As a realtor, I see all kinds of stuff when I’m out on the job. You never know what you’re going to find in a listing’s attic or basement. Sometimes, there are terrible looking messes, not to mention ancient furnaces or even jail cells in people’s basements! Any one of these things can scare off a potential home buyer. I’ve had it happen to me more than once! Last week, I lost a sale to a potential buyer because of the air ducts, of all things. Apparently, the seller had never thought to clean out any of their ductwork or air vents before beginning the selling process. But it just so happened that the buyer was an HVAC technician. Most buyers probably wouldn’t have even looked twice at the air vents or ductwork in this house. However, this HVAC technician was looking at the HVAC system through expert eyes. Not only did he inspect and comment on the out of date furnace system and the low efficiency air conditioning system, but he also noticed immediately that the ventilation ducts were in dire need of a thorough cleaning. Not only that, but this guy insisted on climbing up into the attic to see the air ducts. He laughed and said it was just as he thought once he climbed up the access stairs. He said that the ductwork was sealed up with duct tape instead of aluminum foil tape, which everyone knows is the way to go. I realized at that point that I was never going to be able to sell this HVAC technician a house – unless I could find another HVAC technician who was selling one!