About ten years ago, I listed a beautiful spec home that was being built by one of our area’s best custom builders.

As it neared completion, another broker in my office sold it and the offer included a provision for a home inspection.

My seller/builder was indignant that anyone would question the integrity of his construction, but had no choice but to allow the inspection.

Late in the day of the inspection, I called the buyer’s agent to see how the inspection had gone and, to my amazement, he said “we have a problem”.

I couldn’t imagine how we could have a problem with my builder’s masterpiece of construction quality, but I listened attentively as the buyer’s agent informed me that the inspector had discovered a family of raccoons in the crawlspace.

I was amazed to learn that the angry mama raccoon had actually cornered the inspector in the crawlspace for more than two hours until he was able to escape.

The cause?

The builder’s landscaping subcontractor had knocked off a foundation vent while grading the lot.