TSS From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 2870 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (1 year 11 months 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 1353 times:
For the Sessions family, this should have been Clue Number One-
"When they bought the house, the Sessions signed a document that noted the snake infestation."
"They said they had been assured by their real estate agent that the snakes were just a story invented by the previous owners to leave their mortgage behind."
And no real estate agent would ever intentionally downplay a documented problem with a property just to get it to sell, right?
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dxing From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (1 year 11 months 1 week 15 hours ago) and read 1326 times:
Quoting TSS (Reply 1): For the Sessions family, this should have been Clue Number One-
Aside from that, you would have thought that they would have seen some evidence of it in their walk around, or that the home inspector, if there was one, would have zeroed in on the problem during his or her inspection. There had to be some evidence of them. Kudo's to the neighbors in now warning off any potential buyers.
Regardless, even if all that was missed, it seems sort of surprising that there wasn't a horrible fire that got way out of control before the fire department could get there.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38503 posts, RR: 80 Reply 3, posted (1 year 11 months 1 week 14 hours ago) and read 1304 times:
This is a horror story!
I feel bad for this family. I am terrified of snakes! I'm just surprised that this wasn't noticed during the construction of this home. Their bankruptcy should be reversed.
TSS From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 2870 posts, RR: 5 Reply 4, posted (1 year 11 months 1 week 6 hours ago) and read 1248 times:
Quoting dxing (Reply 2): you would have thought that they would have seen some evidence of it in their walk around, or that the home inspector, if there was one, would have zeroed in on the problem during his or her inspection.
No doubt! I did find this telling, though-
"When he made his way through the crawl space to investigate further, he found snakes everywhere."
The phrase "When he made his way through the crawl space... " suggests that that was the first time he'd been under there. Maybe I'm a bit more thorough than other home buyers, but I wouldn't even consider buying a home until I'd personally been through both the attic or upper crawl space and the basement or lower crawl space looking for evidence of water leaks, mold, insufficient insulation, obvious electrical code violations, and pest infestations including but not limited to rats, mice, roaches, 'possums, raccoons, and yes, snakes.
On a snake infestation related note, what many homeowners down here do to prevent snakes getting into the house is to clear away all bushes that touch the house and then sprinkle lime (calcium hydroxide) in a continuous band all around the foundation of the home. I don't know if sprinkling lime actually works to repel snakes, but it is a very common practice in Alabama.
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IMissPiedmont From United States of America, joined May 2001, 6203 posts, RR: 43 Reply 5, posted (1 year 11 months 1 week 3 hours ago) and read 1192 times:
As much as I appreciate a good snake or two, I want them outdoors. But I suspect the people bought the house knowing how bad the problem was and in a fit of greed (the price was apparently low for up there) the man thought he could get the snakes to move on.
What is it with all the "is there a possibilty airline X will.." threads? The answer it'll is possible.
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16819 posts, RR: 57 Reply 6, posted (1 year 11 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 1165 times:
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38503 posts, RR: 80 Reply 7, posted (1 year 11 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 1111 times:
As one of the comments say, the realtor should be forced to live in this house and their bankruptcy should be reversed.
Could those snakes been made in to wallets, purses & boots?
Confuscius From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 3633 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (1 year 11 months 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1085 times:
Me too, they're harmless to people. I saw one in the front yard when I was living in Hayward. There were also some in my garage when I was still living in the Chicago area. I worry more about Africanized bees than rattlesnakes when I go hiking here in the desert.
Quoting Superfly (Reply 7): Could those snakes been made in to wallets, purses & boots?
Too small...maybe into garters! C'mon Larry, you're too urbanized. Go out to the woods in Thailand. You've got beautiful cobras, vipers and pythons out there. Snakes aren't slimy at all unliked toads and eels. Besides, don't you pet your python? Or you just let the ladies...
A German buddy of mine here in Thailand kicked one of those away from his car last week.
Quoting Superfly (Reply 7): Go out to the woods in Thailand. You've got beautiful cobras, vipers and pythons out there.
I saw a 6 ft. long cobra going in to the same bathroom stall I was going to use at an upscale restaurant/winery in the hills above Hua Hin last summer.
Scared the hell out of me!
Arrow From Canada, joined Jun 2002, 2582 posts, RR: 2 Reply 10, posted (1 year 11 months 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1030 times:
Quoting dxing (Reply 2): Regardless, even if all that was missed, it seems sort of surprising that there wasn't a horrible fire that got way out of control before the fire department could get there.
Yeah, maybe preceded by a mysteriously cut phone line.
Another one of those "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is" stories. It's amazing how a bargain price will blind people to a few flaws.I guess the only thing worse than thousands of garter snakes would be one rattlesnake.
I suspect the bank will eat this one, unless they can find someone who wants to start a snake farm.
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38503 posts, RR: 80 Reply 11, posted (1 year 11 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 1004 times:
Quoting Arrow (Reply 10): It's amazing how a bargain price will blind people to a few flaws.
Just under $200,000 for a 5 bedroom on that amount of land isn't that much of a bargain in rural Idaho.
If it were Los Angeles, then yes that would be a bargain.
Quoting Arrow (Reply 10): I suspect the bank will eat this one,
They already went bankrupt.
Not sure why some people want to suspect that they just simply want to get out of a mortgage. That property is unlivable.
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16819 posts, RR: 57 Reply 12, posted (1 year 11 months 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 974 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 9):
I saw a 6 ft. long cobra going in to the same bathroom stall I was going to use at an upscale restaurant/winery in the hills above Hua Hin last summer.
Scared the hell out of me!
Wouldn't want it to bite "Little Larry," would we?
JAGflyer From Canada, joined Aug 2004, 3321 posts, RR: 4 Reply 13, posted (1 year 11 months 6 days ago) and read 966 times:
This reminds me of that show "Billy the Exterminator". He'd go into houses that looked like they were abandoned (but inhabited by humans) that had bugs crawling everywhere! I have no idea how the people lived in such conditions. It doesn't surprise me that most of these bug infested homes were trailers that were completely filthy on the inside (food, dirty, etc).
Supported the beer and soda can industry, recycle old airplanes!
goblin211 From United States of America, joined Jun 2010, 1209 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (1 year 11 months 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 958 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 9): I saw a 6 ft. long cobra going in to the same bathroom stall I was going to use at an upscale restaurant/winery in the hills above Hua Hin last summer.
Scared the hell out of me!
Man, that's freaky as hell!!!
I'm sorry about the homeowners. What a way to go into bankruptcy though. thanks to snakes. I think the realator knew about the problem and wanted the commission but on the other hand the people should've done a more thorough search. Both parties are to blame here.
dxing From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (1 year 11 months 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 942 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 11): Not sure why some people want to suspect that they just simply want to get out of a mortgage
The way I read the story they are saying that the realtor that sold them the home told them that the previous owner had "made up" the snakes story to get out of the mortgage.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38503 posts, RR: 80 Reply 16, posted (1 year 11 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 924 times:
Quoting goblin211 (Reply 14): on the other hand the people should've done a more thorough search. Both parties are to blame here.
Quoting dxing (Reply 15): The way I read the story they are saying that the realtor that sold them the home told them that the previous owner had "made up" the snakes story to get out of the mortgage.
The realtor and bank downplayed the snake problem. An infestation on that scale is a safety hazard. Doesn't matter if they're non-venomous, they can still give a very nasty bite. Snakes carry rabies and salmonella and that can be deadly to small children. The house needs to be condemned or torn down.
This is a very unusual story and you can't hold this family responsible for this.
I was shaken up for days. I started a thread about it but the 'search' feature isn't working.
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 12): Wouldn't want it to bite "Little Larry," would we?
It ain't "little"
Actually if it went in there 1 minute later when sitting down, it could possibly shoot venom up to 6 feet directly in to my eyes and could have blinded me. That is what spitting cobras do.
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From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38503 posts, 
C'mon Larry, you're too urbanized. Go out to the woods in Thailand. You've got beautiful cobras, vipers and pythons out there. Snakes aren't slimy at all unliked toads and eels. Besides, don't you pet your python? Or you just let the ladies...
From Canada, joined Jun 2002, 2582 posts, 
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