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Right on time as usual, I hustled into my listing to prepare for my Open House in Santee. The home was spotless. Background music played softly and the air conditioning cooled the house, blocking out the summer heat. After setting down my briefcase next to a chair, I set the plate of freshly baked cookies on the kitchen counter, just before a couple walked in.
I introduced myself to the man and woman, before showing them around. As we walked past the kitchen I offered a cookie. They thanked me, but had just eaten. They spent the next 15 minutes looking around the house and chatting about buying a home in the future. While they said they had just started looking, I had made a connection and would followup.
Now I prepared to settle in for the next two hours, I opened my laptop on the kitchen table and glanced in the direction of the kitchen when I noticed a straight black line of ants crawling across the ceiling, down the corner of the wall and across the counter straight to the cookies. To my horror, the ants swarmed over the chocolate chips cookies. Any moment I expected them to lift the plate of cookies and run off with them. I jumped up in a panic trying to decide what to do. I thought of a Yogi Bear cartoon where the ants carried away the picnic basket.
I quickly slid the ant covered cookies into the trash and tied the plastic bag tightly. I didn't want any get-a-ways. Then I headed after the rest with several wet paper towels. The last thing I wanted in a closed up home was ode de ant spray. But I had to stop the flow of ants. So I grabbed a can of ant spray from under the sink and sprayed lightly at where it looked like the ants were coming from.
Thank goodness no one walked in those 15 minutes. I let the sellers know, that they needed to either spray themselves or hire a pest control company to rid the house of ants.
While it is not uncommon to see bugs during the summer with the heat, it is important that homes for sale be kept bug free. Also during the summer, trash, cat boxes, and the laundry should be emptied each day to avoid odors. You want your home to smell as good as it looks.
Written by Virginia Hall
ABR, CRS, E-Pro, GRI, SFR
Direct: (619)258-8585
Email:Virginia@VirginiaHall.com
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