09/22/2026
Ran by one of my listings this morning to do the usual list of “Things Your Realtor Panics About and Races Over to Check on Right Before a Showing”:
Blow leaves on driveways and walkways
Turn lights on
Put down toilet seats
Make sure counters aren’t sticky
Give a quick sweep
Not to mention the most exceptionally annoying recent sport of whacking the snot out of Joro Spiders and cleaning up their webs that are apparently made of 24 gauge fishing line and Gorilla Glue. (Gah! Hate them! And I will NOT apologize for it.)
But, today held the most dreaded surprise for any Realtor: the incessant beep of a battery dying in a smoke detector.
Y’all. It is my biggest pet peeve when I go to show a house, and I had JUST cleaned out my car, including taking out the stepladder and my stash of batteries.
This is as close to panic as I have ever felt. I have never been this close to a showing time with a beeping smoke detector. EVER.
But, I have learned that if you live a life being randomly nice to dogs and old folks, gifts will rain upon you. And today, they did.
I was frantically racing out the door, blowing leaves as I went, with my eyes on the prize of doing my best to run around gathering stuff and trying to run right back before the showing, but resigned that I would likely be typing up a text of apology to the en route agent for the eye-twitch-inducing background noise in this otherwise delightful property.
And as I did, my charming little hand held leaf blower caught the eye of the charming next door neighbor, who asked to see it. It was 11:23am. The showing was at noon. My stepladder was 15 minutes away, and I had a choice to make.
And I chose to chat with the neighbor and let him try out my leaf blower.
After which, he mentioned that he was having a yard sale on Saturday, (which clued me in that I should hold a corresponding Open House, and so I shall!) And he asked if I wanted a sneak preview of the items for sale.
With the five minutes that I originally needed already lost, I said “Sure!”
And guess what the first thing was that I saw?
The cutest little stepstool I have ever seen.
So I bought it.
Within 15 minutes, I had run to the store for a 9 volt, precariously perched myself at the top of stairs on that little sucker, swapped the battery and stopped that infernal beep.
I was in my car and gone with 5 minutes to spare.
And now, I’m hosting an Open House with a ready audience of curiosity seekers rolling up to a brand new million dollar plus palace right next door.
If ever there were a reminder to slow down, take a breath, and just act like a normal human being, today was it.
AND I got this stepladder for $5! Booyah!
