Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone ever try selling a house with a large burm in the basement? I'm finally retiring from the air force and therefore moving back home. My wife's father is terminally ill so this has prompted my retirement at 20 years as opposed to 22 as planned. We have purchased an incredible house http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1065407639
in Milan Michigan and need to sell the one we live in. Only problem is most folks don't like snakes period let alone really big ones. Moses is a round 13 feet now but not a good eater so he's around 60 pounds. Not over fed or malnurished, just not much of an eater.

Anyway, I have to hide him everytime someone comes over to see the house. So far someone has come by every day. Of course they ask, "What's in that really big cage with the can of paint?" I lock him in his hidebox until he figures out he can push the board out of the way. I can't advertise as no one would even come by. If I could sell him I would but no-one around here is interested. If he goes to Michigan with me his enclosure will expand greatly. Pics will come as they progress. Anyway, still here, just don't really post anymore...to busy prepping my house and preparing for retirement, at age 37.

DZ
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DZ

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

DZ, congrats on the early retirement. Sorry to hear about your father in law. We just found out my mom in law is terminal. I'm in Michigan. Gotta break out a map and refresh my memory as to where Milan is You can ship moses to me and I'll babysit till you get the house sold . Good Luck Bro, and take care.

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

I may take you up on it. Where do you live?

DZ
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DZ

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

Have you thought of covering the cage when you have visitors? Cover it with a blanket and just tell them it's a project you're working on, which isn't entirely untrue. To own snakes is to constantly be working on one project or another. When I had several different snakes, including a burm, I was always working on one of their enclosures, it seemed as soon as I got one settled into a new home for a few months, it was time for the next one to be settled, so on and so forth. So yeah, I would just cover it with a blanket and say that's just a project I'm working on that I'm not comfortable in letting everyone see just yet. It works for artists ya know, and we've been doing the same thing here, but I only have a corn snake, it's a big difference covering a 20 gallon long terr. from covering a huge enclosure for a 13 foot burm. Good luck on the sale of your house!

You do not want to lie about what is under the blanket because when they do their home inspection they can back out and then you waisted time. So to try to hide somthing is not worth it. If they are not going to buy it because of a snake then what makes you think they will when they see it. Oh ya congrats on the early Retirment and sorry to hear about the illness.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

I just went through this. In fact when I listed my house I posted nearly the same question.
My realtor told me just cover the cages.They were more worried about mice and rats being around. We showed our house by appointment only, so it was easy to get the cages covered in time. And there were about 14 cages to cover.
I also had a separate herp room. That helped. I also had a warning posted on the door.
Honestly...nobody was squeamish. The house eventually sold, and now I start all over again.
Good luck selling. I live in CT, and it took us 5 months. The market is really dead here. Be ready to make lots of concessions if your market is like ours.
Cover your snakes, write up a very eloquent warning, and you'll be just fine.

I sold my house with no problems, and I had a Burm a Boa and Ball python in a condo, in my second bedroom. In fact everyone commented on how cool they where. We sold the house kid you not in 1 day with several offers. As long as they are neatly kept and don't smell up the house who cares. Just my thought.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

You can't compare your situation where you are from in the past to my situation in MD in the present. To many variables. For one, it's a buyers market. 2, MOST people around here would run out of my house if they knew there was a snake in the house, let alone a very large one. I agree about not telling them it's a project, if you'd lie about one thing, what else would you lie about. But covering the cage is a good way to go about it. I took some pieces of styrofoam insulation and cut them to the size of the windows with my band saw. A knife was to messy. It worked out very well and also helps insulate the cage. I can still open the doors without having to move everything. Thanx for the help though.

DZ
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DZ

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell