Sewer Lines and Cabin Fever - Good Riddance January
An underrated part of the life of a realtor is the connections that we develop in the community. Remember that game, the six degrees of Kevin Bacon? I can play that game in Des Moines and probably connect to the entire city at this point.
Since buying The Draper, I have come to appreciate this aspect of realtor life more than ever. l've seen a thing or two, and know the right people to talk to for any home problem. Turns out, when it comes to sewer lines, this was the difference between a horror story and the success story we experienced.
On New Years Eve, I was doing yoga at The Draper with the mantra, "out with the bad, in with the good". AHEM.
The bad was trying to get out! | heard a background noise of water in my practice and at first dismissed it as the sound of the washing machine. This was in part denial...l refuse to get off my yoga mat during my practice for almost anything but a moment of silence in my playlist forced me to accept the sound of the river in my own home.
Water from the washing machine was backing up through the toilet and pouring out of the bathroom all over my other living room floor.
Obviously I got off my yoga mat to investigate and clean up (thank goodness for brick floors) -but truth is, l had a hard time staying zen when I returned to yoga. Rivers belong in nature, not the living room. No matter what, l knew fixing it was beyond the scope of my DIY expertise.
Fortunately, I didn't spiral into panic because we have both a home warranty and comprehensive home insurance. I debated whether to even call the warranty company because something told me this was going to be insurance, but in the end I decided $125.00 service fee was worth paying. The realtor math was: even if it didn't solve the issue, I might avoid a $500 insurance deductible.
In this instance, the warranty call led to a plumber diagnosing our issue and realizing it was an external line issue.
The next call was to Smith's Sewer-experts in cleaning, scoping and diagnostics. They identified our problem as a collapsed Orangeberg sewer line in need of replacement which meant a call to Tim, my insurance guy (he should be yours too). Result: Claim filed and paid in one week, work done within two weeks.
The horror stories you hear about sewer lines are cautionary tales but like most things, people don't know how preventable the financial devastation can be.
PRO TIPS:
Get sewer line coverage on your homeowner's policy. It's a recent change you should be taking advantage of. (Call Tim!)
If you live in an established neighborhood, have your sewer line cleaned and scoped at least every 3 years.
Get a sewer scope when buying an older home.
HELLO 2025-WHAT'S IN (apparently, it's turning 50)
I always thought it was cool to be born in 1975, I still do, but the quarter century math isn't as fun in 2025. For better or worse, turning 50 is that birthday, the one people use as a natural life divider and some sort of cutoff for measuring your success and proving you are indeed good at adulting. I find it is easiest to express my thoughts on that using a Korn lyric, "Fuck that, fuck that.
I intend on rolling into my fifties seeking youth more often, not in artificial ways but in experiencing the things I miss about me and that phase-curiosity, risk taking, unabashed joy, feeling brave in my body and seeing the world as wondrous and deserving of exploration. I appreciate all of you being a part of this journey with me and because I care about you, I'm warning you to expect me to be even weirder from here on out.
SAVE THE DATE: May 17, 2025-Amy and I are having a 92nd Birthday party to celebrate our combined May birthdays. Details to come!
Here's what else is in for 2025:
Our team expanding. Adam is finishing his real estate licensing and bringing his unique skills to the team. We were in need of a non-blonde with construction bonafides.
More events at The Draper.
Expect learning events, engaging get togethers and weird invites. I want to share the joy that I receive knowing so many amazing people through real estate and life.More retro recipes. I love discovering the best and worst of the mid century recipe archives.