A Tree Fell on the House…Three Days Before Closing

We FINALLY closed on this beautiful home - and trust me when I say, it took everything we had to get here. This story is part real estate thriller, part survival saga, and part masterclass in why the team you choose really matters.

 

Here is the short version (because the long version requires alcohol).

 

Our rockstar clients found the perfect home for their next chapter. One of their current homes had a buyer lined up off-market, so we prepped and listed the other. Our seller did alllll the things to get it ready for market, and it showed beautifully. We hit the market July 9th, received multiple strong offers, and by the 13th, we were under contract with a cash offer, over asking, closing in two weeks. Dream deal, right?

 

It was...Until it wasn't.

 

Cruise ahead to July 25th.

It was a warm summer Friday. Our seller had officially closed that morning, and the buyers were scheduled to close the following Monday. Everything was buttoned up. Smoothest transaction we could have imagined.

 

And then - that evening - my phone lit up with a call from an unknown number. My gut told me to answer it.

"A tree fell on the house you have listed on Dexter Street."

 

I thought it had to be a prank. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

 

A microburst (70+ mph freak wind event) had ripped a massive 86-foot pine tree out of the ground and laid it on the house. No big storm or warning...nothing more than a perfectly timed, completely unexpected curveball thrown by the one and only, Mother Nature.

 

This wasn't a branch. This wasn't exactly "minor" damage. A full-grown TREE fell. on. the. house.

 

And that was just the beginning...

 

Then come the firetrucks. The insurance adjuster. The panic? Nope - everyone stayed calm.

 

What happened next was anything but easy.

 

We had to make some very tough phone calls - first to our seller (who, by the way, handled it like an absolute legend), and then to the buyer's agent to break the news. From that moment on, Brad and I were deep in the trenches - negotiating timelines, coordinating emergency inspections, managing expectations, navigating shifting emotions, and protecting our client from a complete derailment.

 

While it could've gone sideways in a hundred different ways, it didn't. Why?

 

Because the stars aligned:

~ Our seller had already moved into her new home, which gave us a little breathing room

~ The buyers still wanted the house and weren't under pressure to move immediately

~ It was a cash deal - no lender, no funding delays, no rate locks on the line

~ Progressive Insurance came through with expedited service

~ A calm, professional GC took over and helped us move quickly

~ Behind the scenes, our team kept every single moving part...moving

 

Was it still stressful? ABSOLUTELY!

Was the buyer easy to work with? Not exactly.

Did we keep the deal alive, hold the line, and get everyone across the finish line anyway? YES, we sure did!

This is exactly why it matters who you have in your corner.

 

In this market, a lot of homes are sitting for months without offers. We listed and closed this one in just 50 days - even after an 86-foot tree fell on it three days before closing. That doesn't happen by accident. It takes a calm, experienced team who knows how to keep things moving, even when the unexpected happens.

 

Huge shoutout to our absolutely amazing seller!!! Rhonda, you are a rockstar and we thank you for trusting us, staying calm, and for letting us help guide you through the wildest closing we've seen in a very long time. You were steady and quick to action and you handled this entire process like a champ! We are beyond happy for you and Jesse and cannot wait to see what this next chapter brings your sweet little family.

 

To everyone else involved in this transaction - THANK YOU, Teamwork. Makes. The. Dream. Work! We are collectively closing this chapter with a whole lot of pride (and probably a drink or two).