The Gas Smell in the Garage
What Selling a Vacant House Really Takes
Fort Walton Beach
- Niceville
- Navarre
- Crestview
- Shalimar
- Mary Esther
- Destin
- Freeport
I was getting a vacant home ready to list when I noticed it: a faint smell of gas in the garage. My seller lives out of state, so nobody else was there to notice. Here's what happened next, and why it matters who's looking after your home when you can't be there.
One Afternoon, Five Photos
Tap a number, or let the story play.
The garage
A Faint Smell in the Garage
The home was empty, and I was getting it ready for the market. Its water heater, furnace and fireplace all run on natural gas. After the garage door had been closed for a while, I could smell a little gas in the garage. Not in the house, just the garage. It was faint, and easy to miss if you weren't paying attention.
I Called Okaloosa Gas Right Away
I didn't wait, and I didn't guess. I called Okaloosa Gas, and they sent someone out. A lot of people don't realize they can call their gas company when they think they smell gas. That's exactly what they're there for.
The Leak Was Outside
The water heater was less than a year old, so it wasn't the problem. The technician found a small leak outside, at the gas meter. The spot where the line passes from outside to inside wasn't sealed off the way it should be, so the gas traveled in along the water heater's line and collected in the garage.
Out With the Old Meter
He took out the old meter and its piping completely. You can see the rust and wear on the old parts, which is normal for equipment that has been outside in Florida weather for years.
New Meter, New Piping, No Bill
He installed a brand-new meter and new piping, all updated. Because Okaloosa Gas maintains the piping up to and including the meter, my seller didn't pay a thing. With the leak fixed, it may even help her gas bill. And her home goes on the market with a new meter buyers will see.
Okaloosa Gas says to stay calm, don't light anything, and don't turn lights or appliances on or off. From a safe spot, call them at 850-729-4700, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or call 911.
Why It Matters When No One Lives There
When you live somewhere else, your agent is your eyes, ears and nose at the house. Whether you moved away on PCS orders, inherited a home here, or just live somewhere else now, here are the questions out-of-state sellers ask me most.
Things I've Handled at ListingsSmall repairs, inspections and the gas company
When a home is vacant, little things can go unnoticed for weeks: a faint smell, a slow drip, a sprinkler that won't shut off. Whether your home is in Fort Walton Beach, Navarre or Crestview, someone should be walking through it regularly while it's for sale. When it's my listing, that someone is me.
I Meet the Vendor at the House
After the inspection, a buyer often asks for repairs. Here's how I get them done right, for a fair cost, without slowing down your closing. Tap each step.
The Repair Request Comes In
The buyer's inspection turns up a few items, and their agent sends a request. I go through it with you and help you decide what makes sense to fix, offer a credit for, or leave as is.
Closer to the finish lineI Meet Them at the House
A lot of times, a vendor gets an access code and goes out alone, and the seller hears about the problem secondhand. I'd rather be there. I meet the contractor, handyman or technician at the house and talk with them, so I understand exactly what's wrong.
Closer to the finish lineThe Right Person, the Right Fix
That's not because anyone isn't honest. It's because when I'm standing there and I know a little about home repairs, I can ask the right questions and understand what it should take to fix it. That's how the work gets done right, for the lowest cost that makes sense.
Closer to the finish linePhotos and Receipts
You get photos and an update from me, and the buyer's side gets the paperwork showing the work was finished. No guessing, and no flying in to check.
Closer to the finish lineClosing Stays on Track
Repairs are one of the places a sale can stall. Having good relationships with local vendors, and showing up myself, keeps things moving toward the closing table.
Closer to the finish lineWho's on My Call List
Good relationships with local vendors are a big part of what keeps a sale moving. These are the people I can call when a house needs something.
The Gas Company
Okaloosa Gas, for anything that smells like gas or involves the meter.
The Electric Company & Electricians
For power questions, panels, outlets and anything on an inspection report.
Plumbers
Leaks, water heaters and drains.
HVAC & AC Companies
Service, inspections and repairs.
Handymen
Small fixes like wood rot, before or during a sale.
Sources: Okaloosa Gas: Your Home Gas Lines · Pipeline Safety Awareness · Residential Piping Program
Someone Has to Be There
Selling a vacant house means trusting someone else to be at the house for you. A faint gas smell in a closed garage is easy to miss if nobody's paying attention. Being on top of things, knowing who to call and not handing the work off to someone else is how small problems stay small, and how your sale gets to the closing table smoothly. Here's how I help sellers around Fort Walton Beach.
If your home has gas service and has been sitting empty, have someone walk through it with the doors closed for a while, then step back inside. Smells build up in closed spaces like a garage, and that's often when you'll notice them.
What Is Your Home Worth?
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