Real estate is a very time-sensitive business, and quite often, an hour, or even a few minutes can make the difference between getting a deal, or not.
Sometimes, you plan ahead, account for potential hiccups, and have a plan-b and c.
Sometimes, you get stuck in an elevator for 1 hour and 10 minutes, on your way to meet a client to sign an offer, and being down in P2, your cell phone doesn’t work, and you’re trapped.
Just another day in the life…
Well, I always wondered how I’d react to being stuck in an elevator.
It was one of my biggest fears as a child. That, and being put in a locker by a school bully…
It was more annoying than anything. And I got really bored.
I made lists on my notepad of the 26 players to hit 500 homeruns, the 42 players to score 500 goals in the NHL, the 44 presidents of the United States, etc. I also made a list of every single vegetable I could think of. I think I came up with close to thirty.
When the woman said “It’ll be about 15-20 minutes,” I said “Oh my God….” because I didn’t believe her. Sure, enough, it took another hour.
It’s no different then “This is your captain speaking. We’ve got a maintenance crew coming to take a look at the Johnson-rod down in the Flux-Capacitor, but we expect to be pushing off in about ten minutes.”
Then you sit at the gate for another two hours…
In the end, a man came and rescued me by sliding a giant hook down the elevator shaft from P1 up above, and after the interior door slid open, he said, “See those two black knobs? Push them together, and open the door.”
I wonder how a 7-year-old stuck in the elevator would have handled those instructions. It’s not like the kid could reach this:
In the end, I got to my clients’ condo, signed the offer, and was home before midnight.
We got the deal the next day (multiple offers……in Oakville!), and what the heck – it gave me a story to tell on an otherwise lackluster Friday morning…
Have a great weekend, everybody!
moonbeam!
at 7:31 am
OMG! have to admire how you handled this situation… no panic or tears… you were pretty resigned to just waiting for help. Thankfully, a voice responded on the other end… but kind of alarming that the responder didn’t seem concerned or tried to speed things up.
I probably would’ve been hysterical & made up a medical emergency!
BTW, you looked very handsome – would Brad Pitt stay as ruffled as you?
moonbeam!
at 7:32 am
unruffled….
Geoff
at 8:31 am
I was stuck in an elevator once for 90 minutes, on my way to my first day of work at a new job. True Story. June 1st, 1999.
Kyle
at 9:18 am
An hour and 10 minutes? Mental note: don’t drink one of those XL or Venti coffees, if you may need to use an elevator any time soon.
G___
at 9:54 am
If that happens at any TD Centre property you get a very nice gift basket and a “sorry for the bother” card from the management company. Pick those elevators to get stuck in.
Casey B
at 10:30 am
After watching “White House Down” and many other Action dramas, I’m sure I would have easily climbed up the elevator shaft to the next level up and simply pried the doors apart with my bare hands.
You handled it okay though.
Floom
at 11:15 am
I thought I was stuck in an elevator once but it turns out I was already standing inside the pre-construction condo I bought.
Appraiser
at 12:50 pm
@ Floom:
Let me guess. You’re still stuck inside that basement apartment though, right?
ScottyP
at 12:25 am
For the record Floom, I thought it was funny.
Andrea
at 12:02 pm
OMG David, you were so calm! very impressive!
I would have fainted on minute 1, revived myself just in time for an oncoming panic attack and fainted again. Only screaming would have been heard. You have just combined my two worst fears, cramped spaces and heights….add rising flood waters and you’ve got yourself a triple play!
Wow!
Hawk
at 2:05 pm
A few condos regularly have elevator entrapments if the residents overload the elevator during rush hour. Other times, poor maintenance is the cause.
YOu can count on an 60-90 minute wait downtown and double that in the suburbs.
Kyle
at 4:22 pm
Instead of an emergency phone, they should have a glass case full of wine and cheese to break open, so it’s a little more relaxed/less awkward when stuck on an elevator with your neighbours.
Curious what do people talk about for 60-90 minutes?
ScottyP
at 12:29 am
I *love* that idea, Kyle: A bottle of wine, available in all elevators, to be accessed In Case of Emergency.
In all seriousness, it would make a meaningful difference to the experience. Brilliant.
amral
at 9:39 pm
I got stuck once in my apartment elevator for 15 mins and i think it has caused me to be claustrophobic now. I have this fear and if i am in an elevator and it is getting crowded i will get right off