194 - "We Evacuated the WHOLE Neighbourhood" - Todd Urbanski

Where’s that screaming coming from? Todd Urbanski, a REALTOR of
20 years and the President of the Minneapolis Area REALTORS
association, tells the story of having to evacuate an entire
neighborhood - all because of an incorrectly installed yard sign.
Listen in as Todd shares crazy stories of lime-green carpeting,
homemade bidets, and vandalized waterlines (discovered after the
whole house is built, of course) - and even tells the story of
unexpectedly selling his own home to the clients who were a
perfect fit.  


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Time Stamped Show Notes:


01:45 – Introducing Todd, a Minneapolis, MN REALTOR of 20
years who is a very active volunteer, coach, and advisor

02:50 - He lives in the snow and goes to more snow to ski on
vacation

03:35 – Todd’s CSIRE story

03:50 - He used to knock on the doors of expired listings; at
one house, a woman said no because she wanted to go with a
discount broker

03:05 - He was a volunteer firefighter at the same time; two
hours later, he’s at home having dinner when his firefighter
pager goes off

05:04 - The address sounded familiar; it was the same home he
had just been to and the discount broker was putting a sign in
their front yard

05:20 - The broker had hit the main gas line that fed the
whole neighborhood; it was making a screaming noise that you
could hear a half-mile away

05:55 - He made sure the homeowner saw he was there; the
neighbor across the street made the call

07:25 – Takeaways and lessons

07:30 - Check to see if your area has a service where they
can check for gas lines before staking a sign in the yard

07:35 – Another CSIRE story

07:40 - he was representing new construction; he represented
the buyer and seller

07:50 - Someone went into the house and drilled 23 little
holes in the copper right before the sheetrock was due to be
installed all around the house

08:00 - Everything else was installed: cabinets, carpeting,
trim, etc; they turned the water back on seven days before
closing and suddenly there was a leak

08:20 - More leaks emerged and they figured out what was
going on; they had to pump the pipes with air and listen for
whistles to plug

08:50 - The buyers still wanted the house; it was a unique
conversation 

10:00 - Another CSIRE story

10:15 - He was touring a home in St. Paul that had a homemade
bidet in one of the bathrooms

11:08 - A seller had a 70s 3-level with hunter orange side
chairs, lime-green carpeting, and plastic on the couches; someone
wanted it

12:30 - The buyers wanted the pool table but she didn’t want
to give it to them; her husband had passed and she connected the
pool table with memories of him

13:04 - She lived in the home for another 10
years 

13:25 - Another CSIRE story

13:45 - he was showing homes to a couple but every house had
something they didn’t like; he told them he knew what they wanted
but it wasn’t on the market

14:00 - He called his wife and told her that his buyers may
want to buy their house; they had already discussed moving within
the next couple years

14:40 - They loved it, sat at his kitchen table, wrote a
purchase agreement, and sold the house that night in 2006

15:20 - When they closed on their new house the market was
about to turn; they couldn’t predict the market, of course

16:20 - How to contact Todd: by email at todd@fazhomes.com or
call (612)865-3644



3 Key Points


1.)   You get what you pay for. 


2.) People become deeply connected to their home and belongings
so be understanding.


3.) Check for gas lines!