When I was growing up in Miami, tomato plants randomly started sprouting in the middle of my best friend’s backyard. Not planted tomatoes. Volunteer tomatoes. Growing directly above the family’s cracked septic tank. Let’s just say they ate a lot of salad. 😏 If you know me, you know I love a good septic tank inspection.
Depending on where you are in Miami, septic systems are more common than you might think. Coral Gables has plenty, while Shenandoah, Silver Bluff and The Roads are nearly 100% on sewer. The inspection itself is fairly straightforward: check the liquid level, pump the tank, and look for cracks or other problems. There is some irony here. As agents, we spend an entire transaction maintaining an arm’s-length relationship between buyer and seller. Then septic inspection day arrives and everyone stands around together, quite literally smelling the owner’s shit.
But the element of surprise is what gets me. People worry about the problems they can see, while waste can disappear underground for years without anyone giving much thought to what’s happening down there. You’d be surprised how many sellers can’t remember the last time theirs was pumped. I’ve even encountered people who didn’t know they had one. Twenty years in the house and you’ve never wondered where all of this was going?
This is why we inspect.