| Luxury homes are lots of fun to inspect. | | | | "plum" with "eggshell". Their best guess was |
| Sure, the pay is better too, but mostly it's | | | | that three coats would do it; I was betting |
| just fun to see how the other half lives! I | | | | on five! |
| also get to meet those people who have | | | | |
| reached such a level of financial success | | | | As is always the protocol, all the lights, |
| that they are buying a home that seems like | | | | appliances, and heating were turned on for |
| it could have been a boarding school! | | | | the home inspection. My company calls this |
| | | | our "Super Bowl" check. Seems that the |
| One of the fun aspects of inspecting large | | | | greatest stresses a home undergoes is during |
| and expensive homes is seeing furnishing and | | | | the Super Bowl. There are usually dozens of |
| interior design work at the highest level. | | | | people around, all of whom are using multiple |
| Unfortunately, that high level does not | | | | televisions, cooking, washing, showering, and |
| always translate to attractive! Good-sized | | | | consuming every possible stitch of |
| decorating budgets does not always mean good | | | | electricity. And all of this is going on |
| taste. One such mansion sticks always in my | | | | simultaneously! If the systems continue to |
| mind. | | | | work during the Super Bowl, they will work |
| | | | fine during routine family use, or so the |
| Among the oldest and most prestigious | | | | theory goes. |
| sections of Jacksonville, Florida is Ortega. | | | | |
| Situated along a wide expanse of the St. | | | | So, while zipping about the house checking |
| Johns River with a fabulous view of the | | | | here and checking there, one of the painters |
| downtown skyline is Ortega Boulevard. In our | | | | called out that he smelled smoke! If the home |
| fair town, that address spells success! | | | | catches on fire during the Super Bowl that is |
| | | | most certainly a penalty. |
| It is always a thrill to inspect on Ortega | | | | |
| Boulevard. The homes were built during the | | | | Upon my arrival to the electrical panel, I |
| 1920's and 30's by the business and political | | | | smelled heat and burning wire. I then ran to |
| leaders of the time. In a state not known for | | | | the exterior to disconnect power at the |
| architecture, homes on Ortega Boulevard can | | | | switch adjacent to the meter, which was on |
| be compared proudly with any in America. But | | | | fire! I told the real estate agent to call |
| that does not mean that some folks don't | | | | the fire department while I secured the power |
| commit creative crimes in the decorating | | | | to the home. Things were going to be fine. |
| department! | | | | |
| | | | To my surprise and confusion, she became |
| The listing agent was thrilled to have this | | | | upset with me for securing power to the home. |
| home as the corner piece of an envious | | | | When I asked her why she is upset that I had |
| listing portfolio. One point, though, kept | | | | secured power to the burning electrical |
| coming up in comments made by would-be buyers | | | | panel, she exclaimed, "Wally, if you turn off |
| after being shown the beautiful home. The | | | | the power, the painters won't be finished |
| plum-painted walls on nearly the entire first | | | | today!" I reminded her that if the home |
| floor made the interior look like the set | | | | continued to burn, it wouldn't need paint! |
| from the old "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" | | | | |
| television show! This simply had to be | | | | The old adage "when you're surrounded by |
| corrected to attract a buyer to the home. | | | | alligators, sometimes it's hard to remember |
| | | | that you came here to drain the swamp" must |
| Upon arrival at the home, I parked behind the | | | | have been coined by a guy who was working for |
| painter's truck. When I went into the home, a | | | | a real estate agent in Florida. |
| team of painters was busy working to cover | | | | |