your phone will ring.
Hi Elizabeth, Congratulations on doing the right thing and on the feature. Running over the neighbors sprinkler, in hindsight, seems like the best thing you could have done! Is this called serendipity?
Great story. Taking responsibility, being a good person, treating others the way you want to be treated... sure does make the bumps less rough!
Elizabeth - Great great story ! Good karma goes a long way. Doing the right thing goes a long way ! A great read for all of us : )
Elizabeth, Being honest and above board DOES pay off, doesn't it? Good for you in doing the right thing. If you hadn't, maybe the neighbor would have taken his sweet time signing off. You go girl :)