Food for Thought

This Guy Blames Santa for his Fireplace Problem

Question: Our buyers recently had a home inspection performed on my home. The inspector said the fireplace damper is broken. I haven’t used my fireplace in years. We have had 17 Christmases in our home, so I'm sure the damper was damaged by the fat guy in the red suit coming down our chimney. Why should I be responsible to make that repair?

Answer:  We assume you mean Santa Claus. I think the jolly old man who brings happiness to millions of children & families every year, deserves a bit more respect from you. Since Santa visits millions of homes every year, there are bound to be a few accidents. We once had a few roof shingles break off from what was probably caused by Santa and his reindeer team. Since Santa's visits have been very special to our family, we consider this as normal Holiday maintenance and had no problem making the repairs. 

Mr. Seller, the broken damper is a safety issue. Your new buyers have every right to insist that you fix the chimney damper. Failure to do so could terminate the contract on your home. We suggest you fix the safety issue with your home, move towards a successful closing and be happy knowing that your new buyers will be safe in their new Home.

Here is something else you should know:  Blaming Santa for this broken damper is most definitely going to put you on His “Naughty List.”  You may want to reconsider your accusations.